National Car Parks
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Car parking |
| Founded | 3 January 1931[1] |
| Founder | Colonel Frederick Lucas[2] |
| Fate | In administration (administrators appointed 16 March 2026)[3] |
| Headquarters | London, England[1] |
Number of locations | 340 car parks (2026)[2] |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Owner | Park24 Development Bank of Japan[3][4] |
Number of employees | 682 (2026)[2] |
| Website | www |
National Car Parks (NCP) is a British private car park operator. Founded in 1931, it manages off-street car parks in towns and cities, including sites at airports, hospitals and National Rail stations.[2][3]
In 2017 the business was acquired by Park24 and the Development Bank of Japan.[4] On 16 March 2026, the company entered administration and PwC was appointed as administrator.[3][5]
History
The company was incorporated in 1931 and is commonly traced to its founder, Colonel Frederick Lucas.[1][2] It expanded after being acquired in 1959 by Central Car Parks, a business formed by Sir Ronald Hobson and Sir Donald Gosling, who developed car parks on vacant sites in central London after the Second World War.[2]
In 1998 NCP was sold to the US company Cendant for £801 million.[6] In 2005 it was acquired by 3i for £555 million.[7] In 2007, 3i sold NCP's off-street parking business to a fund managed by Macquarie for £790 million.[8] Macquarie later agreed a sale to a consortium of Park24 and the Development Bank of Japan in 2017.[4]
In March 2026, NCP entered administration, with PwC appointed as administrators while the business continued to trade.[3][2]
Operations
NCP operates off-street car parks across the United Kingdom, including locations in town and city centres and at major transport hubs.[2][5]
NCP previously operated a portfolio of Transport for London station car parks; the contract was awarded to Saba with effect from January 2023.[9][10]
Controversies
In 1993 NCP chief executive Gordon Layton was acquitted in an Old Bailey trial following allegations of industrial espionage against rival company Europarks.[11]
Part of an NCP-operated multi-storey car park in Nottingham collapsed on 19 August 2017, leaving vehicles hanging over the edge of the building; no injuries were reported.[12][13]
References
- ^ a b c "NATIONAL CAR PARKS LIMITED overview". Companies House. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Prynn, Jonathan (16 March 2026). "Britain's biggest car park operator NCP crashes into administration". The Standard. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Car park firm NCP falls into administration, putting nearly 700 jobs at risk". The Guardian. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II reaches agreement to sell holding in National Car Parks to Park24". Macquarie. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Changes to UK working habits push car park group into administration". Financial Times. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Millions for car park entrepreneurs". BBC News. 24 March 1998. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "NCP car parks and traffic wardens sold for £555m". The Guardian. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "3i sells car parks firm to Macquarie for $1.5 bln". Reuters. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Car Park Management Services (awarded contract)". Contracts Finder (GOV.UK). 1 February 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Moran, Mark (10 November 2022). "Saba to operate Transport for London's car parks". Local Transport Today (TransportXtra). Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Car parks chief is cleared of spying on rival". The Independent. 13 March 1993. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Collapse at Nottingham car park leaves vehicles dangling". The Guardian. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Nottingham NCP car park collapse prompts call for answers". BBC News. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
External links
Media related to National Car Parks at Wikimedia Commons