Showing posts with label Pontins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pontins. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

A minigolf postcard from Pontin's Holiday Village in Hemsby, Norfolk

A look at a minigolf postcard from our collection.


Here's a long-lost Crazy Golf course depicted on a Pontin's multi-view postcard of the Hemsby Holiday Village in Hemsby, Norfolk.

PONTIN'S HOLIDAY VILLAGE, HEMSBY, NORFOLK R5713 by Photo Precision Limited, St Ives. Unposted, undated
PONTIN'S HOLIDAY VILLAGE, HEMSBY, NORFOLK R5713 by Photo Precision Limited, St Ives. Unposted, undated

The layout is of the Eternit Miniature Golf style - a rarity on these shores.

We'll be heading back to Hemsby this summer for the Big Mini Golf Tour taking place across miniature golf courses in Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Gorleston-on-Sea.

You can play minigolf at the Lost World Adventure Golf and Stonehenge Adventure Golf in the seaside town of Hemsby.

Friday, April 03, 2020

A postcard from Pontins Prestatyn Holiday Centre

A look at an old postcard from Pontins Prestatyn Holiday Centre.


One of the old postcards I bought at the recent Stockport postcard fair was this one sent to Chester in 1987.


Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Centre. Bamforth & Co. Ltd. 1987
Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Centre. Bamforth & Co. Ltd. Postally used in 1987

The Bamforth & Co. Ltd. card gives a nice view of the holiday camp.

Pontins Prestatyn Sands

Pontins Prestatyn Sands was the setting for the film Holiday on the Buses and we've stayed there twice for special events. The excellent swimming pool and main building on the card are still instantly recognisable today.

Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday camp
Outside the main building at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday camp in 2014

The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards
.

One of my prized minigolf possessions is from the Pontins Holiday Village. It's something of a crazy golf postcard holy grail as the sender wrote about the course depicted on the card.

Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Village. Photo Precision Limited R5605. Postally used 8 July 1977
Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Village. Photo Precision Limited R5605. Postally used 8 July 1977

Friday, October 11, 2019

A look at the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

While visiting the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course I had a look at the neighbouring Metropole hotel.

The Metropole is operated by Britannia Hotels, the owners of Pontin's. It was formerly a Butlin's hotel.

The Metropole hotel in Blackpool
The Metropole hotel in Blackpool

Built in 1776, the hotel was owned by Butlins from 1955 until 1998 when it was purchased by Grand Hotels. In 2004 the hotel was sold to Britannia Hotels.

Interestingly it's the only hotel in Blackpool on the seaward side of the tram tracks.

The Metropole hotel in Blackpool
The Pontin's flag flying at The Metropole

Related blog posts:

Monday, July 08, 2019

The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

A look at the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool.


We bought some superb old postcards at a collector's fair in Stockport yesterday. Among them was this card of the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool back when it was owned by Butlin's.


Blackpool. Butlin's Metropole Hotel. E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd. Postally unused

The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool is now operated by Britannia Hotels, the owners of Pontin's!


The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool
How the Metropole Hotel looked on my visit to Blackpool in May. Note the Pontin's flag to the right of the hotel

Originally built in 1776, the hotel was owned by Butlins from 1955 until 1998 when it was purchased by Grand Hotels. In 2004 the hotel was sold to Britannia Hotels.

I was recently at the seaside resort to visit the Crazy Golf course behind the hotel as part of the project to reopen the minigolf layout.

Greetings from Pontin's Holiday Village, Camber Sands

We found this nice old Pontin's postcard at a collector's fair in Stockport yesterday.


Greetings from Pontin's Holiday Village, Camber Sands. Photo Precision Limited. Posted on 14 July 1975
Greetings from Pontin's Holiday Village, Camber Sands. Photo Precision Limited. Posted on 14 July 1975

The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards.


The Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands
The Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Camber Sands is where the playground and grass is in the top left image of the postcard above

My family stayed at Pontin's Camber Sands in the 1990's and we swung by the holiday camp to play the Adventure Golf there in 2014.


The course was the 585th visited and 351st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Pontins postcards in Picture Postcard Monthly

Check out the feature on Pontins postcards in the new issue of Picture Postcard Monthly.


The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards.


The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly
The new issue of Picture Postcard Monthly is out now

Over the years I've collected quite a few postcards showing Pontins holiday camps dating back to the 1960s.


Greetings from Pontin's at Pakefield, Suffolk, Photo Precision Limited. PLC13118. Postally used on 28 Aug 1969
Greetings from Pontin's at Pakefield, Suffolk, Photo Precision Limited. PLC13118. Postally used on 28 Aug 1969

The majority of the cards I have are from the 1970s and 1980s and a lot of them show miniature golf courses.

The Eternit Miniature Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Village. This Photo Precision Limited postcard was sent on the 8th July 1977
One of my prized minigolf possessions and something of a crazy golf postcard holy grail as the sender wrote about the course depicted on the card

You can buy Picture Postcard Monthly magazine via the PPM website, or at postcard fairs around the country.

I'm a big fan of the seaside, holiday camps and crazy golf and have collected a large number of postcards showing various locations. In recent years we've also been on holiday to Pontins Prestatyn Sands for On the Buses fan club events.

Pontin's Holiday Centre Prestatyn, Bamforth & Co. Ltd. WT948. Postally used, date unknown
Pontin's Holiday Centre Prestatyn, Bamforth & Co. Ltd. WT948. Postally used, date unknown

Growing up, my family went on holidays to camps at Barry Island, Minehead, Bognor Regis and Camber Sands. The November 2016 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly includes a feature I wrote about Butlin's cards.

Links:
Picture Postcard Monthly magazine
Pontins

Related blog posts:
Postcards
- Pontins

Thursday, February 07, 2019

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Revisiting the Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park.


Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Last September we made our third visit to the Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park in Wales for a Holiday on the Buses Weekender. While on the camp we swung by the Crazy Golf course.

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
The course is housed within a fort

The ten-hole course was the 348th played and 582nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we first stayed at the camp in September 2014. We also visited in September 2017.

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
While you're staying at the camp the course is free to play

Related blog posts:

- Crazy Golf at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Holiday on the Buses
- Prestatyn
- Pontins

Link:
- Pontins Prestatyn Sands

Thursday, December 20, 2018

A Crazy Golf 'holy grail'

Finding a rare Crazy Golf postcard.


As a keen postcard collector I'm always on the lookout for new views of miniature golf courses and while at the December postcard fair in Stockport I found something of a holy grail in the world of minigolf postcards.


A postcard of Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Village, Central Beach, North Wales. Postally Used 8 July 1977 Photo Precision Limited
The Eternit Miniature Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Village. This Photo Precision Limited postcard was sent on the 8th July 1977

Not only is the card a full view of a Crazy Golf course, but it also has a message on the back about playing Crazy Golf! In the thousands of minigolf postcards I've got this is one of only a few that mentions playing the game and the only one specifically saying "Crazy Golf".

A postcard of Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Village, Central Beach, North Wales. Postally Used 8 July 1977 Photo Precision Limited
The sender was having quite the holiday in Prestatyn by the sound of it - playing Crazy Golf every day!

The Grand Hotel is now The Beaches Hotel. Sadly the Crazy Golf course is long gone. On our last holiday in Prestatyn we popped into the hotel bar for a drink. The patio area there has a nice sea view.

The Beaches Hotel in Prestatyn
A view of the area in front of the hotel. The plot of land between the hotel and Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park is now a car park

The Beaches Hotel in Prestatyn
Another view of where the Crazy Golf course once was

Luckily there is still a Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park. It's near the main entrance and back in 2014 became the 348th played and 582nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
The Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Prestatyn
- Pontins

Friday, October 06, 2017

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp

A revisit to the Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park.


Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
The ten-hole Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park

On our Holiday on the Buses at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands we revisited the 10-hole Crazy Golf course at the camp. It's had a lick of paint, some new felt and a change in some of the obstacles since we played the layout in 2014.

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
The castle / fort's walls are a lot more colourful than before

The course was the 348th played and 582nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 1 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 2 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 3

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 4

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 6 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 6

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 6 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 6 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 7

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 8

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 9 

Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday park
Hole 10

Visit the Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park website for more information.

We've also played Crazy Golf at the Pontin's holiday park at Camber Sands. Our friends Sophia and Karl Moles recently guest blogged about the Adventure Golf course at Pontin's Pakefield holiday park.

Link:
Pontin's Prestatyn Sands

Related blog posts:
- Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Holiday on the Buses
Prestatyn
Pontins

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands

Playing another new game on our travels.

We recently stayed at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands for a Holiday on the Buses fanclub event and while there we got to play a new game - Foot Pool!

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp
The Foot Pool / Football Pool table at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp

It was great fun and an interesting mix of the two sports.

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp
The Rules

In our match-up I defeated Emily two games to nil.

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp
Emily playing a shot

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp
Booting the footpool football

Link:

- Pontin's Prestatyn Sands

Related blog posts:
- Sports and Games Played
- Holiday on the Buses
- Pontins
- Prestatyn

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Adventure Golf at Pontins Pakefield

A look at the minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield in Suffolk.

Our friends Sophia and Karl Moles were on a family holiday at Pontins Pakefield and sent us some photos of the Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at the holiday park. It looks great fun.

Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. Photo by Sophia and Karl Moles, September 2017
There's even a 'Titanic' on the course!

Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. Photo by Sophia and Karl Moles, September 2017
Always nice to see BIG obstacles on minigolf courses

Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. Photo by Sophia and Karl Moles, September 2017
There are plenty of nautical obstacles on the course

Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. Photo by Sophia and Karl Moles, September 2017
Iceberg dead ahead!

Sailing Through The Ages minigolf course at Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. Photo by Sophia and Karl Moles, September 2017
It looks like a good minigolf layout

Check out the other guest blog posts from Sophia and Karl about minigolf courses at Allhallows Leisure Holiday Park in Rochester, Haven's Caister-on-Sea Holiday Park and the Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo in Arma, Italy.

Emily and I have played two minigolf courses at Pontins holiday parks - at Prestatyn Sands and Camber Sands.

Related blog posts:
- Pontins

Link:
- Pontins Pakefield

Monday, October 27, 2014

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Playing the Pirate Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park.

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

On our way to Hastings for the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships we decided to revisit the nearby seaside towns of Camber and Rye in East Sussex.

Having recently enjoyed our visit to the Prestatyn Sands Pontins Holiday Park in Wales we thought we'd check out the Camber Sands park as we'd heard it also had a Crazy Golf course.



The Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands became the 585th visited and 351st course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and it was great fun.




Mini Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Minigolf at Pontins Camber Sands

Adventure Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Pirate Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Pirate Adventure Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Advneture Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

In our Minigolf match played over one 9-hole round on the Pirate Bay Adventure Golf course I defeated Emily with a score of 23 to 24.

Emily Gottfried playing the Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Richard Gottfried playing the Adventure Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Emily Gottfried playing the Adventure Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Richard Gottfried playing the Pirate Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park is open to day visitors and you can find out more about the Holiday Park, tickets, bookings and more on the Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park website.

The Pirate Mini Golf Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

While our stay at the Camber Sands Holiday Park was brief, it was good fun. Back in the early 90's my family had a holiday at the camp - I wonder if I played Crazy Golf on that trip...

There's a giant octopus in the reception area of the Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park! Great fun.

Earlier this month the Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands became the 582nd visited and 348th played.

Links:
- Pontins
- Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Related blog posts:
- Pontins
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Prestatyn (Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Village) - Crazy Golf

Videos:
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 1 of 5 
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 2 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 3 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 4 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 5 of 5