09 December 2023 , 17:23
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The hotel chain behind Pontins, which has suddenly closed two parks, banked £6million in taxpayer-funded furlough cash.
Britannia Hotels, ranked Which?’s worst UK hotel chain for the past 11 years, had pre-tax profits of £33.3million in 2021-22. That year it got £956,683 to help it through the pandemic, on top of £5,396,810 furlough cash from the year before. And in 2021-22 Britannia Hotels’ directors’ pay rose more than £45,000 to £300,000.
Their fortunes are in stark contrast to those of staff at Pontins’ camps at Camber Sands, East Sussex, and Prestatyn, Denbighshire, which shut with immediate effect on November 30.
Pontins' famous Bluecoats (Rex Features)Pontins – famed for its Bluecoats, including EastEnders star Shane Richie and presenter Bradley Walsh – now has only four parks left. Emails to Prestatyn workers, revealed in the Rhyl Journal, said the company said it had decided to make redundancies as “continuing trading at this park in to 2024 is no longer a viable business decision”.
They said: “The hospitality industry all suffered a dramatic downturn during COVID. The company continues to review the business levels for the park, and since COVID, this park has not been able to return to reasonable business levels.” It was reported 10-15 permanent workers at Camber Sands were being considered for redundancy and 30-40 others have been told they are no longer needed.
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Tory MS Gareth Davies, who represents Vale of Clwyd, said: “It is nothing short of a scandal that Britannia Hotels recorded £33.3m in pre-tax profits in 2022, all whilst claiming furlough from the government during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing. Britannia has been contacted for comment.