A CAR park operator which has a site in Bradford city centre has fallen into administration – putting 682 jobs at risk.
NCP, owners of the Thornton Lane car park, says it has struggling to fill spaces since Covid-19 and grappling with losses.
The 95-year-old company, which is one of the UK’s biggest operators with around 340 car parks nationwide, appointed administrators at PwC.
What will happen to the car parks?
All sites will remain open as usual and staff will stay in their jobs while administrators consider the options for the business.
NCP’s financial performance has been hit by a post-Covid dip in demand for parking which has not yet recovered to historic levels, especially across city-centre and commuter locations, the firm said.
It blamed this partly on a change to commuting and consumer driving patterns which have impacted occupancy across its car parks.
The company also said it struggled with costs linked to long-term and inflexible leases on loss-making sites.
What next?
Some or all of NCP may be put up for sale as one of the options to secure its future.
Administrators said it will be assessing the viability of each location, and some sites may need to be closed as a result.
History in Bradford
In Bradford, NCP operated several central car parks, including the well‑known Hall Ings site, which served commuters, shoppers, and visitors for decades.
This site became particularly notable as the city began large-scale regeneration projects.
In October 2022, the Hall Ings NCP car park was permanently closed and subsequently demolished to make way for a new “gateway” to Bradford Interchange, part of the government‑funded Transforming Cities Scheme.
That plan was scaled back due to uncertainty over the interchange’s future and now a pocket park sits in the area.
‘Challenging trading environment over several years’
Zelf Hussain, joint administrator and partner for PwC, said: “NCP has faced a challenging trading environment over several years, with changing consumer behaviours impacting volumes, and a high fixed cost-base leading to trading losses.
“Our priority on appointment is to ensure continuity of service while we undertake a detailed review of the business.
“All sites are open, staff remain in post, and trading continues as normal.
“We will be engaging with landlords, employees and other stakeholders as we explore all options, including the potential sale of all or part of the business, to secure the best possible outcome for creditors.”
NCP history
NCP was founded in London in 1931 and is owned by Japanese firm Park24.
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It operates about 340 car parks across the UK including in major towns and city centres, airports, hospitals, and train stations.
Prices differ at each site but some central London locations can cost up to £60 for 24 hours parking.
