Who remembers Pontins?

[Gerry1964]

Old Fred Pontin would turn in his grave now

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[Gerry1964]

This is what it's like now

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[Sparkalicious]

It's a real shame to see places like that 

We are a regular Butlins go-ers. I know in the not too distant past them went through a collapse but and only have 3 sites now. But looking at them now they are doing gang-busters. We go at least once a year, to Bognor, and it's always pretty sold out. They have plenty of acts that you'd recognise off the telly for the little ones and they have just had a new pool built, which I have to say is breath taking.

Also it's a real shame because in the current climate, with basically going abroad costing you a fortune, I can see a real need for the traditional British holiday and places like Pontins and Butlins will do very well.

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[Gerry1964]

It's a real shame to see places like that 

I actually went to that place in Hemsby almost 25 years ago, and it was the pits then, We stayed in this chalet and the double bed was a bed settee that had one of the legs broken, when we went to the reception to complain they told us after dinner that it had been fixed, when we checked they put about 10 yellow pages under the corner 

It was a nightmare week, we just went out for days and came back really late just to go to sleep

When we looked out the chalet window we where about 15ft away from a busy main road, so had all the noise from the traffic

I guess thats when it started to go down hill big time

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[DaveE]

We booked to Butlins at Skegness, just over 30years ago. After an eternity queuing to sign in ( with 2 youngsters ) we got our keys and trundled off. Dragged cases and fed up, bored, tired children forever across the park to find the chalet we arrived. Both my wife and I took one look inside and said there was no way we were stopping there. Back we trundled to reception, joined the back of an even longer queue than before for service/ complaints. Eventually ended up in a static,  over the other side of the road about as far away from everywhere as you could get, but it did look newish and it was clean & tidy and habitable.
After getting over the traumas of all that, helped by a decent meal out and a good nights sleep, I’ve got to say we had a good time but never plucked up the courage to go through that arrival process ever again.
I’ve got to add we had had a couple of decent trips before that to Pontins ( Ainsdale Beach) & Butlins (Ayr)  but holiday camps were over for us.

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[Gerry1964]

We booked to Butlins at Skegness, just over 30years ago. After an eternity queuing to sign in ( with 2 youngsters ) we got our keys and trundled off. Dragged cases and fed up, bored, tired children forever across the park to find the chalet we arrived. Both my wife and I took one look inside and said there was no way we were stopping there. Back we trundled to reception, joined the back of an even longer queue than before for service/ complaints. Eventually ended up in a static,  over the other side of the road about as far away from everywhere as you could get, but it did look newish and it was clean & tidy and habitable.
After getting over the traumas of all that, helped by a decent meal out and a good nights sleep, I’ve got to say we had a good time but never plucked up the courage to go through that arrival process ever again.
I’ve got to add we had had a couple of decent trips before that to Pontins ( Ainsdale Beach) & Butlins (Ayr)  but holiday camps were over for us.

I think the days before the internet and tripadvisor, People just used to go to the Travel agents and pick up a brochure, Boy how did they use to photoshop those pictures as the sites were always ten times worst than shown in the brochure.

 

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