The South Devon Holiday Camp opened in 1927 on a 15-acre site on the outskirts of Paignton. Unlike many other camps of the era, it was not situated on the seafront but around two miles inland. By the 1930s it had established itself as one of the leading holiday camps in the region. In September 1934, the camp’s manager proudly claimed it was the third largest holiday camp in the world, saying, “We cater for 450 people and also have a two-acre field for those who bring their own tents and trailers. We’re filled to capacity, and this season has been a record one.” In 1938, a 100-foot by 36-foot swimming pool was added, said to be the largest privately owned pool in the South West. Floodlit at night, it quickly became one of the camp’s main attractions.
Like most holiday camps, it was requisitioned during the Second World War, and when it reopened in July 1946 it bore the scars of “considerable damage” sustained during the conflict.
In March 1947 the camp was purchased by Pontins for £59,000, and within its first season under new ownership it generated a healthy profit of £11,000. For the next decade it was managed by Fred Pontin’s sister, Elsie Brown, who oversaw its early years of growth and development. In 1957 she transferred to Barton Hall, and management passed to Fred’s brother, Len Pontin.
In 1959, a new two-storey entertainment complex was added to the camp, complete with a ballroom, several bars, a lounge, and office space. Disaster struck in February 1963 when the entire building was destroyed in what was described at the time as the largest fire South Devon had seen for many years. The blaze also wiped out most of the booking records for the coming season.
Remarkably, the replacement was completed in just eleven weeks—rebuilt to the exact same size and design—at a cost of £75,000. It reopened that May with a lavish reception and cocktail party, with Fred Pontin himself in attendance, even bringing his mother along for the occasion. Returning visitors were astonished, many remarking that they could hardly believe the building had been rebuilt at all.
The camp could accommodate 800 people and was a full board facility where all meals were included and taken in the large communal dining room. Many of the chalets were rebuilt during the 1960s, all with private bathrooms. But a number of older wooden huts still remained and these were offered at a discount – most only had a sink and toilet. Many of the newer chalets were fitted with radiators and it was one of a handful of Pontins camps that opened at Christmas, a tradition that started in 1965.
In 1974 a Pontins minibus carrying 9 employees of the camp crashed near the main entrance killing 3 occupants. The father of one of the deceased collapsed and died on hearing the news.
In 1982 £200,000 was invested into the camp which included new kitchen facilities and a refurbishment of the dining room.
In a shock announcement, Pontins revealed that the South Devon camp would close at the end of the 1988 season. Earlier that year, the site had been acquired by the Harrow-based First National Development Company, which had also purchased the Pontins Bay View and Broadreeds camps in January. The day before handing over the keys, Pontins announced that more than 1,000 rose bushes from the camp gardens would be given away free on a first-come, first-served basis. Demolition began in December 1988, and within a short time the site was redeveloped with around 150 new houses.
We’ve also covered the history of several other Pontin camps which can be found in our main A-Z Blog Index
Our friends at Retro Stock Photography have a number of unique photos of the Pontins South Devon camp which are available for instant download. View their selection here
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