Pontins in Ainsdale in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Pontins in Southport has closed with immediate effect. 

Britannia Hotels, the owner, today confirmed news of the closure of the site in Ainsdale.

It follows the closure of Prestatyn and Camber Sands in November. 

Staff were told of the shock news today.

An announcement is due to appear on the Britannia website shortly. 

No bookings are being accepted on the site. 

On its website, Pontins says: “Southport is famous for its award winning beaches and rolling sand dunes!

“Pontins Southport Holiday Park is a great resort to visit, with great facilities for the whole family. We have star cabarets, bluecoat shows, game shows, entertainment and Pontins leisure activities such as Bouncy Castle Centre, we also have a fully heated indoor swimming pool with a separate area for the youngest, Go Karts and much more….”.

In November, hundreds of holidaymakers were left with nowhere to go after two Pontins holiday parks were shut with immediate effect.

The other remaining Pontins resorts are at Pakefield, Suffolk; and Weston-super-Mare.

If you have booked a stay at Pontins in Southport, Pontins officials should be in touch with you to offer you a full refund for your booking. 

If your booking cost £100 or more and you booked directly with Pontins, under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, you should be able to get your money back. Credit card firms are jointly liable with retailers if something goes wrong, meaning you may be able to get a refund from the card provider.

Make sure you keep all of your receipts and bank statements to hand. The holiday park company may offer customers an equivalent holiday at one of its remaining three parks instead of a refund. You can accept this if you’d prefer, but you are still entitled to the refund if that’s the option you want. If Pontins does not offer a refund for a cancelled holiday at the park, then contacting the Citizens Advice Bureau or considering raising the matter in small claims court may be the next option.

The Pontins chain was bought out of administration by Britannia Hotels in 2011 for about £20 million. Last year it was named as the worst value holiday park in the UK by Which?, with reviewers online giving the Camber Sands park just two out of five stars online.

Fans of the holiday camp have shared their memories of its online following news of its closure. “Many happy memories here as a kid,” one said. Another enthusiast added: “We used to come here in the 70s and it was a fantastic place to holiday. Many happy memories.”

Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrownn@gmail.com 

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