Britannia Hotels Group plans to demolish the dilapidated chalets at the Pontins holiday park in Ainsdale in Southport and replace them with new facilities that “reflect evolving guest expectations”.
Pontins, situated next to Ainsdale Beach, closed suddenly in January 2024 and has remained silent ever since about the future of the site.
It comes at a time when Sefton Council has been trying to develop an ‘Ainsdale Gateway Masterplan’ for the Ainsdale seafront site, which will soon see Toad Hall demolished and new owners due to transform The Sands.
Uncertainty about the Pontins site has made the creation of long-term plans for Ainsdale challenging.
Since its closure, Pontins in Ainsdale has remained under the control of Britannia Hotels Group, the parent company of Pontins.
The business previously signed a 150 year lease with Sefton Council, with more than 130 years remaining on the leasehold with the local authority.
A spokesperson for Britannia Hotels Group said:
“Following their closure, we have been undertaking a series of surveys and land assessments for our three vacant Pontins sites to determine what future uses may be viable.
“As part of this process, we have appointed a planning consultancy to develop pre-planning applications for consideration by the respective local authorities.
“These proposals include the potential demolition of the aged chalets and options for their replacement, reflecting evolving guest expectations and the long-term sustainability of the sites.”
In November, Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson said: “I met Britannia, which owns the site and currently holds a long-term lease. They confirmed they are working on possible plans and conducting further site visits.
“While any medium-term progress depends on decisions which Britannia will take, I am encouraged that they agreed to keep talking to me as they develop their plans.”
In January, Sefton Council shared an update which included comments from Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Skills and Employment, Cllr Paulette Lappin, who said Sefton was continuing to hold discussions with Britannia Hotels Group.
Cllr Lappin said: “In the interim we’ll do some market testing to see what ideas potential investors may have for the site alongside the wider coastal gateway if the current leaseholders aren’t interested in doing something of benefit for the local community.”
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