PONTIN’S new owner said he plans to bring a touch of Disney-style magic to the traditional UK holiday resorts as part of a £25m makeover.

Britannia Hotel Group, which owns the Adelphi hotel in Liverpool, bought Pontin’s out of administration for a reported £20m last week, safeguarding 850 jobs. Britannia owner Alex Langsam said he wants to reinvent the parks as themed seaside destinations for pre-teens, although he plans to keep the famous “bluecoat” entertainers.

Mr Langsam said Pontin’s five resorts – in Southport, Brean Sands in Somerset, Camber Sands in Sussex, Pakefield in Suffolk, and the Welsh resort of Prestatyn Sands – are in “wonderful” locations, but he plans to introduce Disney-style cartoon costumes and attractions alongside the famous “bluecoat” entertainers.

He said: “The most important thing for me is getting some of the kiddie generation in, getting the kind of stuff kiddies like into parks on a large scale. The bluecoats will stay, because if it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it. But there will be people dressed up in all sorts of different ways, too.”