For over 50 years, families across the UK flocked to Pontins in Prestatyn for seaside fun, but now the once-thriving holiday park stands neglected and crumbling. Closed since November 2023, the site has become a shadow of its former self, with boarded-up buildings, overgrown grounds, and decaying structures.
A Beloved Destination Left to Decay
Pontins Prestatyn opened in 1971, offering private beaches, swimming pools, and children's play areas. It attracted thousands of visitors annually until its sudden closure by owner Britannia Hotels, which also shut down its Camber Sands resort. Since then, the complex has fallen into disrepair, sparking frustration among locals and former visitors.
Community Hopes for Revival
Residents have shared mixed feelings. Pete Davis, a local cleaner who worked with Pontins, said: "It ought to be used for something. I think it should be a holiday camp again. The council could issue a compulsory purchase order." Another resident added: "It's empty and I'd rather it was a holiday camp again. We moved here in 1973 and it was never any trouble to us. I don't want it knocked down for more houses." A grandmother and grandson called it "decrepit" and an "eyesore," urging: "Something needs to be done. It should be reborn as a holiday camp or used for modern apartments."
Prestatyn's Mayor, Cllr Adrian West, echoed these sentiments: "I want to see the site brought back into some form of productive use again. For it just to be lying idle is doing nobody any good." He opposed industrial use due to its waterfront location.
Negative Reviews and Deterioration
Not everyone mourns the closure. One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote: "Thank god this rancid filthy cesspit has shutdown. Awful, worn out and really dirty." Another said: "As time has gone by all the rooms are filled with mould, vomit, worse than a dog kennel." A third described it as "worse than a prison cell," citing broken stairs, rotten supports, and overgrown areas.
Uncertain Future
Speculation about the site's future includes redevelopment as a tourism project or demolition for housing. Photos show boarded-up chalets, cracked pavements, and overgrown paths. Locals fear further decline, with one warning: "Something needs to be done, otherwise it's going to become a drug den or a place for fly-tippers."
