Pontins in the 1970′s

Looking back 30 years or so it is pretty obvious to me that there is a whole lot more to holiday parks here in the UK today than there was then, and even in those far off days things were a tad more civilised than they were when caravan parks were first set up after WW2.

In fact, back then I don’t think they were actually caravan parks, more prefab accommodation when Butlins first started, followed by Fred Pontin with Pontins.

I remember taking our kids to Pontins in the late 1970’s and they had a great time, not just in the camp itself but also in the nearby town of Brixham in Devon where we spent many happy times on the beaches and looking for shells.

Brixham in those days was also quite delightful though I haven’t been back since and often wonder what it is like nowadays. Hopefully it won’t have been totally taken over by the knotted hankie brigade.
Pontins back then was great for families, so long as you could put up with the dreadful accommodation that is. I will never forget once when we were all in our 2nd floor flat there once and there was a rather stiff breeze blowing in from the sea. The bloody walls moved!

We actually sat there watching the inside walls move with the wind! The kids were horrified and as parents we were rather concerned for our safety too, but thankfully the wind had died by the time we got up next morning, wand this left the walls at least looking safe if not actually being so.

The daft thing about this is that we went back there the next year, but 30 or so years on I don’t even think that particular campsite is there any more, but if any of you out there have know of the park which used to be run by Pontins at St Mary’s Bay in Brixham, Devon then please let me know.

That apart, it would be nice to visit one of these parks again sometime, but now we have a caravan ourselves we might try one for a few days by staying on one of the many touring caravan parks which all these places have.