Pontins closes holiday parks with 'immediate effect' leaving Brits ‘heartbroken’ and holidays in disarray
1 December 2023, 11:55
Pontins has closed down two popular seaside resorts, leaving families devastated.
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The company’s Prestatyn and Camber Sands sites are set to shut with “immediate effect”, according to the Official Pontins Holiday's Facebook page.
The post, published on Thursday, added: “Customers whose bookings will be affected by these closures will be contacted by our team and refunded. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Hundreds of staff members are believed to work at both locations – although it is unclear how many job losses will result from the closures.
Read more: Pontins faces watchdog probe into claims of ‘discrimination’ against travellers
The move by Pontins owner, Britannia Hotels, has been met with disbelief after the company posted record profits earlier this year of £33.3m for the 12 months to March 31, 2022.
Reacting to the post, distressed users said they were “heartbroken”, speaking of their “many happy memories [there] as a kid”.
“We used to come here in the 70s and it was a fantastic place to holiday. Many happy memories,” another user said.
Record label Tidy Trax had been planning to hold a "wet and wild weekender" at the site and said it was "shocked and concerned" by the news.
Just three Pontins sites now remain across the UK, in Suffolk, Somerset and Ainsdal.
Read more: Pontins used 'undesirable guests' list to exclude Gypsies and Travellers, whistleblower reveals
Despite families flocking to Pontins' holiday parks since the end end of World War II, Britannia Hotels has been voted Britain’s worst hotel chain by Which? Magazine for 11 years running.
The holiday sites have also been criticised for an apparent lack of hygiene.
One TripAdvisor review of the Prestatyn Centre describes it as the place “where happiness and hygiene go to die”.
Another one of Camber Sands centre reads: “Rice in the drawers!? Aggressive notes stuck on every door, barbed wire surrounding it, don't even get me started on the pool.”
