Went for a couple of little explores around the old Pontins site at Hemsby. A lot the buildings were locked up with no ways in but did manage to get into the swimming pool. Looking through the windows it seems vandals have been in a lot of the buildings and trashed them. Anyway, a little history followed by some photos….
Fred Pontin opened the first holiday camp in 1946 on the site of a former US World War II army base at Brean Sands in Somerset, gradually expanding his empire to 30 sites at one point.
In 1978 the company was sold to Coral in a UK £56 million deal. In 1980, Coral (including Pontins) was taken over by Bass Brewing who later disposed of the Pontinental side of the business. In 1987, Pontins was sold to a management buyout team led by Trevor Hemmings, whose construction firm had originally built the holiday centre at Southport. It was sold yet again in 1989, this time to Scottish & Newcastle. Over the next ten years the company closed or sold a number of sites. In a three-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 £46million.Wall Park holiday centre was not included in the sale, and, in January 2009, Pontin’s announced the closure of its Hemsby holiday centre. Pontin’s Blackpool in Squires Gate closed in October 2009 leaving five parks still trading under the Pontin’s brand.
Second Visit
