Pontins

Founded

Fred Pontin opened his first holiday camp in 1946 on the site of a former U.S. army base (built during World War II), at Brean Sands near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. He gradually expanded his empire to thirty sites, although the corporation has contracted since.

Company history

In 1978 the company was sold to Coral for £56 million. In 1980, Coral (including Pontins) was taken over by Bass Brewing, who sold Pontins in 1987 to a management buyout team led by Trevor Hemmings It was sold yet again in 1989, to Scottish & Newcastle.

Over the next ten years the company closed or sold off a number of sites. In a three-year programme in the mid-1990s, the remaining camps were modernised. By 2000, the company was operating only eight camps, and was sold back to Hemmings. In 2008, the company was sold to Ocean Parcs for £46 million. Wall Park holiday centre was not included in the sale. In January 2009, Pontins announced the closure of its Hemsby holiday centre. Pontins Blackpool in Squires Gate closed in October 2009 leaving five parks still trading under the Pontins brand.

Pontins headquarters were relocated to the Southport Holiday Park, at Ainsdale-on-Sea, close to the village of Ainsdale. From the original Hemmings buy-out until then the headquarters were located at Sagar House in the village of Eccleston, Lancashire.

In September 2009, Pontins announced a five-year multi-million investment plan for the remaining five parks. Refurbishment work completed in 2010 included a new half-board restaurant and ice skating rink at the Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, and a new roller skating rink at the Brean Sands Holiday Park. Including proposals of re-building the Camber Sands and Southport Holiday Parks and doubling the capacity of the Pakefield Holiday Park.

In 2010, Pontins went to administration and in early 2011, the company was bought out of receivership by Alex Langsam (the owner of Britannia Hotels).

In 2014, the former Pontins resort at Sand Bay was purchased by the group and it thus became the sixth resort to be operated under the 'new Pontins' brand.

New Pontins

Following the buy-out by Britannia Hotels in 2011. The hotel group announced that they will pump £25-Million-Pound into improving the parks with new accommodation, activities and entertainment. This investment has being carried through to a 5 Year Project and is due to be completed in 2017. Bringing a complete new Pontins experience for 2017.

Financial realignment

In November 2010, Pontins announced that they had gone into administration. No jobs were lost and customers were still able to take the holidays they had booked. A company spokesman said that Pontins would continue to trade for the time being, and that it would be getting help to move the company out of administration.

On 28 January 2011 Britannia Hotels Group bought Pontins Holidays. Alex Langsam, owner of Britannia Hotels, soon announced a £25 million investment programme, with the intention of refocusing Pontins as themed seaside destinations, taking inspiration from Disney theme parks.

Pontins "Bluecoats"

Bluecoats are guest hosts and include some well-known entertainers. Past Bluecoats include TV personalities Brian Conley, Shane Richie, Helen Chamberlain, Bobby Davro, Lee Carroll, Mark Fez Harrison of " Magicians in love " Scott Bruton (X Factor finalist), and Bradley Walsh. Other personalities include dancer Lisa Scott-Lee, stand-up comedian Lee Mack, Choreographer Gemma Quinnell and opera singer Nyle Wolfe.

Current resorts

Pontins currently owns and operates six "holiday parks" in the United Kingdom:

Southport

Pontins Southport is a holiday park located on Shore Road, Ainsdale, and was opened in 1969 by Fred Pontin at a cost of £2.5 million. The layout is similar to a village. It contains entertainment facilities, leisure facilities and on-site guest "apartments" in the form of 768 chalets. Apartments include a living area, kitchen and up to two bedrooms. Guests can choose either Self-Catering or Half-Board option. Pontins Southport hosts the annual Miss Southport contest.

The Pontins Bungalow in the park was renovated in 2013 and is set close to all the venues at the Pontins resort.

Sand Bay

The former Pontins site at Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, had been sold in 1999 and subsequently closed by the owners in 2013. It was then purchased by Britannia Hotels in 2014 and brought back under the Pontin brand. It is now designated as an adult-only resort.

Brean Sands

The first Pontins holiday camp opening in 1946 on 7 acres of land. In early 60's, expanded and rebuilt to a self-catering holiday camp on around 25 acres of land. Situated close to Weston-super-Mare.

Pakefield

Rebuilt during the 60's and situated on the Suffolk coast, close to Lowestoft. Half-Board Holiday Camp, adult-only during term-time and family breaks in peak/holiday times.

Camber Sands

One of the biggest Self-Catering camps built by Pontins situated on the Sussex coast in the coastal hamlet of Camber. Opened in 1968.

Prestatyn Sands

A holiday camp situated in Prestatyn on the North Wales coast. Filming location for Holiday's on the Buses in 1972 and opened the same year. Currently, the only Pontins holiday park located out of Britain.

Former and closed resorts

This is a list of some former Pontins resorts in both Ireland and the United Kingdom that have either closed or been sold off:

In popular culture