I Visit an Adults Only Pontins! 

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Hang on, So I could rent that room for a month, within walking distance of a lovely beach, with access to a pool, park facilities & entertainment, with 2 meals a day provided & no bills for £990?... think they may have unknowingly solved the cost of living crisis 😂

Half of these Pontins Walk-with-me videos feel like I'm watching an abandon urbex channel - both in terms of the state of disrepair and how empty they are! This one is no different! (cant argue with the value though)

“Pillows are a little bit dirty, but only just at the top”. Can’t help but feel like Tim is a Pontin’s apologist. 😂

This series is fascinating, but I'd be interested to see you do one during peak season when it is actually busy (if it's ever busy???), just to see it in the context of having lots of guests so we could see how they handle that and how much of the closed stuff remains closed even when there are crowds.

Wow, this is like going back in time to the golden age of holiday camps, and a lot nicer than other Pontins you've showed us. I wouldn't mind a few days here just for the retro experience.

the wooden bridge was the nicest thing there

This was my childhood right there. From 1997- 2006 me and the family and grandparents stayed here for about 4/5 days every other year. I watched your other pontins video and dreaded Pakefield fell off just as much but you know what's crazy, it actually looks similar to how I remember it! I'm glad they've managed to refurbishment it and keep ontop of most of it. This was a trip down memory lane for me and I loved watching this. The restaurant and main entertainment area is exactly the same as it was when I went there as a kid. The boat seats, the bars, the arcades. I remember that entertainment room being absolutely packed out, you were lucky to get a seat, the dance floor was always busy, the arcades was always filled. The entertainment room always smelled of candyfloss😂😂 ahh I wish I could go back in time and relive all that. I'm glad they kept the games room, funny how the ceiling hasn't changed but the walls use to be a dark red and the carpet was black👀🤣 AND they even had archery I there, mental to think of that now lol. Mini golf hasn't changed, there use to be a go kart track but that seems to have gone. The titanic structure outside the restaurant and the paintings inside the restaurant all the same lol but if you'd never been before you'd think they just installed that so I'm glad they've kept that looking tip top. I remember having to walk across the carpark to get to the beach but that might be because of where we use to stay, it was close. The beach is amazing and still looks golden and fine. Understandably you couldn't film in the pool but I bet that isn't as big as I use to think it was haha. Walking around Pakefield really threw me back and I almost knew where everything was before you even got there😂 £99 is pretty decent. Even as a kid I never use to rate the food, dad was never keen but for what you payed for it got us by. Great video I hope it still gets busy in the summer cos its actually well looked after compared to the other Pontins these days.

LOL the restaurant was all titanic themed. Those were the lifeboats you sat in. What a funny thing to design a cafeteria after… 😂😅

Those bins are placed like when i used to mess around on a theme park simulator game, putting like 30 bins around a reception area for a laugh.

I was expecting Stan, Blakey, Olive, Arthur and Jack to roll up in a big red double decker bus! "I'll get you for that Butler!" 🤣 All joking aside, for £33 per night including meals, and a beautiful beach, it's not bad at all. I would be quite happy to stay there, maybe meet a nice girl 😉😉

As a Yank, it's wild seeing these places because stuff like this has only started gaining steam in the last couple decades with really only great wolf lodge being worth noting. I would have loved this as a kid in the 90s lol.

Gotta love your enthusiasm for what is a ‘dystopian, desolate, depressing ,dump!!’ ……🤷🏼‍♂️ I thought ‘adult only’ was gonna be a bit spicy …😜

Been binging on these Tim as they are fascinating to me as a working class (which was a lot easier to define then, than it is now) child of the eighties who had holidays at Pontins/Butlins/Rhyl/Prestatyn/Blackpool etc and now as an adult that works in public policy and is trying to help address social imbalances caused by wealth inequality and a lot of the other modern issues which means that, for a lot of families, places like Pontins are the only realistic choice to treat either themselves or their children to a break. Really admire your objective approach to reviewing these places and not casting aspersions on those who may choose to stay in them. What's so frustrating about these places is that they don't need *that* much work to get them looking good again, but you worry that with this period of high inflation combined with the skills shortage brought about with Brexit and Covid means that it's just not economically viable for Britannia to renovate them. It's a catch-22. Hire more staff and renovate at the cost of hundreds of millions (it must be close to that if you combine all the Pontins together) and there is no way to mitigate the costs other than pass some on to the consumer. Those consumers - in the vast majority of cases - might struggle to even afford Pontins at current prices and so if they don't pay to holiday there's no point in renovating etc etc. So you're left with this kind of uneasy truce. Accept that the accommodation is barely somewhere to rest your head, in exchange for the majority of the budget going on the main entertainment venue and getting a decent meal each day for all the family for next to nothing (in low season). Just really interesting and often frustrating social studies and I hope that Pontins see your travelogues and at least address *some* of the underlying issues of health and safety like the open skips and dodgy rendering on the walls - which is the least anyone deserves regardless of whether they're staying at the Mandarin Oriental or Pontins.

It seems like it's in a fantastic location with a great beech. A modern holiday camp would be great here. These sites just seem so dated especially when you compare them to something like haven.

Worked on Pontins holiday camp at Morecambe 85/86/87 seasons what a time of my life 🙏❤️

After binge-rewatching your Pontins videos, I'm surprised your room is in a building that wasn't literally falling apart, and was relatively clean!

We went there last year for a fitness themed break, they had lots of different exercise and dance classes and private swimming sessions. It's a little extra but worth trying for a change. It doesn't look like the park has changed much since we were there, which is sad because it has potential if they just did some redecoration and general tidying. We had a microwave stand but no microwave, and we couldn't open the wardrobe or fridge properly because the bed got in the way.

4:45 The water in the pipes above ground heats up a bit in the sun, usually a sign that the chalet doesn't have the best insulation. Running the tap for a few seconds brings through water from the underground pipes which is cooler. This happens in our bathroom which is a flat roofed extension from the property's original terrace.

Now, this is an ideal venue for the government to house all those folk who end up washed ashore down in Dover. I reckon if you leave that heater on in your room, the cost of the electric would exceed the £33 per night cost. And free food to boot!! Pontins could really help the homeless here. And the best of it is that they could employ all the guests!!

You open my eyes to new worlds...I never imagined in my wildest dreams (seriously) that accommodation could just provide linen and then expect you to make your own bed on arrival or, worse, pay extra for a total basic like electricity!

That beach alone looks like it would make the trip worth it. I'm not sure I'd care to concern myself with much else but the beach and the dinner and evening entertainment. Thanks for showing this!

Ive seen some shocking things in my time Tim, but that snooker break topped them all 🤣🤣

I think that’s the best pontins around. To be honest, at this stage, a lick of paint, new showers and some garden maintenance and it would look great! But £100 for 3 nights, you can’t go wrong!

Been to Pakefield about 30 times. Basic i know, food excellent, entertainment great, all in a luverly part of England. Always thoroughly enjoyed my stays. pretty cheap also, staff super friendly. love the place

Considering some of the holiday parks you have been at, that looked very good and the price you paid was good value, especially with your portion sizes. Looks like a good place for your whole family in a year or so.

As a big fan of the ghost writer M R James, where most of his protagonists holiday or are situated on the east coast of England, that gorgeous but lonely beach fits the description he makes of those places. And the deserted feel (of the otherwise passable holiday park) would make a very apt, modern day setting for one of his ghost stories! Thanks for the fair review of the place, Tim!

I watched one of your Pontins videos before bed a few nights ago and had a nightmare about being stuck in a dark dusty hotel room 😅 There were also a bunch of stray cats in there and when I complained, they told me that I didn't specify that I wanted a non-cat room.

I stayed in a similar one in th e late 1980's in Jersey, which has since become abandoned. It was an amazing experience. You were seated at mealtimes with three other couples, one of which I remained friends with until they passed away (they were in their 60's on this holiday). Absolutely loved it. Didnt know there was another one in this country still running.

i dont know why i love watching your reviews of crappy holiday parks but i think im a bit addicted 😂

99 for 3 days.....a killer deal with all that. Wish they had that here in the states.....

Ohhh I am So glad this Ex Pontins has been Saved from & restored,its So colourful & being Adults only for a while is Super.... Chalet is nice,food looks good & that beach is So clean & inviting... Great place for us big kids to stay😘

It’s amazing the amount of acreage , large facilities and amenities along with the wonderfully large beach. Dated for sure, but to me that’s the charm of it. In its day it had to be hopping around there.

Now there’s a thought : an ‘On The Buses’ cosplay weekend at Pontins ! That huge restaurant could certainly cope with 150 Butlers, Harpers & Blakes in one sitting ! Now where’s my Doris Hare dress …

I would actually stay there, looks decent for the money and the proximity to that lovely beach is a winner.

Just started watching your vlogs, loved this.. Went here in the late 70s with my dear mum.. Brought back lovely memories.. One thing i did remember, höw we were woken every day by piped music.. and every meal times they play music too... We would march like ants to get our food, and it was table service... the food was lovely.. Thanks for that , Catherine x

As a retired tour operator we used Pakefield as part of our holiday camp selection, plenty of coach parking ,good value !

Wow, I hope the camp offer you some free nights because you showed this place off in a pretty good light, even while being completely objective and giving it close scrutiny!

I just came home today from a 5 day Turkey and Tinsel break. I love it there. Been 6 times over the past few years and can't fault it, it's real value for money. I've always had a good clean chalet, they have heaters in the rooms for you to use which are all included in the cost. I pay a single supplement but it's still only between £119 and £129 for the 4 nights, half board, entertainment, bed linen and towels all included in the price. I like both the summer and winter breaks, it's great whatever time of the year, and the Bluecoats and other entertainment acts have all been amazing. Oh and the showers aren't all push button types, there are walk in showers too, I suppose some chalets are older than others.

What a beautiful beach. And the room is clean enough. So many things to do at such great prices and 2 meals a day,

if you managed to get here during a heatwave, like last year when it was 35-40 degrees, then this would be an amazing cheap beach holiday. The sun and warmth makes everything so much better. What makes places like this even more depressing is the typical grey cloudy UK weather.

I love these. Reminds me of going on holiday myself in the past and looking all round the new place. Lovely and quiet but I bet it gets louder later - not so keen on that myself! 😊

As a child I spent many summer holidays at Pakefield, and it still looks more or less the same as it did back then. Many thanks for sharing!!!

Oh I love these old holiday camp reviews!!!! So nostalgic! Thank you!!

It is great to find out about adult only places. We don’t have kids and are keen to avoid other people’s kids when on holiday.

I think I would get bored on this kind of holiday but this one looks like a palace compared to the others, it's a lot cleaner generally has a beach and actual stuff to do even if it is very simplistic lol

Thanks for posting this an interesting tour, whoever supplied the rubbish bins did well . Not too expensive so a good base to tour from.

Many thanks for this! It took me right back to the many holidays I spent at Pakefields in the 1970s, and the old place has hardly changed! Thanks again! 🙂👍

I remember coming here when I was around 7ish. We found nits on one of the mattresses and black mould in the bathroom. My whole family got food poisoning and had to leave a day early 😂😅

Loved this video. 30+ Years ago I came here when our church hired the whole park for a huge youth event. We ran everything apart from the catering, and the teenagers had an amazing time. Thanks for the video, brought back some great memories.

I love this idea, need more budget places that don’t just cater to families with kids.

Wow that was so nostalgic, we went there as a family for over 10 yrs running from early 80s-90s, it’s crazy it’s still open, a lot of the entertainment stuff is gone, there was an amazing massive playground where the tennis courts were complete with boating lake/ trampoline park, that seaside bar was a kids jungle gym which I remember loving, the games room was a proper serious snooker hall where I remember we always had to make sure we were quiet complete with 50p metres for the table lights, that arcade is responsible for my love of video games lol, there was a theatre next to the canteen to where they held magic shows, the place used to be heaving completely packed 24/7, as kids we even ignored the amazing beach as the park facilities were just so good, it even had the classic holiday camp pontins train, would love to go back for a weekend for the memories, makes me feel old though, great vid

This looks so sweet, so lovely, so quintessentially English!!! Also it looks sooooo old fashioned!

enjoyed watching your video. I'm originally from the UK and now living in Florida and that beach is as nice as any I've seen down here. £100, 3 nights half board, what a bargain. visiting the UK in 4 weeks time, first visit in years, looking forward to it.

My daughter and myself stayed with the grandkids at Easter - got a cheap Sun holiday deal. They loved it, the evening entertainment was great and the food was suited to all the families tastes. We also spent lots of time in the pool, which was well maintained and had a good supply of floats and other toys. We have booked again for the summer hills, and we can’t wait to fully enjoy that amazing beach.

I love this video . Proper old fashioned holiday camp vibes and memories for me . And the size of it as well , a massive park . That beach is beautiful and I love the bungalow option , that would be excellent for disabled visitors like some of us . I never thought I’d say it but I wouldn’t turn my nose up at staying there for a couple of days - and believe me I don’t say that lightly lol . Value for money and nice and relaxing , you can’t knock it for what it is .

I love this place. So peaceful.

Remember that site very well from the early 80’s. In the main auditorium the left (yellow) wall was not originally there, it was open plan but the seating on that side where the amusement arcade is now was like bench seats and tables like a cafeteria over spill area. From the Seaview Bar to the cliffs was a short walk and along the cliff tops there used to be several runs of old WWII trenches, these got filled in due to safety concerns in the 80’s but they were a cool place to explore. Games room used to only have table tennis tables and darts.

This is the most decent Pontins I've ever seen. At least this place has more things to do than the other branches. I would probably go there with a couple of friends or relatives.

Wow cannot believe it, my mum was supervisor of this place 25 years ago when it was po Tina, me my brothers used to spend every weekend here and get free passes, it’s safe to say this place has changed massively!!! Thanks for bringing back many memories for myself tim

I would definitely go for that, nice and quiet off season. And looks pretty well maintained.

Hi Tim. Been watching your channel from pretty much day one at home. However today I'm watching from a stroke rehabilitation center in stoke after suffering 2 strokes 2 weeks ago . Yor videos are taking away the boredom inbwetween physiotherapy sessions. And it's great stimulation for the brain. So when iam fully recovered part of that recovery will be thanks to yourself🙌

It looks like a residential home for old people

Another great video review, I enjoy seeing you bubbling with enthusiasm and energy everywhere you go - Not many litter bins though Tim!!😁

Love the space you get in these old places. The clubhouse is great. The Haven at Clacton has a tiny clubhouse and the air con is never on. This place looks pretty good.

Hi Tim! If my girlfriend wasn’t so fussy I would drag her along to somewhere like this! Cheap, clean (enough) and a great little beach nearby. Would be a nice place for a mini break

Had a holiday here in the early 2000s our room was one of the ones opposite the golf area. The golf was the same back then. The restaurant is still one of the main things I remember about this park

YES THE SNOOKER TABLES!! That's where you'd find me 😂

i spent most of my holidays at these kinds of parks in the 80s at the likes of scarborough & bridlington, its a real blast from the past for me

I'm just amazed at the size of that shower. Last time I stayed somewhere like this, the shower was so cramped that I couldn't move my arms. Needless to say, not my cleanest week.

Your videos are quite addictive Tim. On number 4 so far tonight 😬 Keep up the good work!!

Great Park - Pontins - Food looks fantastic. I want to go with that beach!!! Nice one Bless Badger.

Recently discovered your channel and can't be happier I just really enjoy your videos, keep it up!

Gives me the ebie geebees just thinking about it 😆

I find it interesting at 4 of the 6 snooker tables in the games room are Star tables which are the exact same tables they use on most of the the professional snooker tour. (With the same tight pockets I think.) High quality tables for holiday resort. I was expecting some fairly rundown tables. 😂

I absolutely loved Pakefield when I went and top hat and heels were so good I'm definitely going back again

Used to go here as a kid, not much has changed, good to see the safari is still there. I remember times this place was packed with people. The event hall being over flowing, kids running around all over the place. It may look rough around the edges but honestly one of the best value for money holidays in Britain if you’ve not got much to spend.

When you consider the price and you get breakfast and dinner included, also free use of the snooker tables (which I would spend at least 3 hours a day playing) it is excellent value. The shower was funny lol reminds me of school changing room showers

Excellent as always, Tim. This place looked much cleaner for a Pontins lol. Thanks for all of your work, you are one of the best in the UK.

I LOVE IT- I’m ready to get on a plane- it’s all the kind of stuff I loved when I was a kid vacationing in Florida and the coast of Georgia.

All those bins lol that cracked me up for some reason. The daleks are invading 🤣

Great insight Tim,didn't look too bad and you enjoyed the food lol. See you Sunday bye 👋

Brings back memories of being a child at holiday camps in Norfolk 😀

Thanks Tim for a good look round.Reminded me of one of the places they ended up in in Lost.Lovely beach and no doubt appealing for a quiet break.😁😁😘😘

Love these videos. Always so unbiased an honest.

This place actually seems pretty awesome. So many liminal spaces and a beautiful beach. Food and unlimited snooker/table tennis for 33 quid a day? Sign me up.

I stayed at a pontins once !! It was like walking onto the set of holiday on the buses !!! Remember that film ??? That was in the 60’s and the sites still look the same !!! How the hell are Pontis still in business is beyond me !!!!!!!!!

A decent(mostly)Pontins…..Wow. Beautiful beach.🌟

thanks for another good video i really enjoy watching them because of the variety you do 👍

That's the best Pontins I've ever seen, so tranquil and relaxing, and also the best beach I've ever seen in England. So clean, and sand so bright and smooth

Tim does a very honest assessment of wherever he visits! We love him for it! I think for the food alone the price is ok for this place its not for us though but great if you are limited by funds To be honest the food looks far better than some ive seen on cruise ship blogs well done Tim keep up the good work!

Looks very nice, if you fancy a beach holiday and I bet when lots of people are there, the place feels really alive. Lots of people are generally far too fussy nowadays. Back in the 70's and 80's, Holiday camps, were much more scruffy looking, but you got on with it and still had a great holiday. Now the tiniest spec of dirt or bit of gristle in the pie and people are up in arms about it.

Gosh Thanks for this Tim We have just booked this pakefield for just 1 night break from Colchester Essex

Now that is a good deal. Very basic accommodation but clean and tidy, some entertainment and some meals. I could see that as a budget option for an overseas traveller who's hired a car and plans on travelling around for an extended amount of time.

Apart from the beach this whole place feels utterly depressing.

Love your videos! Very fascinating and fun to watch, thank you!

Having the titanic on the wall of the restaurant seems like a fitting mural for a pontins lol

To be fair that don't look too bad for the money. Definitely looks ADULTS only! Swingers convention I'd guess 😉😁

Hi from NC, USA; that beach is really quite beautiful. I absolutely love watching you tour these parks, I would have loved going to these as a kid; actually I would love to go to something like it now as an adult. The only thing I can think to compare it to is a cruise, where all the entertainment is all on-site with scheduled shows and activities. Thanks for the video!

When u were looking in the empty rooms and empty hallways, it remind me of back rooms and that's creepy but the beach is lovely