2,000 jobs to be created at Pontin's.

HOLIDAY firm Pontin's is to invest pounds 50m in its six UK sites, creating more than 2,000 jobs.

The new posts will include catering, retail and bar staff as well as Blue Coats and will involve a mixture of full time, part time and seasonal positions.

Owners Ocean Parcs said it was "particularly rewarding" to create new jobs while the country was in recession.

Pontin's has holiday parks at six seaside locations - four self-catering at Brean Sands, Somerset; Camber Sands, East Sussex; Prestatyn Sands, North Wales and Ainsdale Beach in Southport, and two half-board at Blackpool and Pakefield, near Lowestoft in Suffolk.

The firm said entertainment, catering and bar facilities will be refurbished.

The sites at Brean Sands and Prestatyn Sands will be completely refurbished, and the centres at Camber Sands and Southport will be completely redesigned and re-built. The Pakefield holiday centre will double in size and capacity.

Chief executive of Ocean Parcs Ian Smith said: "We are tremendously excited about the investment planned for the development of our centres and the employment and tourism revenue that will be generated by this investment.

The firm's property director Clarke Osborne said: "We have been working on our next generation of holiday centres for over nine months, and I think that the results of this will be very well received by both our extensive and loyal customer base and new customers that are joining us each year.

"We have commenced dialogue with some of our local councils, business leaders and planners and received encouraging responses. It is our intention to submit proposals for planning permission during the year."

CAPTION(S):

SPLASHING OUT Pontin's holiday parks are due extensive upgrades various locations.