Pontins South Devon Holiday Camp, Paignton 1967

Pontins South Devon Holiday Camp in Paignton in 1967, looking from the upper balcony of the main entertainment building across the surrounding houses and countryside towards the sea. Unlike many British holiday camps, South Devon was not built directly beside the beach, but stood a couple of miles inland, giving guests an elevated view over Paignton and out towards Tor Bay. The photograph shows two holidaymakers seated on the balcony, modern railings and outdoor chairs in the foreground, rows of suburban houses below, wooded slopes to the right and the coastline stretching across the distance. It is a useful colour record of the camp’s setting as well as its architecture, showing how Pontins combined organised holiday-camp facilities with a wider South Devon coastal landscape.