I stayed at one of the UK’s oldest holiday parks – great for cash-strapped families but now at risk of closing forever
IF you go to a holiday park that has gone bankrupt, then
might expect everything to be doom and gloom.
But that’s not at all what I found when I took my boys to check out
Billing Aquadrome near Northampton, which has been in operation for almost 80 years.
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When the park announced it was for sale following bankruptcy in July, it reassured caravan owners and holidaymakers
that things would continue as usual this summer.
The administrators at Grant Thornton UK LLP have said they are confident they can find a way to keep the site running and after spending a day seeing everything it has to offer I would be surprised if it wasn’t given up.
You can get a great family vacation for little money.
A glamping pod for four people costs less than £100 for a weekend later this year
month, while caravans and lodges start at around £265.
However, day visitors can pay as little as £5 for parking and enjoy the site’s amenities, as most of it is metered.
Our first stop was the small indoor soft play in the entertainment area
Venue.
It’s free to use and offers parents the opportunity to have a drink or something to eat while the children play.
There was a free exotic animal session during our stay and there is usually music on the weekends as well as special seasonal events such as fireworks or a Christmas grotto.
Activities on offer include circus arts, children’s shows and bingo.
We then took a walk around Willow Lake and enjoyed ice creams from the small local supermarket whilst strolling past the mini golf which costs £16 per family of four.
It was nice to see families passing us with their fishing rods and children on their way to the playground.
When we visited the fair we found it was good value for money – £30 is enough
20 tokens, which equates to £1.50 per ride, and there’s plenty to explore
You can choose from trampolines, a roller coaster, a waltz and bumper cars as well as rides for children under five.
It kept my three boys entertained for about an hour and there is also an arcade and a miniature train that goes around the lake.
The campsite was packed with tents and caravans, so that’s still evidence of that
popular despite news that the site is going bankrupt.
The on-site pool looked good, but was not open to day guests when we visited, as it is only open to holidaymakers during the peak summer season.
The rest of the year you can pay £15 for a family of four to splash around there.
Billing Aquadrome became a holiday park at the end of the Second World War, less than ten years after Butlin’s opened the first British holiday camp in Skegness.
We often drove past the signs on our way somewhere else and I always wondered what it was like.
With free entertainment and soft play, it’s well suited to families on a budget, as it seems like a place where you can spend as much or as little as you like.
My friend who lived locally came with her family when she was growing up, and even though decades have passed since then, she says the family-friendly atmosphere really reminded her of great childhood breaks.
If a weekend getaway to the sea isn’t in the cards at the moment, this spot in the center of the country might be the next best thing.
A spokesman for Billing Aquadome told Sun Online Travel: “The park is currently operating as normal but under management.”
“We are moving forward with the refinancing and reacquiring Billing Aquadome as part of a complete restructuring.”
A spokesperson for the administrators of Grant Thornton UK LLP commented: “Shortly after their appointment, the joint administrators began a sales process for the sale of Billing Aquadrome.”
“Numerous parties have expressed interest and we are in discussions and negotiations with a few who have been shortlisted.
“The Joint Administrators remain confident of achieving a positive outcome for those involved and it will be business as usual for the sites involved.”
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