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Hubby and I spent two weeks at Hemsby holiday village a few years ago, the chalet we were in was dirty, we complained and we went out for the day while they cleaned it, it was ok but I couldn't settle in it, I stood in the rubbish bin in the bath to take a shower it just wasn't nice, then we went and demanded something else, we got a lovely caravan it was spotless, we still laugh about me showering in the bath standing in a bin 🤣 I must say I love your walk about it shows you the important things you need to know 👍👍
Oh my god, my fiance and I and his son went in July 2011 to Brean sands pontins and it was the worst holiday ever, our apartment was disgusting we had a dripping shower and a black and white TV beds were uncomfortable also, we will never go again this place needs to close permanently
It was, took one look at our chalet and left cost a fortune to book into another place and could,nt get our money back for the filthy chalet they provided.
My family was super poor so Pontins was the only place we went (and only twice in my life) We stayed in one further north. It looked just like this though even back then (about 12 years ago ish) I distinctly remember mould in the kids bedroom and mould in the bathroom. but the memory ill always have was when we walked past the arcade, a woman was dragging her kid along the floor screaming "WE'RE NOT FUCKING HERE FOR YOU" And we just started laughing because, its fucking Pontins who tf you here for then?
@@coo7664 they’re there for a piss up and spliff up and couldn’t give a shite about their kids having fun, that kid is probably in holiday in one of the prisons in England or wales now lol.
Working as I do in the entertainment industry, I've stayed at the Prestatyn and Southport Pontins, and they're both very similar to what you see here. Anything owned by the Britannia group is guaranteed to be run into the ground. I hear the Prestatyn site is now being used to house Afghan refugees - who are now probably thinking that maybe life under the Taliban wasn't so bad after all.
Just come back from Southport, I expected the facilities to be closed as it was Clubland Weekender so all adults raving and I don’t think go karts being open would be a wise move but all of this looks quite familiar. Chalet was basic and mine was really clean but the whole thing just looked tired on the outside, rotten handrails on the stairs and stuff
You wonder what exactly is Britannia's business aim ? To run shoddy hotels/holiday accommodation as some sort of gag or to run it all into the ground and sell for redevelopment /profit. They've been bottom of the Which List for years and obviously don't care/aren't bothered so you have to wonder.
I feel so sad for the birds in the cage, if Pontins' standards are that low for humans, I can only image how low they are for their animals. Someone needs to free those birds ASAP, it must be hell in there.
The Swings without swings are a nice touch, even the ones in Chernobyl had swings on them after a nuclear disaster, which is not for off what these holiday parks are.
Could you imagine turning up at one of these places, thinking you're going to do all these activities, then you realise everything is closed, I can't believe they're allowed to operate.
As an American this baffles me a lot. We have our fair share of disgusting run down resorts but not at this level. Crazy to think it’s normal to pay for electricity and bringing your own beddings over there I feel like that should be standard. It all looks like a prison to me especially the blocks Thanks for sharing
Would you want bedding from a host this terrible? If it were provided, the first thing I'd want to do is go to the nearest retailer and buy a sleeping bag lol
It makes me sad to think families that can't afford a holiday abroad go here and get this for their money. Regardless of finances they should have some basic standards.
I mean you can have some amazing holidays in the UK. Including at some decent parks, Butlins is alright, a bog standard caravan park can be alright. Just this is indeed shit.
These dumps charge a fortune. My other half go's to Poland for less than a hundred quid. Flights , four star hotel with breakfast and dinner for 5 nights.
The Clubhouse (pub really) being the best thing on the park whilst all the kids stuff goes to ruin basically shows where the owners and parents priorities are
I've never stayed at a Pontins. Had no idea you had to pay for electricity/gas in the meter; I thought it was included in the price. The whole place is a disgrace, how can this be advertised as a holiday when the facilities are non-existent or so run down they need demolishing? I truly feel for anybody who has booked a family break here it makes me angry to see Britannia (Britscamnia) screaming off the profits yet again.
Never understood holiday parks for that reason, you can take a tent somewhere or buy a caravan and have a miles better time exploring everything around you rather than being locked up in some place for a week
Disgusting what has happened to Pontins. The local councils should be inspecting their sites every week for Health and Safety inspections and issuing closure notices if appropriate. Never go in the cold month as the heating is liable not to be working.
I wrote to Sedgemoor council, they really did not care. If it was just a hotel or takeaway, they would have done something. It has now closed and houses power station workers.
I'm 74 years old and throughout my life Ive always check places out assiduously but you can still come a cropper. The worst place Ive even encountered was offered in the Hoeseasons Holiday brochure on the Norfolk coast, it was on a self catering park for families. The place was so filthy I think we would have all died if we'd stayed there. When we went to the "chalet" the door fell off! They offered us a caravan instead but that was gross too, so off we toddled. A few phone calls (from a call box, no mobiles in those days!) later we booked ourselves into another holiday park that was pristine. I sued Hoeseasons and got all my money back plus a bit… that took a year.
Baffles me how they think that's acceptable of a families hard earned cash to be spent on that dog hole ! I've been on many budget holidays but cleanliness is a must !! Just because it's basic does not mean it should be dirty and left to rot !!
@@WalkWithMeTim I think it could have been covid19 thats why a lot of caravan sites had to lay off staff as in fire them. also it could be that the owners of this place can't afford to keep it fully running anymore
Poor adults too. We work our asses off and save up to afford to go away and take the family, and use our very limited time off from work. Its the one thing we look forward to to break the monotony of life.... and then you end up here....
I’ve seen videos of urban explorers visiting long abandoned places that look more clean and cared for than this dump. How desperate for a holiday people must be to not turn around and leave. Quite sad.
Funny you should mention about urban explorers as this video was recommended to me after having watched a few by urban explorers. A bit more than a coincidence, I feel.
As a kid, my holidays used to consist of this pontins in brean sands and the pontins in camber sands. It actually breaks my heart to see that they’re gradually getting worse and worse because I made so many memories here :(
I did actually go to Brean sands in 2012. It was a bit musty and stained, and there was a stain that was either period blood or poo in the wall of the bathroom. The place smelled of damp and wasn't well cleaned. My fiancé described it as looking like something out of the soviet era.
You know what, it looks like a perfect location for some kind of horror game. It's just got that indie-horror aesthetic going on. Especially the 'reused assets' with all those damn chairs just being everywhere
Looks like an internment camp with that tennis court! I think I would be longing to go home after 5 mins. Blast from the past and it seriously needs updating. I’d be ashamed if I owned that!
I can't actually believe this place is allowed to be open in that state. If the broken glass doesn't get you the legionella will! Film companies should use this place if they need a location for filming the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster!
How do they have the nerve to charge people to stay there? It's meant to be a holiday park, Its more like a place you want to get away from to have a holiday!! It should be closed, or rather shut down by authorities, absolutely disgraceful!!
I went there with my family and walked straight back out. Didn't even try to stay and get my refund. Our room was atrocious someone had been sick in the sink and the bedsheets were stained beyond belief. This whole country is deteriating rapidly.
I got a full refund once I saw the room we were expected to stay in , plus the clientele looked chavvy, loads of fat women covered in tattoos smoking weed and their kids running around screaming, not for me thank you. I won’t even go into how manky the rooms were?! Edit: that was pontins Prestatyn and it actually looked much better on the holiday on the buses film from the early 70s.
SO, I have worked here for a short time between 2019 - 2021. The place is not run very well. Workers are given 10 minutes to clean an apartment. All you're told to do is wipe surfaces with cleaning spray, apply toilet cleaner, vaccuum and mop floor. If there's dirty dishes in the sink wash them, but if they're in the cupboard and grubby, don't bother. Workers are basically told by management most complaints about the quality are ignored because "They paid for a cheap holiday, they get a cheap holiday".
Never understand why Health and Safety never get involved with places like this. If it was a restaurant they would of been shut down. Tim your one brave man going to places like this
They need trading standards. When you look on their website for Brean, they list all the attractions that have clearly been closed for ages. That's basically theft.
It’s sad to see such a state of disrepair. It should be exciting to be on holiday not depressing lol. We had lots of holidays at Butlins & Pontins as kids and had the best time (even tho the chalets were very basic they were always spotlessly clean!) Well presented video, well done for surviving the experience!
Exactly. Had some brilliant holidays in the 70s' at Butlins Skeggy. I just don't know how this shower get away with it. Talk about not fit for purpose, with most things broke down or shut, it hasn't even got a purpose, let alone being fit for it.
Definitely the main feeling here is one of genuine sadness. A lost era, probably dealt a crushing almost final blow by the pandemic. There is always something part creepy part sad seeing holiday park attractions, especially children's, that have fallen into dis repair and run down. A big dollop of ££ is what's needed. Someone with a 100k could easily polish this back to happiness. Business side venture.
Shocking and repulsive! I worked for PGL Young Adventure at several of their centres in the 1980s. I did site maintenance work: cutting grass, emptying bins, mopping floors, cleaning bogs, strimming paths and I was proud of my work. Pontin's clearly have nobody on site maintenance or that person is useless and the manager must also be useless (or have no staff). As I say, shocking and embarrassing to anyone who has worked or stayed at a decent holiday centre. Why bother to keep it open when it looks like a money-pit?
Ha! i went to Parents Get Lost when i was a kid in the 90s with school. Had a great time, nearly killed myself on a quad bike, nearly killed myself absailing, nearly killed myself climbing, 8/10 because im still alive in 2022 instead of dying in 1996.
If I was extremely cynical, I would rebrand this place as an "Experience Weekend" for middle class people, who are curious about working class lifestyles. Damp accommodation, run down services, ferral kids and a sense of general decay. As for a name, I thought "Giro Topia" or "Chavassic Park"
Judging by the style of the accommodation blocks, they were built in the late 50's or early 60's so they need knocking down soonest..... probably full of asbestos too! But I'm guessing the management just want to wring out the last few quid from the place before selling the site to a property developer. It's obvious that they have no regard for making the place look nice, a couple of hours a day with some weed killer and a strimmer would make all the difference. You can tell that they are only interested in making money as the pub/club is clean and tidy, maybe people just go there to drink themselves stupid? Personally I think places like this are hell on earth, why on earth would you want to go on holiday to live right on top of other people the whole time, each to their own I suppose, but I'd much rather go camping somewhere away from the hordes.....
From the age of 10 to 15 every holiday was at Butlins Bognor and it was a breath of fresh air compared to Pontins. Even the basic chalets were clean and tidy, and any problems were dealt with. The reason Pontins is still open is because people are still paying to stay there. It needs a total boycott otherwise nothing will be done to either improve the conditions or to close the site down.
We went to Pontins, Brean Sands about 8 years ago, it looked exactly the same then, it was a dreadful experience from start to finish. The only highlight of Pontins itself was that I got to meet Timmy Mallet, the legend himself even took a swing at my skull with his mallet. Its a real shame because the area & its beach is lovely and would have so much potential if it weren't filled with the rotting remnants of what I assume a children's holiday in the 60's looked like.
Just came to Walk With Me Tim from a review of The Grand Hotel In Scarborough. The images shown in this video remind me of pictures we saw of Chernobyl years after the civilian population had fled, which isn't exactly a great selling point for a family holiday, irrespective of budget restrictions. Thank you for visiting this place so that we don't have to. I have to say though, Brean itself is lovely; it and nearby Burnham-on-Sea are a bit old fashioned and shabby, but I like that. Fun fact: Burnham is two miles from Brean, and was home to Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia , when he was on the run from Mussolini's forces in the 1930s. You can still see the house he lived in.
You're right i was trying to think what it reminded me of and it was the urban exploration vids of people going into Chernobyl (obviously not anymore though...)
I had the misfortune of being dragged there twice on family holidays - once in 2000 and again in 2009. Didn't seem bad the first time as a 6 year old, but it was pretty grim the 2nd time around. The camping holidays we went on just over a mile up the road were far better.
The sad truth about places like this, is that this is all some families can afford. They wouldn’t be there if they could afford better. My heart bleeds for the parents just wanting to give their children a holiday experience and when they arrive, this is what they have to look forward to.
Couldn't they just rent a cabin somewhere out in the country near some hiking trails? I live in West Virginia, USA, and for an inexpensive vacation, you could do a lot worse than renting a cabin at one of our state parks. Some of the cabins are actual primitive cabins and some are more like little houses with electricity, gas, and a kitchen. I'm not that familiar with the UK, having only been there once back in the '90s, but I'd much rather do a camping trip than be stuck in a hellhole like that.
Thank you for this, Tim! I went to Pontins Brean Sands every year growing up. My parents used to religiously collect The Sun holiday vouchers so we could get a holiday for very cheap! The standard was similar to this, it wasn’t great (we’re talking 1998-2007). The same characters existed and the park looks very similar! There was even a fire one year and we all got evacuated from our chalets. I so appreciate you filming this, even for the pure nostalgia! Thank you Tim!
As someone who works as part of an accommodation team at a holiday site we would not allow a unit in that state to be let to a guest, and we certinaly don't require you to top up the electricity/gas before you can use it. Plus our H&S boss would throw a fit with some of the things that were seen outside. I suppose we have one major advantage over Pontins in that we are all caravans, so it's easy to replace a damaged unit without needing to do any major building work. These sites could be really nice but would need millions spending on them which I guess they just don't have and I doubt there is anyone who would risk investing in them, plus if like everywhere you are struggling to get staff then you are not going to be able to keep on top of things. Though to be honest we clean to a much higher standard, even the time when we had no water and the time where we had no electricity! As for Britannia hotels, my Dad and Step-Mum recently stayed in one in Blackpool and it was dire, filthy and in a bad state of disrepair (i.e. windows not shutting properly, dust everywhere) but had no choice but to stick it out, it would be nice if there was a minimum standard of cleanliness that was checked by the local council so places that are a hazard to health can be shut down.
This is a business that is slowly dying, people have moved on from it's hey day back in the 60's and 70's finding it a better experience to travel abroad. It does however as your video shows it does need putting down and out of it's misery. Covid has probably been the final nail in the coffin. The site must be on very valuable land being close to Bristol so housing would be a good choice.
It's an ever decreasing circle though, no investment so pontins becomes a dump, pontins is a dump so less people go, less people go so no money to invest and so on and so on
It really doesnt need a lot of money spent, the staff should get of their arses and go litter picking! Get rid of the broken signs, traffic cones, tidy seats up, invest in a £100 grass strimmer, open up the rides etc. It needs better management and it would be ok. The staff need to have a bit of pride in the job really! Theres too many “not my job” ppl about
So sad to see a holiday camp in such poor shape. But sadly, I think you only have to utter two words "Britannia Hotels" to know just why its near derelict. It seems their business model is to simply run places into the ground. Its a minor miracle that nothing owned by the group hasn't seen some health and safety disaster occur (thank God). Thank you for going to these places, so we don't have to. Love the vid, and subed as a result of watching.
This place reminds me of the rundown apt complexes in my old neighborhood. Poverty has a very specific look and this is it, down to the random porch chairs.
Sorry for keep commenting but If I was Tim, I’d have gone to reception and asked why is every thing closed, only problem is you feel then you are having a go at some receptionist when it isn’t there fault
Pontins are owned by Britannia Hotels. It’s obvious that the owners don’t care much about either the holiday parks or hotels. They bought up some of Britain’s most revered hotels (Metropole Blackpool, Adelphi Liverpool, Grand Scarborough) and just like you see here at Pontins, they’ve been run into the ground. The customer service at the hotels and holiday parks is shocking too. We stayed at the Britannia Hotel in Leeds in January 2013 and it was dreadful then. We got a deal with food included, and the food was so bad I ended up with an upset stomach. We were there for a family christening, so just made the best of it. The hotel was very quiet yet still grubby, and needed a huge investment. We have never stayed in a Britannia property since, we don’t even bother looking. They are trying (and failing) to draw trade in based on previous reputations, particularly the hotels. Poor Billy Butlin would be horrified at what has happened to his Blackpool hotel.
We have stayed in a couple of their hotels too, one we had stayed in too under a previous owner. It broke our hearts to see how much it had gone down. As for the holiday camp if that was all I could afford I would stay home.
Definitely playing it safe with the comments about the accommodation. That room was disgusting really. Can't believe that place is still open. Parts looked more like a council estate. Great video though, nice to see something different.
Craig to be fair NOT all council estate's are bad and run down, yes there's certainly really bad ones but most of them only have like 2 or 3 streets that is disgusting. I used to live on a council estate and apart from a couple of streets it was quite a tidy estate nothing like this Pontins site. Yes there are some really bad housing estate that are really scruffy and in a bad state but please don't tar them all with the same brush.
Bloody hell. Good insight. I dont sneer my nose up at basic - you get what you pay for - but Brean Sands is disgraceful. Pontins do get it right sometimes; Pakefield in Suffolk runs decent theme weekends, big site, nice setting, swimming pool, catering is ok, piping hot water, staff seem to care etc. Thanks Tim
We used to stay here and at Torbay when i was a child in the 1960's/70's. So many good memories. Horrible to see it now. So sad and it's a disgrace that they charge people to stay here.
Its Pontins guys! Its supposed to be incredibly naff, cheesy, and frankly, half derelict. I remember my last visit to a Pontins: you don't spend anytime in the tacky room, its a place to wash and sleep. Thats it. Out and about, exploring the beautiful surrounding area is what its all about. Pontins is incredibly cheap, thats what I remember. Less than £100 for 3 nights. Yeah, its a bit of a s**thole, but Brean Sands itself is awesome.
I don't understand why they don't just close these places or put an order on them to improve or face fines. It's very sad and i know people rely on the work but there has to be a point where they cannot continue to trade.
We took the kids here as a cheap getaway, we wasn't expecting anything and we were still disappointed, we checked out less than 24 hours after checking in, it was FILTHY, we took our own cleaning supplies but even that wasn't enough, the beds were FULL of sand, poo left smeared in the toilet, mouldy windows and a door and windows that didn't lock, I had to drag a sofa bed infront of the door and sleep there the night where I had water dripping on my head in the night We told the receptionist the next day and they said "didn't you read the reviews? Don't like it, go home" so we did... We also saw a cleaner just rummaging through the rooms stealing people's coffee, tins of food etc It's a shame cause brean sands is beautiful, if you're going to stay there then book a stay at Unity Farm down the road
@CheshireCat6639 nope, we went to reception and there was a queue about 30 people long all checking out the same as us, all of us looking to cancel our holidays, the woman behind the counter just laughed and said "good luck getting your money back, you won't even get an email back from our customer services"
@@andysavo93 DISGUSTING, I can't believe how they get away with such behaviour! Honestly I would not stay if they payed me, I won't be taking my Grandson aged 5 there..FACT!
To the comments asking what kind of people go on these kinds of holidays - I went here as a child with my dead beat dad and his girlfriend who was as rough as toast. I caught head lice from one of the kids I met there too. Hopefully that gives you a little insight into the Pontins customer base!
This guy is incredibly kind. I know he likes nostalgia but this is ridiculous, I mean smallpox is nostalgic but I don't want it. This is the epitome of why this country sucks.
Many, many moons ago (and I'm talking 50 years!), Pontins was considered a cut above other holiday camps such as Butlins. Now, I suppose the entire concept (in the UK, at least) has long had its day. I did laugh when you said that the mould on the shower curtain was 'standard', as though it were a thoughtful inclusive part of the holiday package! At least you won't be disturbed by the ghost of actress Joan "no more wire hangers, ever!" Crawford.
It’s such a thing of the past - Uk holidays camps are declining in an era of cheap no frills airfare, and all inclusive hotels cheaper than chips…. It’s sad that these places are being left to wrack and ruin.
Yes I went to Brean sands with my mum for the weekend many years ago and it wasn't like that then. Also a gang of us went to South Devon Pontins and there was no problemwith the site. We now use different parts,s and they aren't as bad as that one.
I live in Southport and can confirm this is true. The local MP wants Pontins closed or upgraded, calling it a ‘Blight on the Southport landscape.’ Any hotel owned by Britannia is just awful!
What a disgrace, pontins has always been up there with Butlin's for quality at a budget, I've had superb holidays in both companies in the 80s, but seeing this is upsetting, just shows that many families are going on package holidays abroad now. Sad to say that maybe these type of parks are a dying breed.
I take it the Health & Safety Executive haven't visited in quite some time! Naturally the main 'entertainment' space would be in better condition, and likely fully stocked with alcohol so the adults can drown their sorrows! I worked at Butlin's, Filey in N.Yorkshire in 1980 and for all its basic condition it was spotlessly clean and well maintained. This shambolic holiday park really should just be permanently closed then demolished.
I half expected the birds in the aviary to be lying on the floor dead.... after seeing the rest of the decayed looking 'Leisure Zone' it wouldn't have surprised me...
This is one of the saddest spectacles I’ve seen. I am sad for the families and kids who go there for a holiday. Hard earned money stolen from families. It’s a disgrace
Another brilliant video. However, I’m shocked how terrible this holiday park is, it’s such a shame. Keep up the good work Tim. Excellent videos as usual & a credit to you. Presentation, quality and overall persona speaks for itself. Keep it up!.
Its 2021 and England still doesn't care about innocent children or its poor citizens. Most developed countries passed laws in the 80's requiring health and safety inspections yearly. All rooms should have modern fire alarms which are linked to each room so if one room catches fire, all the residents alarms are sounded so all can get out. Insurance is mandatory for go-karts and in my country starts at 1 million $ per cart per year. Mold can cause serious respiratory problems and be fatal to children with asthma. Stagnant water is toxic. 3,000 reviewers should write to their councilmen, govt leaders, commerce chambers, health depts and community leaders. If this is accepted in ONE place, it is prevalent in your society. SHAME on UK for writing reviews instead of solving UK problems and improving the future for YOUR children. At least send this video to the MEDIA!!!!
My word, if I hadn’t watched this from the start I’d had thought you were doing one of those forgotten closed places videos. This is shocking. Good video.
i took my family here this same summer and we left after the first night and were involved in a dispute back and forth trying to get refunded but we never did in the end. the chalet was unlocked when we arrived, the floor was sticky and theyre were dead bugs. there was no facilities for children operating at the time as they were all out oforder apart from the swimming baths. complete joke
My partner used to work there….they pay minimum wage and lay their staff off every winter. The place is filthy,the kitchens were so dirty the staff wouldnt eat there. The people who own in pay no tax as its registered in Jersey. The place is a bloody disgrace.
After having just had a five day break with my family at Butlins in Minehead, the contrast between the two couldn't be more stark. It definitely looks like Pontins are dying.
I live a 15minute drive from there, so I popped in one day to have a wonder around. It really does feel like the park has closed down years ago but no one told the staff. They also use those housing blocks for the homeless/addicts
Hi Tim OMG this is just the pits . You would have to pay me to stay there . How on earth are they still open . It's like a dump my God how awful. Thanks for sharing with us love to you as always Tracey 💕 xxxx
We need to be complaining about stuff like this! I'm absolutely gobsmacked that they think this even close to adequate! There are multiple, serious health and safety issues going on here too. I'd be FURIOUS I'd have taken my family there.
Pontin's site round the country are getting bad reviews, part of the Britannia Hotels chain. Only went to one Pontin's site and that was Blackpool back in the 1970's and that as been pulled down and houses built on the site.
3:11 that's an expansion vessel for the hot water as it's a sealed system from the mains when water is heated, it expands there's a diaphragm inside. Pipe must be cut into the bottom of cupboard. overall the place is drab and times have changed since the 70's. There's no excuse for dirty cups and cutlery that's a basic check before the next guests.
It looks so sad. 😕 It is as if the maintenance person has been sacked or quit and was never replaced. Reasonable indoor amenities, its the outdoors amenities that are suffering. Maybe on account of the oh-so-changeable British weather. Those outdoor amusement machines are out of order because they don`t look like the type of thing that should be left outside all the time.
My daughter and I went here in 2008ish with my friend and her two kids (Our daughters are best friends). It was as bad as this, the accommodation was horrible and hardly anything was open; the crazy golf was and the swimming pool occasionally. There was a fish and chip shop and somewhere that sold burgers, but no fresh veg or salad in sight! The best entertainment was outside the site at Brean Theme Park, a few minutes walk down the road, and there was a good kebab and pizza place on the way where we got salad!
Oh dear, still it looked better than Butlins at Skegness, it was 20 years ago, it may have improved, but I vowed never to go back as the customer service was as bad as that other holidaymaker experienced, I grew particularly fond of the colony of red ants that would be in our room when we would get back, then as soon as the lights went on would disappear in two seconds flat, so efficient 😱
It's a shame what's happened to Pontins really. I remember back in the 90s and early 00s it being an okay place to go on holiday for the weekend but now it looks abandoned. Went past the old Pontins site up in Hemsby in Norfolk and it's a husk. Just empty buildings. Wonder if the British home holidays will see a renaissance? Great video dude
It has certainly gone down hill see I last went to Pontins years ago. I remember everything up and running, they certainly need some improvements done.
Have a feeling the sign saying new since 2011 is because it shut and reopened. Pretty sure I stayed there nearly 20 years ago although could be mixing up staying at another Pontins and having been on a trip to Brean as I'm from Bristol so it's not that far reallym
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Hubby and I spent two weeks at Hemsby holiday village a few years ago, the chalet we were in was dirty, we complained and we went out for the day while they cleaned it, it was ok but I couldn't settle in it, I stood in the rubbish bin in the bath to take a shower it just wasn't nice, then we went and demanded something else, we got a lovely caravan it was spotless, we still laugh about me showering in the bath standing in a bin 🤣 I must say I love your walk about it shows you the important things you need to know 👍👍
It looks like the whole place need to rip down and done again but with everything I bet they blame all on coivd
Oh my god, my fiance and I and his son went in July 2011 to Brean sands pontins and it was the worst holiday ever, our apartment was disgusting we had a dripping shower and a black and white TV beds were uncomfortable also, we will never go again this place needs to close permanently
I liked pontins kind of also it’s kind of people not taking care of the building holiday park aswell
only if very chep sorry!
This feels like going on holiday to an abandoned council estate. I feel so bad for people going there, it looks really depressing.
yes but some people call it a holiday
It was, took one look at our chalet and left cost a fortune to book into another place and could,nt get our money back for the filthy chalet they provided.
I wouldn't go there for free
My family was super poor so Pontins was the only place we went (and only twice in my life) We stayed in one further north. It looked just like this though even back then (about 12 years ago ish) I distinctly remember mould in the kids bedroom and mould in the bathroom.
but the memory ill always have was when we walked past the arcade, a woman was dragging her kid along the floor screaming "WE'RE NOT FUCKING HERE FOR YOU"
And we just started laughing because, its fucking Pontins who tf you here for then?
@@coo7664 they’re there for a piss up and spliff up and couldn’t give a shite about their kids having fun, that kid is probably in holiday in one of the prisons in England or wales now lol.
Working as I do in the entertainment industry, I've stayed at the Prestatyn and Southport Pontins, and they're both very similar to what you see here. Anything owned by the Britannia group is guaranteed to be run into the ground. I hear the Prestatyn site is now being used to house Afghan refugees - who are now probably thinking that maybe life under the Taliban wasn't so bad after all.
shocking
Just come back from Southport, I expected the facilities to be closed as it was Clubland Weekender so all adults raving and I don’t think go karts being open would be a wise move but all of this looks quite familiar. Chalet was basic and mine was really clean but the whole thing just looked tired on the outside, rotten handrails on the stairs and stuff
I use to work at Prestatyn pontins it’s really not the best
Have been to Pontins ever since I was young Britannia took over it they just ruined it
You wonder what exactly is Britannia's business aim ? To run shoddy hotels/holiday accommodation as some sort of gag or to run it all into the ground and sell for redevelopment /profit. They've been bottom of the Which List for years and obviously don't care/aren't bothered so you have to wonder.
I feel so sad for the birds in the cage, if Pontins' standards are that low for humans, I can only image how low they are for their animals. Someone needs to free those birds ASAP, it must be hell in there.
My thoughts exactly :(
The Swings without swings are a nice touch, even the ones in Chernobyl had swings on them after a nuclear disaster, which is not for off what these holiday parks are.
Lol
There is a nuclear power plant nearby it just hasn’t blown up yet.
This comment really made me laugh! It probably shouldn’t have done but it did. Thank you!
Near me the council have removed the swings because of social distance.
I’ve visited Chernobyl and it’s better than this
Could you imagine turning up at one of these places, thinking you're going to do all these activities, then you realise everything is closed, I can't believe they're allowed to operate.
I know crazy
As an American this baffles me a lot. We have our fair share of disgusting run down resorts but not at this level. Crazy to think it’s normal to pay for electricity and bringing your own beddings over there I feel like that should be standard.
It all looks like a prison to me especially the blocks
Thanks for sharing
I know crazy
I hear people in prison take a lot of pride in keeping their space clean. So a prison is probably cleaner.
Would you want bedding from a host this terrible? If it were provided, the first thing I'd want to do is go to the nearest retailer and buy a sleeping bag lol
Same. Never seen something like this
I'm a Brit, and this is baffling to me, lol.
It makes me sad to think families that can't afford a holiday abroad go here and get this for their money. Regardless of finances they should have some basic standards.
agree
I mean you can have some amazing holidays in the UK. Including at some decent parks, Butlins is alright, a bog standard caravan park can be alright. Just this is indeed shit.
Agreed. I can't understand how anyone thinks a holiday is going somewhere worse than their own homes. Disgusting horrible places
These dumps charge a fortune. My other half go's to Poland for less than a hundred quid.
Flights , four star hotel with breakfast and dinner for 5 nights.
Depending on when you go, these places can be more expensive than going abroad which I have never understood.
The Clubhouse (pub really) being the best thing on the park whilst all the kids stuff goes to ruin basically shows where the owners and parents priorities are
Love the Eastern-Bloc 80’s vibe. They really nailed the theme. Kudos to the design team. 😉
lol
Comrade Stalin would approve this park! 🇷🇺🇷🇺
I've never stayed at a Pontins. Had no idea you had to pay for electricity/gas in the meter; I thought it was included in the price. The whole place is a disgrace, how can this be advertised as a holiday when the facilities are non-existent or so run down they need demolishing? I truly feel for anybody who has booked a family break here it makes me angry to see Britannia (Britscamnia) screaming off the profits yet again.
Never understood holiday parks for that reason, you can take a tent somewhere or buy a caravan and have a miles better time exploring everything around you rather than being locked up in some place for a week
Looking like a brightly coloured jail and council estate mixed together
lol
In redcar Council Estate like 155k houses well furnished
Disgusting what has happened to Pontins. The local councils should be inspecting their sites every week for Health and Safety inspections and issuing closure notices if appropriate.
Never go in the cold month as the heating is liable not to be working.
well I went into the toilets in the club and that was awful!
What an absolutely disgusting dump. The poor unfortunates who booked a holiday here should have had their money back.
I wrote to Sedgemoor council, they really did not care. If it was just a hotel or takeaway, they would have done something. It has now closed and houses power station workers.
The outdoor facility areas remind me of that abandoned Chernobyl fairground!
Lol
I was thinking the same
Think I'd rather go there than Pontins
😂
From COD 4? 😂
I'm 74 years old and throughout my life Ive always check places out assiduously but you can still come a cropper. The worst place Ive even encountered was offered in the Hoeseasons Holiday brochure on the Norfolk coast, it was on a self catering park for families. The place was so filthy I think we would have all died if we'd stayed there. When we went to the "chalet" the door fell off! They offered us a caravan instead but that was gross too, so off we toddled. A few phone calls (from a call box, no mobiles in those days!) later we booked ourselves into another holiday park that was pristine. I sued Hoeseasons and got all my money back plus a bit… that took a year.
Baffles me how they think that's acceptable of a families hard earned cash to be spent on that dog hole ! I've been on many budget holidays but cleanliness is a must !! Just because it's basic does not mean it should be dirty and left to rot !!
agree!
It doesn’t even really cost much to give it a clean between guests
Imagine being an exited 10yr old that's been exited for weeks an then turning up there on holiday! 😭😭😭😭 The dissapointment would be total.. Poor kids
I know but kids do like a park and at least that's OK lol
@@WalkWithMeTim I think it could have been covid19 thats why a lot of caravan sites had to lay off staff as in fire them. also it could be that the owners of this place can't afford to keep it fully running anymore
You be better off go to haven
Poor adults too. We work our asses off and save up to afford to go away and take the family, and use our very limited time off from work. Its the one thing we look forward to to break the monotony of life.... and then you end up here....
@@michaelhawkins7389 the state of pontins has been ongoing for way longer then covid!
I’ve seen videos of urban explorers visiting long abandoned places that look more clean and cared for than this dump. How desperate for a holiday people must be to not turn around and leave. Quite sad.
believe me a lot of people where complaining
Funny you should mention about urban explorers as this video was recommended to me after having watched a few by urban explorers. A bit more than a coincidence, I feel.
As a kid, my holidays used to consist of this pontins in brean sands and the pontins in camber sands. It actually breaks my heart to see that they’re gradually getting worse and worse because I made so many memories here :(
were they in this state?
I did actually go to Brean sands in 2012. It was a bit musty and stained, and there was a stain that was either period blood or poo in the wall of the bathroom. The place smelled of damp and wasn't well cleaned.
My fiancé described it as looking like something out of the soviet era.
wow
You know what, it looks like a perfect location for some kind of horror game.
It's just got that indie-horror aesthetic going on. Especially the 'reused assets' with all those damn chairs just being everywhere
maybe a squid game lol
@@misschieflolz1301 Pontins already has the Crocodile Crew mascots so it's already two thirds of the way there!
No wonder the club house was the best part, they obviously had no Choice but to refurbish it after the ceiling incident
thats true!
Far from surprising....get the punters into the bar to relieve them of even more money.
@@fritzhenning1 Yep. Unfortunately. Wouldn't surprise me if the ceiling fall was an insurance job.
Looks like they should rebrand it as a post-apocalypse themed holiday park, a Waking the Dead experience!
Lol good idea Peter
the dead would not rise for that place it look like a tory promise.
Oh My GOD 😂😂😂!!!
It would be great for a zombie horror survival game for Halloween!
Looks like an internment camp with that tennis court! I think I would be longing to go home after 5 mins. Blast from the past and it seriously needs updating. I’d be ashamed if I owned that!
I dont think they care lol
@@thetruthk5138 I Go camping up the road. and avoid that place like the plague.. not changed in over 10 years still sheeeeit
When I went there the kids broke into the trampolines on the evening 🤣
@@mrg-ghx8052 there were kids running up and down on the chalet roofs and shouting when i went. Was a complete hellhole!!
@@dawnoakley1776 🤣🤣🤣 oh wow they must have been the regulars, if I'm honest my wife and kids wouldn't let me join in 😂
I can't actually believe this place is allowed to be open in that state. If the broken glass doesn't get you the legionella will! Film companies should use this place if they need a location for filming the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster!
i feel sorry for those poor birdies. given the state of the rest of the park i imagine theyre quite neglected
How do they have the nerve to charge people to stay there? It's meant to be a holiday park, Its more like a place you want to get away from to have a holiday!! It should be closed, or rather shut down by authorities, absolutely disgraceful!!
yes Gary well said
What a disgusting holiday park. So many health and safety issues there, I’m surprised it’s allowed to be open! Thanks for showing this 👍🏻
you are welcome .. yes. I know
With mode could close it down when was the local council out they to look at this place
@@23bobjr lol good Englunds huh ?
Man, I love Brean for the retro seaside feel; but this place looks like a low security correctional facility
lol
I went there with my family and walked straight back out. Didn't even try to stay and get my refund. Our room was atrocious someone had been sick in the sink and the bedsheets were stained beyond belief. This whole country is deteriating rapidly.
Omg
I got a full refund once I saw the room we were expected to stay in , plus the clientele looked chavvy, loads of fat women covered in tattoos smoking weed and their kids running around screaming, not for me thank you. I won’t even go into how manky the rooms were?! Edit: that was pontins Prestatyn and it actually looked much better on the holiday on the buses film from the early 70s.
SO, I have worked here for a short time between 2019 - 2021.
The place is not run very well.
Workers are given 10 minutes to clean an apartment. All you're told to do is wipe surfaces with cleaning spray, apply toilet cleaner, vaccuum and mop floor.
If there's dirty dishes in the sink wash them, but if they're in the cupboard and grubby, don't bother.
Workers are basically told by management most complaints about the quality are ignored because "They paid for a cheap holiday, they get a cheap holiday".
wow
Never understand why Health and Safety never get involved with places like this.
If it was a restaurant they would of been shut down.
Tim your one brave man going to places like this
Yes I know .. I had to leave shortly after I couldn't stay here
They need trading standards. When you look on their website for Brean, they list all the attractions that have clearly been closed for ages. That's basically theft.
The "out of order" sign should be on the Front Gates....
lol
It’s sad to see such a state of disrepair. It should be exciting to be on holiday not depressing lol. We had lots of holidays at Butlins & Pontins as kids and had the best time (even tho the chalets were very basic they were always spotlessly clean!) Well presented video, well done for surviving the experience!
agree with you there! I guess if you are younger you wouldn't be bothered lol
Exactly. Had some brilliant holidays in the 70s' at Butlins Skeggy. I just don't know how this shower get away with it. Talk about not fit for purpose, with most things broke down or shut, it hasn't even got a purpose, let alone being fit for it.
Definitely the main feeling here is one of genuine sadness. A lost era, probably dealt a crushing almost final blow by the pandemic. There is always something part creepy part sad seeing holiday park attractions, especially children's, that have fallen into dis repair and run down. A big dollop of ££ is what's needed. Someone with a 100k could easily polish this back to happiness. Business side venture.
Shocking and repulsive! I worked for PGL Young Adventure at several of their centres in the 1980s. I did site maintenance work: cutting grass, emptying bins, mopping floors, cleaning bogs, strimming paths and I was proud of my work. Pontin's clearly have nobody on site maintenance or that person is useless and the manager must also be useless (or have no staff). As I say, shocking and embarrassing to anyone who has worked or stayed at a decent holiday centre. Why bother to keep it open when it looks like a money-pit?
agree
Ha! i went to Parents Get Lost when i was a kid in the 90s with school. Had a great time, nearly killed myself on a quad bike, nearly killed myself absailing, nearly killed myself climbing, 8/10 because im still alive in 2022 instead of dying in 1996.
I’d be so mad if I took kids there and spent my money to find everything closed and a trashy room with nothing to do.
im sure the site maintenance only exist on paper .much like tory empathy.
Went to a couple PGL sites when I was a kid in the 2000’s and 2010’s it was great
If I was extremely cynical, I would rebrand this place as an "Experience Weekend" for middle class people, who are curious about working class lifestyles.
Damp accommodation, run down services, ferral kids and a sense of general decay.
As for a name, I thought "Giro Topia" or "Chavassic Park"
Lol
Looks like where I grew up, definitely wouldn't wanna go down nostalgia avenue at this place
Judging by the style of the accommodation blocks, they were built in the late 50's or early 60's so they need knocking down soonest..... probably full of asbestos too! But I'm guessing the management just want to wring out the last few quid from the place before selling the site to a property developer.
It's obvious that they have no regard for making the place look nice, a couple of hours a day with some weed killer and a strimmer would make all the difference.
You can tell that they are only interested in making money as the pub/club is clean and tidy, maybe people just go there to drink themselves stupid?
Personally I think places like this are hell on earth, why on earth would you want to go on holiday to live right on top of other people the whole time, each to their own I suppose, but I'd much rather go camping somewhere away from the hordes.....
very good points Nick!
Can't understand places like this. I see them and feel I could never own a site like that and let it go to ruin. Owners clearly have no shame.
@KanashiiFX Slight difference there as McDonalds are all franchises.......
Bc it’s cheap and there’s entertainment in one place especially for kids.
Everything is shut. You can quite easily replace the letter U in the word shut with an I and it sums the place up perfectly!
lol
😂
😅...someone should actually do that now ! 😅😅😅🤣
From the age of 10 to 15 every holiday was at Butlins Bognor and it was a breath of fresh air compared to Pontins. Even the basic chalets were clean and tidy, and any problems were dealt with. The reason Pontins is still open is because people are still paying to stay there. It needs a total boycott otherwise nothing will be done to either improve the conditions or to close the site down.
We went to Pontins, Brean Sands about 8 years ago, it looked exactly the same then, it was a dreadful experience from start to finish. The only highlight of Pontins itself was that I got to meet Timmy Mallet, the legend himself even took a swing at my skull with his mallet. Its a real shame because the area & its beach is lovely and would have so much potential if it weren't filled with the rotting remnants of what I assume a children's holiday in the 60's looked like.
wow Timmy mallet lol
Just came to Walk With Me Tim from a review of The Grand Hotel In Scarborough. The images shown in this video remind me of pictures we saw of Chernobyl years after the civilian population had fled, which isn't exactly a great selling point for a family holiday, irrespective of budget restrictions. Thank you for visiting this place so that we don't have to. I have to say though, Brean itself is lovely; it and nearby Burnham-on-Sea are a bit old fashioned and shabby, but I like that. Fun fact: Burnham is two miles from Brean, and was home to Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia , when he was on the run from Mussolini's forces in the 1930s. You can still see the house he lived in.
lol thanks John , you are right Brean is lovely
You're right i was trying to think what it reminded me of and it was the urban exploration vids of people going into Chernobyl (obviously not anymore though...)
Imagine saving up your giros to take your 12 kids on holiday here only to find it's no better than your estate. Bummer
I know right
Imagine being a judgemental prick. Bummer.
@@scottswan6012 Yeah i know right ignorant wanker
I see the woke brigade have decended on your comment. 🤣 I think you hurt their poor feelings
Is HMP Bream Sands an open prison? 🤔
lol
Prisons are in better condition
The only open prison I've been to (as a visitor 🙂) was much nicer, and cleaner, than this place!
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂prison is better lol
I had the misfortune of being dragged there twice on family holidays - once in 2000 and again in 2009. Didn't seem bad the first time as a 6 year old, but it was pretty grim the 2nd time around. The camping holidays we went on just over a mile up the road were far better.
The sad truth about places like this, is that this is all some families can afford. They wouldn’t be there if they could afford better. My heart bleeds for the parents just wanting to give their children a holiday experience and when they arrive, this is what they have to look forward to.
True
Couldn't they just rent a cabin somewhere out in the country near some hiking trails? I live in West Virginia, USA, and for an inexpensive vacation, you could do a lot worse than renting a cabin at one of our state parks. Some of the cabins are actual primitive cabins and some are more like little houses with electricity, gas, and a kitchen. I'm not that familiar with the UK, having only been there once back in the '90s, but I'd much rather do a camping trip than be stuck in a hellhole like that.
Thank you for this, Tim! I went to Pontins Brean Sands every year growing up. My parents used to religiously collect The Sun holiday vouchers so we could get a holiday for very cheap! The standard was similar to this, it wasn’t great (we’re talking 1998-2007). The same characters existed and the park looks very similar! There was even a fire one year and we all got evacuated from our chalets.
I so appreciate you filming this, even for the pure nostalgia!
Thank you Tim!
you are welcome !
What was the pirate game like, if you ever played it?
@- Livingston - you’re not wrong 😂
As someone who works as part of an accommodation team at a holiday site we would not allow a unit in that state to be let to a guest, and we certinaly don't require you to top up the electricity/gas before you can use it.
Plus our H&S boss would throw a fit with some of the things that were seen outside.
I suppose we have one major advantage over Pontins in that we are all caravans, so it's easy to replace a damaged unit without needing to do any major building work.
These sites could be really nice but would need millions spending on them which I guess they just don't have and I doubt there is anyone who would risk investing in them, plus if like everywhere you are struggling to get staff then you are not going to be able to keep on top of things.
Though to be honest we clean to a much higher standard, even the time when we had no water and the time where we had no electricity!
As for Britannia hotels, my Dad and Step-Mum recently stayed in one in Blackpool and it was dire, filthy and in a bad state of disrepair (i.e. windows not shutting properly, dust everywhere) but had no choice but to stick it out, it would be nice if there was a minimum standard of cleanliness that was checked by the local council so places that are a hazard to health can be shut down.
Very true .. said perfectly
This is a business that is slowly dying, people have moved on from it's hey day back in the 60's and 70's finding it a better experience to travel abroad. It does however as your video shows it does need putting down and out of it's misery. Covid has probably been the final nail in the coffin. The site must be on very valuable land being close to Bristol so housing would be a good choice.
it will be interesting to see what happens altho this place makes a profit!
Omg! How can they charge people to stay there! Either do it up or shut it down. Very different vlog Tim lol
Right?!
Very sad. I can imagine it would have been really good when it was just open. Shows to go what bad management can do to a place…
yes very sad
Cheap holidays to mainland Europe killed the holiday parks. Not _just_ bad management.
7:32 bring the doors nearer and add a cheap yellow plastic bin between these and you have my first memory of holidays
wow
Astonishing really, given most people will be taking staycations you would have thought it would have been a big opportunity to invest.
good point well made
need money to invest
agree
It's an ever decreasing circle though, no investment so pontins becomes a dump, pontins is a dump so less people go, less people go so no money to invest and so on and so on
It really doesnt need a lot of money spent, the staff should get of their arses and go litter picking! Get rid of the broken signs, traffic cones, tidy seats up, invest in a £100 grass strimmer, open up the rides etc. It needs better management and it would be ok. The staff need to have a bit of pride in the job really! Theres too many “not my job” ppl about
It looks like what a Pontins holiday camp would be like in a Fallout game.
Very true
Exactly what I thought 💀
Novac is nicer to be fair
So sad to see a holiday camp in such poor shape. But sadly, I think you only have to utter two words "Britannia Hotels" to know just why its near derelict. It seems their business model is to simply run places into the ground. Its a minor miracle that nothing owned by the group hasn't seen some health and safety disaster occur (thank God). Thank you for going to these places, so we don't have to. Love the vid, and subed as a result of watching.
yes thank you! ;-)
We use to love going to Brean Sands back in the 70's when we was kids! Coming from the Elephant & Castle, we was out in the country for two weeks!
This place reminds me of the rundown apt complexes in my old neighborhood. Poverty has a very specific look and this is it, down to the random porch chairs.
Sorry for keep commenting but If I was Tim, I’d have gone to reception and asked why is every thing closed, only problem is you feel then you are having a go at some receptionist when it isn’t there fault
Jason I did! and I was told everything is open but just closed after 4pm lol
Pontins are owned by Britannia Hotels. It’s obvious that the owners don’t care much about either the holiday parks or hotels. They bought up some of Britain’s most revered hotels (Metropole Blackpool, Adelphi Liverpool, Grand Scarborough) and just like you see here at Pontins, they’ve been run into the ground. The customer service at the hotels and holiday parks is shocking too.
We stayed at the Britannia Hotel in Leeds in January 2013 and it was dreadful then. We got a deal with food included, and the food was so bad I ended up with an upset stomach. We were there for a family christening, so just made the best of it. The hotel was very quiet yet still grubby, and needed a huge investment.
We have never stayed in a Britannia property since, we don’t even bother looking. They are trying (and failing) to draw trade in based on previous reputations, particularly the hotels. Poor Billy Butlin would be horrified at what has happened to his Blackpool hotel.
he so would .. you never know someone might buy it in the future
We have stayed in a couple of their hotels too, one we had stayed in too under a previous owner. It broke our hearts to see how much it had gone down. As for the holiday camp if that was all I could afford I would stay home.
Britannia eh, that makes sense. Bet they can't even get their favourite customers, the illegals to stay there.
All that’s missing is the zombies 🤣
LOL
I think the Zombies would have more sense than to go to there. 🤣
Who do you think their customers are?
Cobbler91 🤣🤣🤣
Your 50 weeks of annual existence would have to be pretty grim for this to be a holiday.
what a comment !
So sad! Spent practically my whole childhood in this park, was brilliant. Awful to see it in such a poor state. 😢
I know
Definitely playing it safe with the comments about the accommodation. That room was disgusting really. Can't believe that place is still open. Parts looked more like a council estate. Great video though, nice to see something different.
It felt like that Craig
Craig to be fair NOT all council estate's are bad and run down, yes there's certainly really bad ones but most of them only have like 2 or 3 streets that is disgusting. I used to live on a council estate and apart from a couple of streets it was quite a tidy estate nothing like this Pontins site. Yes there are some really bad housing estate that are really scruffy and in a bad state but please don't tar them all with the same brush.
Why would anyone want to go on holiday to somewhere that is basically a council estate with bright signs?
Lol
Thank you Tim, come back home and enjoy the seaside here- you made me even more grateful for what facilities we have on the beautiful Norfolk coast
defo Sean!
Ahh, it’s midnight.
I just discovered your channel around 7pm and I’ve been binging ever since.
You’re doing a good job.
yay! thanks .. there is loads of video hope you subscribe too :-)
Apparently it has closed down now and will undergo refurbishment to be used to house workers for Hinkley Point C for 3 years. After then who knows?
Bloody hell. Good insight. I dont sneer my nose up at basic - you get what you pay for - but Brean Sands is disgraceful. Pontins do get it right sometimes; Pakefield in Suffolk runs decent theme weekends, big site, nice setting, swimming pool, catering is ok, piping hot water, staff seem to care etc. Thanks Tim
thanks yes it pakefield any better now?
We used to stay here and at Torbay when i was a child in the 1960's/70's. So many good memories. Horrible to see it now. So sad and it's a disgrace that they charge people to stay here.
I bet its changed alot
@@WalkWithMeTim Torbay is now redeveloped into a housing estate.
Its Pontins guys! Its supposed to be incredibly naff, cheesy, and frankly, half derelict. I remember my last visit to a Pontins: you don't spend anytime in the tacky room, its a place to wash and sleep. Thats it. Out and about, exploring the beautiful surrounding area is what its all about. Pontins is incredibly cheap, thats what I remember. Less than £100 for 3 nights.
Yeah, its a bit of a s**thole, but Brean Sands itself is awesome.
Each to their own
We did that
I don't understand why they don't just close these places or put an order on them to improve or face fines. It's very sad and i know people rely on the work but there has to be a point where they cannot continue to trade.
We took the kids here as a cheap getaway, we wasn't expecting anything and we were still disappointed, we checked out less than 24 hours after checking in, it was FILTHY, we took our own cleaning supplies but even that wasn't enough, the beds were FULL of sand, poo left smeared in the toilet, mouldy windows and a door and windows that didn't lock, I had to drag a sofa bed infront of the door and sleep there the night where I had water dripping on my head in the night
We told the receptionist the next day and they said "didn't you read the reviews? Don't like it, go home" so we did...
We also saw a cleaner just rummaging through the rooms stealing people's coffee, tins of food etc
It's a shame cause brean sands is beautiful, if you're going to stay there then book a stay at Unity Farm down the road
Omg
Jeeze ! Hope you got a refund and wiped your feet on the way out 🙈🤮
@CheshireCat6639 nope, we went to reception and there was a queue about 30 people long all checking out the same as us, all of us looking to cancel our holidays, the woman behind the counter just laughed and said "good luck getting your money back, you won't even get an email back from our customer services"
@@andysavo93 DISGUSTING, I can't believe how they get away with such behaviour! Honestly I would not stay if they payed me, I won't be taking my Grandson aged 5 there..FACT!
Looking at pontins I'm surprised that they're still going looking at all the bad reviews they've had give me Haven any day
I know but people still like going!
@@WalkWithMeTim got to admit the apartment that you was in was cleaner than I imagined
@@WalkWithMeTim eewwww some people
I did a double take - I thought you said 'give me heaven any day'!! (Having seen this, I tend to agree!)
To the comments asking what kind of people go on these kinds of holidays - I went here as a child with my dead beat dad and his girlfriend who was as rough as toast. I caught head lice from one of the kids I met there too. Hopefully that gives you a little insight into the Pontins customer base!
Omg
This guy is incredibly kind. I know he likes nostalgia but this is ridiculous, I mean smallpox is nostalgic but I don't want it. This is the epitome of why this country sucks.
Lol maybe I try ... try to see some positive fir those people that do come here
I can remember as a child in the 70s going to Pontins in Brixham and Christchurch. Yes, we enjoyed it so much we went back for more.
wow
Many, many moons ago (and I'm talking 50 years!), Pontins was considered a cut above other holiday camps such as Butlins. Now, I suppose the entire concept (in the UK, at least) has long had its day. I did laugh when you said that the mould on the shower curtain was 'standard', as though it were a thoughtful inclusive part of the holiday package! At least you won't be disturbed by the ghost of actress Joan "no more wire hangers, ever!" Crawford.
yes it used to be the place to go
It’s such a thing of the past - Uk holidays camps are declining in an era of cheap no frills airfare, and all inclusive hotels cheaper than chips…. It’s sad that these places are being left to wrack and ruin.
I know .. we need someone with loads of money and a passion for uk holidays to save it all
Yes I went to Brean sands with my mum for the weekend many years ago and it wasn't like that then. Also a gang of us went to South Devon Pontins and there was no problemwith the site. We now use different parts,s and they aren't as bad as that one.
We stayed at Pontins Southport a few years ago. Southport itelf is a lovely place but the Pontins site really let it down.
its such a shame
Love Southport 1 of the better 1's
I live in Southport and can confirm this is true. The local MP wants Pontins closed or upgraded, calling it a ‘Blight on the Southport landscape.’
Any hotel owned by Britannia is just awful!
What a disgrace, pontins has always been up there with Butlin's for quality at a budget, I've had superb holidays in both companies in the 80s, but seeing this is upsetting, just shows that many families are going on package holidays abroad now. Sad to say that maybe these type of parks are a dying breed.
I know very sad
No they’re not, they’ve moved on , centre parks is amazing & always full, so I’ve been told.
@@markdavids2511 allot more expensive!
I take it the Health & Safety Executive haven't visited in quite some time! Naturally the main 'entertainment' space would be in better condition, and likely fully stocked with alcohol so the adults can drown their sorrows! I worked at Butlin's, Filey in N.Yorkshire in 1980 and for all its basic condition it was spotlessly clean and well maintained. This shambolic holiday park really should just be permanently closed then demolished.
Yes I think its bee a while
I don’t understand a)how it’s allowed to still be open but also b) WHY it’s still open?! Who is still paying to go here?
I half expected the birds in the aviary to be lying on the floor dead.... after seeing the rest of the decayed looking 'Leisure Zone' it wouldn't have surprised me...
Well I was surprised lol
This is one of the saddest spectacles I’ve seen. I am sad for the families and kids who go there for a holiday. Hard earned money stolen from families. It’s a disgrace
Agree
Agree 💯❗
Another brilliant video. However, I’m shocked how terrible this holiday park is, it’s such a shame. Keep up the good work Tim. Excellent videos as usual & a credit to you. Presentation, quality and overall persona speaks for itself. Keep it up!.
Thank you .. I do work hard on the production, thanks for noticeing
Its 2021 and England still doesn't care about innocent children or its poor citizens. Most developed countries passed laws in the 80's requiring health and safety inspections yearly. All rooms should have modern fire alarms which are linked to each room so if one room catches fire, all the residents alarms are sounded so all can get out. Insurance is mandatory for go-karts and in my country starts at 1 million $ per cart per year. Mold can cause serious respiratory problems and be fatal to children with asthma. Stagnant water is toxic. 3,000 reviewers should write to their councilmen, govt leaders, commerce chambers, health depts and community leaders. If this is accepted in ONE place, it is prevalent in your society. SHAME on UK for writing reviews instead of solving UK problems and improving the future for YOUR children. At least send this video to the MEDIA!!!!
My word, if I hadn’t watched this from the start I’d had thought you were doing one of those forgotten closed places videos.
This is shocking.
Good video.
Lol .. thanks for the comment
i took my family here this same summer and we left after the first night and were involved in a dispute back and forth trying to get refunded but we never did in the end. the chalet was unlocked when we arrived, the floor was sticky and theyre were dead bugs. there was no facilities for children operating at the time as they were all out oforder apart from the swimming baths. complete joke
omg
I'm going tomorrow and I've been befote
@@pin-x3s Did you have a good time?
@@JK_Clark Yea was great went to the theme park ofc the oven for cooking was shite tho
@@pin-x3s Glad you enjoyed yourself. Also you made it out alive. By the looks of the video, I think you should be happy with that too!
My partner used to work there….they pay minimum wage and lay their staff off every winter. The place is filthy,the kitchens were so dirty the staff wouldnt eat there. The people who own in pay no tax as its registered in Jersey. The place is a bloody disgrace.
Wow
After having just had a five day break with my family at Butlins in Minehead, the contrast between the two couldn't be more stark. It definitely looks like Pontins are dying.
I know David watch my butlins video tomorrow
Butlins in minehead is fantastic.
A different story for the underpaid staff at Butlins & their accommodation isn't fit for purpose!
I stayed in Butlins in Minehead in the sixties and it was far better than this.
I live a 15minute drive from there, so I popped in one day to have a wonder around. It really does feel like the park has closed down years ago but no one told the staff. They also use those housing blocks for the homeless/addicts
yeh I got that vibe when I arrived
Hi Tim OMG this is just the pits . You would have to pay me to stay there . How on earth are they still open . It's like a dump my God how awful. Thanks for sharing with us love to you as always Tracey 💕 xxxx
My thoughts exactly, thanks Tracey
Theyre asking for to be sued when someone hurts themselves with the condition of things. How are senior level management not dealing with this?
We need to be complaining about stuff like this! I'm absolutely gobsmacked that they think this even close to adequate! There are multiple, serious health and safety issues going on here too. I'd be FURIOUS I'd have taken my family there.
Pontin's site round the country are getting bad reviews, part of the Britannia Hotels chain. Only went to one Pontin's site and that was Blackpool back in the 1970's and that as been pulled down and houses built on the site.
they is not many left
3:11 that's an expansion vessel for the hot water as it's a sealed system from the mains when water is heated, it expands there's a diaphragm inside. Pipe must be cut into the bottom of cupboard. overall the place is drab and times have changed since the 70's. There's no excuse for dirty cups and cutlery that's a basic check before the next guests.
Thanks
It looks so sad. 😕 It is as if the maintenance person has been sacked or quit and was never replaced.
Reasonable indoor amenities, its the outdoors amenities that are suffering. Maybe on account of the oh-so-changeable British weather.
Those outdoor amusement machines are out of order because they don`t look like the type of thing that should be left outside all the time.
Lol
Security caught me and my mates climbing over the fence and made us go back and finish our holiday.
My daughter and I went here in 2008ish with my friend and her two kids (Our daughters are best friends). It was as bad as this, the accommodation was horrible and hardly anything was open; the crazy golf was and the swimming pool occasionally. There was a fish and chip shop and somewhere that sold burgers, but no fresh veg or salad in sight! The best entertainment was outside the site at Brean Theme Park, a few minutes walk down the road, and there was a good kebab and pizza place on the way where we got salad!
nice lol
Oh dear, still it looked better than Butlins at Skegness, it was 20 years ago, it may have improved, but I vowed never to go back as the customer service was as bad as that other holidaymaker experienced, I grew particularly fond of the colony of red ants that would be in our room when we would get back, then as soon as the lights went on would disappear in two seconds flat, so efficient 😱
Yes last time I went to butlins in skeg I was shocked
Don't know how long ago it was but I go regularly and its fine..Nice and clean..well equipped and the staff are very nice..?
It's a shame what's happened to Pontins really. I remember back in the 90s and early 00s it being an okay place to go on holiday for the weekend but now it looks abandoned.
Went past the old Pontins site up in Hemsby in Norfolk and it's a husk. Just empty buildings.
Wonder if the British home holidays will see a renaissance?
Great video dude
I know such a shame
It has certainly gone down hill see I last went to Pontins years ago. I remember everything up and running, they certainly need some improvements done.
how long a go John
@@WalkWithMeTim oh we're talking over 40 years ago now
I thought so .. it was great in the day!
Have a feeling the sign saying new since 2011 is because it shut and reopened.
Pretty sure I stayed there nearly 20 years ago although could be mixing up staying at another Pontins and having been on a trip to Brean as I'm from Bristol so it's not that far reallym