Bidders offer to buy Pontin's, say administrators

Pontin's, which has five holiday park sites around the UK, was set up in 1946

Administrators for holiday parks company Pontin's say a number of bidders have made offers for the firm.

KPMG will shortlist the bids before starting negotiations with potential buyers.

Pontin's, which has five parks, went into administration in November with debts of more than £40m.

Its parks are at Prestatyn, Denbighshire, Brean Sands, Somerset, Camber Sands, Sussex, Pakefield, Suffolk, and Southport, Merseyside.

It is thought unlikely that the sale of the business will be concluded before the new year.

In the meantime, the administrators said it was "very much business as usual".

Newspaper reports suggest interested parties were mainly property developers looking to redevelop the sites for housing.

But KPMG has said it was optimistic the "iconic British brand" still had a future.

Pontin's, known for its Bluecoats entertainers, was established in 1946 and, at its height, owned more than 30 parks.

It was founded by Fred Pontin, who was seen as well ahead of his rivals when he spotted the trend for self-catering holiday villages.

In February 2009 Pontin's announced a £50m plan to redevelop its centres and create 2,000 jobs but eventually closed Blackpool Park, in Lancashire.