Third Pontins site in weeks shut after Storm Henk flooding - with staff told over text
4 January 2024, 15:23
The Pontins site in Southport has permanently shut down due to flooding, making it the third site closed in weeks.
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Only three Pontins sites remain after the closure of Pontins' Southport site.
The site closed days after hosting a New Year’s Eve party because of flooding caused by Storm Henk.
At the end of November, the Pontins sites in Prestatyn and Camber Sands were shut down with little warning. The remaining Pontins sites are in Pakefield, Sand Bay and Brean Sands.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that they were called to the Southport site at around 10:46pm on New Year's Day after reports of flooding.
The site announced on Facebook that the closure is now permanent after it assessed the "future viability of the park."
Posting on social media, Pontins said: "We have come to the difficult decision to close our doors."
Reports say staff were told of the site’s closure before lunchtime via text message.
It’s not clear how many people have lost their jobs because of the closure.
Southport’s Conservative MP Damien Moore said the closure of the Pontins site could be a good opportunity for the area.
He said: "Whilst the closure of Pontins is clearly concerning for the staff who I'm sure will be shocked, it provides a fantastic opportunity for a high-quality holiday accommodation provider to take over the site.
"Given its excellent location next to Ainsdale beach, with suitable investment, it could offer a substantial economic boost to Ainsdale and the wider Southport area."
Britannia Hotels bought Pontins out of administration in 2011 for £20million.
In 2022, Britannia Hotels was named as the UK’s worst hotel chain for the 11th year in a row.
