Holiday camp Pontin's invests £50m to capture domestic travel market

Holiday camp operator Pontin's plans to invest £50m in redeveloping its holiday centres in a bid to cash in on the holiday-at-home trend.

Ocean Parcs, which owns Pontin's, said the investment will be used to refurbish or rebuild its six UK resorts creating 2,000 new jobs in the process.

Part of the investment will go towards relaunching its catering, bar and entertainment programme, while the Pakefield Holiday Centre in Suffolk will double in size and capacity.

Ian Smith, Oceans Parcs chief executive, said: "It is particularly rewarding to be able to announce these plans which will not only generate increased tourism but create over 2,000 new jobs whilst the country is in a recession."

Oceans Parc bought Pontin's in March last year for £46m after a management buyout by executive chairman Graham Parr.

Pontin's was set up to offer holidaymakers a low-cost break and provides self-catering and half-board accommodation.

At its peak in the 1960s and 1970s Pontin's had 24 camps, but that number has shrunk to six.

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Kerstin Kühn

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