Owner of Pontins holiday park 'frozen in time' given three-word demand

A year on from the closure of Merseyside's sole Pontins resort, local holiday-goers have been left disheartened by the state of the former park, prompting their MP to make a demand of the firm behind it.

The Liverpool Echo recently took a trip down to Ainsdale Village to take the community's pulse after Britannia Hotels' abrupt decision shuttered the Pontins park a year ago. Shopkeeper Lorraine Griffin, a 30-year-plus resident and worker at The Chocolate Box newsagent, reflected on her experience of seeing the once-thriving holiday park shuttered.

"I work and live in the village and have done for more than 30 years. It's a shame really because it did bring people into the town and into the village. It helped the shop too because we sell buckets and spades, sweets for the kids, so it did bring people into the shop, but having said that the shop is doing well without it."

Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, which includes Ainsdale, the location of the now-closed Pontins site, told the Mirror that the villagers are clamoring for change.

"There's an appetite for change, but Britannia must release the lease and allow someone to develop the Pontins site. I'm working with the Council, residents, and MPs facing similar issues with Pontins around the country to find a way forward. Many local people want to see Ainsdale's beach gateway revived. Leisure trends may have shifted, but Ainsdale's village centre is thriving, and the beach remains one of the region's real beauty spots," he said.

He previously added: "We now have an eyesore in Ainsdale and people are fed up with the situation. I ran a consultation and it was the biggest response I have ever had. There is a real desire for investment in what is known as the beach gateway. People want it to be an attraction for people locally and those coming from out of the area."

The deserted Pontins site, known locally as the beach gateway, is just a ten-minute stroll from the bustling village centre. It sits next to the vacant, mural-adorned Toad Hall and across from the derelict The Sands pub.

However, there are signs of life returning to this part of Ainsdale, with the recent arrival of The Beach House, a pop-up food and drink stall. The Sands, which has been boarded up since 2017, is currently under offer from an unknown bidder, sparking hopes that its reopening could trigger further rejuvenation of the beachfront.

Ainsdale Village has become a hub for the vibrant and evolving hospitality industry, with the Golden Monkey shining as a prime example. Joining the ranks of the village's popular spots is The Mallard, a traditional pub serving an array of drinks and food, and now, In Den Engel, a recent addition to Liverpool Road that boasts an impressive selection of over 130 beers since it opened its doors just last month.

Golden Monkey's bar manager Lorraine Cross said: "I've only worked here for a year but I don't think we've lost out since it's [Pontins] shut. It's just been normal." Customers, according to Cross, are not venturing far for their leisure time, opting to support local businesses instead.

She continued: "Even though we're quite close to Pontins, being next to the train station, we've not lost out at all. We have a strong customer base here with people who live in the village. Once upon a time it used to be Formby and Birkdale that were the places to be but the number of people that now rave about Ainsdale village, I think it's great. It's good to have all these thriving businesses in the area."

However, despite the positive vibes emanating from Ainsdale, one question lingers - what will become of Pontins?

Last September, it was disclosed that Britannia Hotels holds a 150-year lease agreement with Sefton Council, who owns the land on which the holiday park is situated. Britannia Hotels, a budget hotel group boasting 64 establishments across the UK - including Liverpool city centre's Adelphi - has owned the Sefton holiday park since 2011. Some Ainsdale locals said that if the site isn't repurposed immediately, it should be "knocked down".

Recently, the ECHO debunked a persistent rumour that the park would be transformed into a golf course.

Alistair Urry, an Ainsdale resident who lives just a short distance from the Shore Road site, has lived in the village intermittently for the past 30 years. He believes that the village hasn't felt the absence of the visitors usually attracted by the park.

He commented: "People are coming into the village from around the town, it's good to see businesses busy and making money."

Britannia was contacted for comment.