PHOTOS and videos have been shared of the “dilapidated” Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park left empty following its closure late last year.
The park, operated by Pontins, shut its doors for good on November 30, 2023, having been open since 1971.
Last Friday (March 22), explorer Jake Parr visited the park, and shared the footage he took on his Facebook page, Exploring with Jake, which boasts more than 100,000 followers.
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Jake, who holidayed at the park as a child and recalled happy memories of go-karting and playing football and tennis at the site, said he was sad to see it “run down to ruin”.
He spent about 90 minutes visiting the park, and said he only encountered a few members of security staff while there.
“I’d been there as a kid in about 2000, and had good memories of staying there, so it was very surreal going around there again, and just seeing a massive abandoned complex,” Jake said.
“It’s a shame, because there’s nothing for kids to do anymore which doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
“It was very sad to see the site in a very poor, dilapidated state. It’s been run down to ruin. It’s sad to see a place like that go so downhill.”
Pontins has also closed two of its other parks, in Southport and Camber Sands, since last November.
Jake, who is based in Manchester, endeavours to explore “abandoned history”, and bring it “back to life”.
He has also explored the Southport park since it shut on January 3.
“I’ve also explored the Southport park since it closed, and both are in a bad way, but the Prestatyn site looked in a worse state,” Jake added.
“Thousands of pounds’ worth of stuff has just been left there. We have so many places, like schools, which could do with help with resources – so many people could benefit from that stuff.
“I think they should open it back up as an amusement park - we need more of them in the UK.”
As yet, no formal update has been provided by Britannia Hotels Ltd, which owns Pontins’ parks, on the future of Prestatyn Sands.
The Home Office said on March 13 in respect of Prestatyn Sands: “The Home Office confirms that this particular site is no longer being considered to house asylum seekers.”
James Davies, MP for Vale of Clwyd, has previously said that is aware of “serious expressions of interest” from holiday park operators about taking on the site.
Dr Davies has also written to a dozen successful holiday park operators to encourage them to look at acquiring the park.
Staff at Prestatyn Sands told the Journal they were only informed of its closure when a post was shared on Pontins’ Facebook page.
They added that the reason they were given for the park’s closure was that it was due to make a financial loss in 2024.
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