‘Private Equity’ in Leisure Landscapes
In United Kingdom (an island nation in northwestern Europe comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), England’s Mobile Homes Act of 1983 provides protections for long-term residents of mobile home parks, including security of tenure and rent controls. Scotland - by contrast - has no direct equivalent, leaving residents more exposed, with few legal safeguards or guarantees for continued occupancy.
In Spain, European Union (EU), each region decides independently how to classify land (touristic, residential, industrial, schizophrenic etc.) resulting in some ‘comunidades de propietarios’ simultaneously existing as commercial tourist resorts, e.g. Costa Natura.
In Sunnyvale, California, United States of America, lot rents for new residents may be hiked to undermine value of homes and shift money to Private Equity.
In Portugal, EU, concepts of colonial concentration camps (‘aldeamentos’) are outdated, but still exist in legislation and retain potential for abuse, e.g. Pedras d’el Rei.
In France, EU, ‘campings’, ‘parcs résidentiels de loisirs’ and ‘villages de vacances’ may co-exist by failures to adapt with changed legislation. ‘Centres de Hélio Marin’ became targets for strategic acquisition by Private Equity firms with minimal transparency, minimal capital risk and no public accountability.
‘le Monto’ began as a non-profit association devoted to creating safe and ethical spaces for naturism. By 1955, an additional legal structure came into being - SOCiété de financement des centres de NATure (“SOCNAT S.A.”) - with a social-benefit mission to manage land and operations under constraints of corporate law at the time (which lacked legal forms for income-generating non-profit enterprises). Le Monto was always more than a holiday destination; it was a community grounded in naturist principles of freedom, equality, and respect for nature. Its governance remained rooted in communal stewardship until late 1990s and early 2000s, when a dispersed shareholder base became vulnerable to outside acquisition. External actors consolidated shares (reportedly, quietly and opportunistically) from individual owners, many of whom were unaware of the cumulative impact. By 2011, control had shifted to a private development firm. From there, ownership was passed through a series of private equity structures, each layer further distancing the community from governance while introducing commercial imperatives.
This type of acquisition is emblematic of broader trends worldwide. Combined leisure and residential domains like CHM le Monto, often grounded in non-profit or ethical origins, have become subject to leveraged buyouts and financialised control. Acquiring entities frequently use complex corporate chains to shield liability, invest little of their own capital, and impose rent-seeking strategies designed to maximise return rather than preserve ethos.
Slow erosion of founding values is a frequent result. Facilities may improve on the surface, but the deeper sense of community autonomy and purpose is compromised. At le Monto, this tension is spoken in stories: grandchildren and great-grandchildren of original members still uphold its unique culture, but they do so under increasing pressure from commercial operators.
To preserve community ethos, structural reform is required. One path forward is creation of a Fondation Reconnue d'Utilité Publique (FRUP) dedicated to safeguarding naturist principles, overseeing land leases, managing ethics and security, and regulating commercial concessions. Such a foundation would operate in the public interest, with legal authority to protect the founding mission from market forces.
By adopting this model, Centres of Sun & Sea (CHMs) could secure legacies whilst re-empowering communities. It would also set a precedent for other mission-driven sites, demonstrating that shared values can be structurally defended in an era of extractive finance. This isn’t just about preserving history - it’s about enabling future generations to live the founding ideals of spaces free from distortions of unchecked capital.