Pontin's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pontin's | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters |  Ainsdale, England, UK |
| Industry | Holiday |
| Parent | Ocean Parcs |
| Website | pontins.com |
Pontins is a British holiday company founded in 1946 by Fred Pontin. It specialises in offering half board and self catering holidays with regular entertainment on offer. Accommodation is usually in the form of chalets. The company once grew to be a major operator of seaside holiday accommodation, but has now been shrunk considerably.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1978 the company was sold to Coral in a £56 million deal. In 1980 Coral (including Pontins) was taken over by Bass who later disposed of the Pontinental side of the business. In 1987 Pontins was sold to a management buyout team lead by Trevor Hemmings. In 1989 Pontins was sold yet again, this time to Scottish & Newcastle. Over the next ten years the company closed or sold a number of sites. In a 3-year programme in the mid-1990s, the remaining camps were modernised. In 2000 the company, which now owned only eight camps, was sold back to Hemmings. In 2008 the company was sold to Ocean Parcs for £46 million.[1]
Pontin's headquarters have recently been relocated to the Southport Holiday Centre, which is located in the village of Ainsdale, Merseyside. Until then the headquarters were located in the village of Eccleston, Lancashire, near Chorley.
[edit] Resorts
Pontins currently runs seven resorts (known as "centres") in the United Kingdom.
- Camber Sands, East Sussex
- Southport, Lancashire
- Prestatyn Sands, Denbighshire
- Brean Sands, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
- Hemsby, Norfolk
- Blackpool, Lancashire
- Pakefield, Lowestoft (near Kessingland), Suffolk
[edit] Former resorts
These are a list of former Pontins resorts in the United Kingdom and Ireland that have either closed or been sold off.
- Barton Hall, Torquay, Devon
- Bay View, Brixham, Devon
- Bracklesham Bay, Chichester, Sussex
- Broadreeds, Selsey, Sussex
- Buckleigh Place, Westward Ho!, Devon
- Dolphin Holiday Village, Brixham, Devon
- Homelea Holiday Camp, Brixham, Devon
- Jersey Holiday Village, Portelet Bay, Jersey
- Little Canada, Wooton, Isle of Wight
- Middleton Tower, Heysham, Lancashire.
- Osmington Bay, Weymouth, Dorset
- Plemont Bay, Jersey
- Riviera Chalet Hotel, Weymouth, Dorset
- Sand Bay, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset
- Sands Hotel, Prestatyn, North Wales
- Seacroft, Hemsby, Norfolk.
- South Devon, Paignton, Devon
- South Downs, Bracklesham Bay, Nr Chichester.
- St Mary's Bay, Brixham, Devon
- Torbay Chalet Hotel, Paignton, Devon.
- Tower Beach, Prestatyn, North Wales
- Trabolgan, Nr Cork, Ireland
- Wick Ferry, Christchurch, Dorset
- Wall Park, Brixham, Devon
[edit] Bluecoats
Bluecoats were, like their redcoat counterparts at Butlins, both guest hosts and often entertainers:
- Shane Richie - Alfie Moon in Eastenders
- Helen Chamberlain - Sky Sports Soccer AM presenter & fire-eater
- Nyle Wolfe opera singer
- Bobby Davro TV Gameshow host/Comedian
- Lee Carroll TV host/scriptwriter
- Mark Fez Harrison From "Magicians in Love"
- Sarah Dakin Later to become Head Redcoat for Butlins
- Hayden McGurk Later to become a cruise host in the USA
[edit] Popular culture
- The 1973 British film Holiday On The Buses was filmed at and set in the Pontins Prestatyn resort. The same venue hosts professional snooker each year.
- Pontins are the long-term sponsors of reserve football leagues in England.
- Pontins at Hemsby is host to the annual Bloc Weekend music festival.
[edit] References
- ^ Pontin's bought by former boss. The Guardian. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Pontins Website
- Pontins History & Memories
- Pontins Bluecoats Past & Present
- Trabolgan Bluecoats Website
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