Pontins closures: Southport site shut after 'viability' assessment

Pontins said a closure due to flooding had now been made permanent

A third Pontins site has been closed within weeks of the firm shutting two other holiday parks.

Its site at Southport held a New Year's Eve party for families on Sunday, but was closed in the last 24 hours due to flooding caused by Storm Henk.

Pontins said that closure had now been made permanent.

In a statement on its website, it said after assessing the "future viability of the park, we have come to the difficult decision to close our doors".

The former holiday park giant once offered 30 destinations, but closed two of its six remaining sites in November.

The BBC has been told staff in Southport were informed shortly before lunchtime that the site would be "closing for good", but has not spoken to any of those affected.

Britannia Hotels, which owns the Pontins brand, has been repeatedly contacted for comment and further information.

The group's website states that it took control of sites at Southport, Prestatyn, Brean Sands in Somerset, Camber Sands in Sussex and Pakefield in Suffolk in 2011.

It later took over a sixth site at Sand Bay, near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, which had formerly been a Pontins, but left the firm's portfolio in 1999.

• Pontins: What happened to the former UK holiday park giant?

• Pontins closes Prestatyn and Camber Sands holiday parks

Rave Kidz, which was due to hold a weekend event for families at the Southport site in February, said it had been emailed by Pontins confirming the closure.

They said they were working to reschedule at another venue and would inform ticketholders as soon as they can.

The dance event business organised more than 28 events across the country in 2023, hosting thousands of families.

Southport's Conservative MP Damien Moore said while the closure was worrying for staff, it presented an opportunity for the area.

"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," he said.

"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."

Sefton Council, which is the landowner in Southport, said they had not been informed about the closure.

The Home Office has repeatedly denied speculation that the sites were under consideration to house migrants.

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