Families say holiday resort filthy and squalid

Aug 31 2008 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

TWO families say they are seeking compensation after enduring “holidays from hell” at the same complex.

The Sunday Sun told last week how Pauline and Fred Bird, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, want their money back after spending five days at Pontin’s holiday camp in Blackpool.

And, since publishing our story, a further two families from the North have come forward to say they too are making official complaints after having similarly dismal experiences.

Margaret Prendergast, of High Heaton, Newcastle, considered cancelling her break to the Lancashire resort following the death of her mother . . . and within minutes of arriving she wished she had.

The 55-year-old mum — who paid more than £900 for the trip with her sister Linda McGee, her son David and his girlfriend Claire Purvis — claims their chalets were filthy, mouldy and damp. She said: “It was squalor.”

Margaret claims there were blood stains on her and her sister’s mattresses, what looked like bogeys smeared on the walls, mould on the walls and dirty marks on the carpet.

She said: “We went to the manager in charge to complain and asked to be moved, but he said they were full, and that we could have our money back and leave.

“But where could we go at 5pm on a Saturday when we had no transport?

“A cleaner woman came in and even she said ‘this is disgusting, treating people like this’.”

Single mum-of-two Karen Steel travelled down with pals Joanne Cowan and Amanda Fairley, who were also taking their children, having spent £1100 as a group to stay for a week.

However, 35-year-old Karen, of Haltwhistle, Northumberland, chose to leave a day early after deciding she had suffered enough.

She said: “It was horrendous and I’m definitely putting in a complaint . . . we complained about the noise while we there and you had to form a queue at reception behind the others who also weren’t happy.

“Our chalet wasn’t clean at all. There was mould on the walls and the curtains and the beds were damp.

“Outside my friend’s chalet were around 20 broken glasses and someone’s old pushchair.

“I only stayed six days for my children Morgan, who’s three, and Robert, who’s eight, because they had looked forward to it.”

Both Margaret and Karen now want their money back after putting up with what they say was “a catalogue of filth”.

A spokeswoman for Pontin’s said: “Pontin’s is a reputable company accommodating nearly 750,000 guests each year. Our aim is to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable break.

“We were very sorry to learn that two families were allegedly unhappy with their visit but, having checked, there is no record of any issues being recorded by them during their holiday.

“It is part of the holiday agreement that guests record any alleged problems at the time for the benefit of all involved and to ensure that the centre have the opportunity to resolve the issues if possible.

“As the families did not speak to customer care whilst on holiday, we suggest they now write to our guest relations department, who will look into the matter.”