AN ICONIC seaside holiday park which suddenly closed after 80 years has cut 20 jobs – despite telling staff they’d stay employed.
Pontins Pakefield Holiday Village in Lowestoft, Sussex shut in January this year with plans to use it as accomodation for 500 workers building a nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast.
AlamyPontins holiday camp has been enthralling punters for over 80 years[/caption]
GoogleThe blue and yellow branding will be much missed[/caption]
The park’s owners Britannia Hotels originally said staff would be keeping their jobs.
But now they’ve accounced more than 20 redundancies.
Sizewell C Nuclear plant has already begun revamping the site to create 513 bed spaces to help build Britain’s first new nuclear power station in 30 years, with a budget of £46bn.
The French energy company, EDF, is bankrolling the development and has promised that the influx of workers would revive the area.
In a meeting before the park’s closure in January, staff said they had been reassured that their jobs were safe, and that those on zero-hour contracts would be given 40-hour contracts.
But, an email sent to staff from Britannia Hotels earlier this month read: “Unfortunately, Pakefield will no longer be operating as a holiday park.
“Therefore, I am regretfully writing to confirm that it is likely that your position is at risk of redundancy, and you should regard the receipt of this letter as a warning notice of the potential redundancy.
“The number of people that could be put at risk might be over 20, and as such, this is a collective redundancy.”
But local traders say the move has “decimated” their business, and a band that had played their tunes at the park for 35 years said the final event was “very emotional.”
Sounds Imperial, a 60s and 70s covers band, opened up about how the park “was a big part of our lives.”
Drummer Bryce Woodrow told BBC Suffolk: “Pakefield has always been a big part of our lives.
“We started there about 1990 and have pretty much been there ever since.
“The final gig was very emotional because we’ve become friends with the guests and the staff, and we don’t know when we will ever see them again.”
Alan House, who chairs the Tourism association, told the BBC: “Generally speakin,g they’re all either on shift or asleep.
“They don’t tend to come out into the local economy, we haven’t seen anything of them over the winter at all.”
A Sizewell C spokesman boasted to the East Anglian Daily Times: “We’re making some significant enhancements to the accommodation offering – including new self-catering units and shower rooms – and we expect to finish that work by the end of the first half of 2025.
“All the existing facilities – including the café, restaurant, pool and gym – will be retained and available to those staying on the site.
“Britannia will manage the staff arrangements to take advantage of the all-year-round Sizewell C occupancy.”
The beloved park, which dates back to the mid 1950s, has attracted generations of beach enthusiasts, hosting 1,200 guests at its peak.
Andrew Cockroft claimed his team had spent £2m repairing the Pontins chalets, and that the influx of workers would mean “business all year round for local traders.”
“They keep themselves to themselves, I think they’re here to work really,” he said.
“We have lost trade yes, it has been a big thing for us losing the Pontins customers.”
Brian Davies, who runs the weekend market, with stalls selling arts and crafts, cakes, fudge and a spread of other tasty treats, said that last year the season started with 43 stalls.
“We ended it with 21, traders just weren’t taking the money.”
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