Indian 'angel' linked to Pontin's bid

AN INDIAN millionaire is in the frame to acquire Pontin's, the iconic chain of British holiday camps that collapsed into administration on Friday, potentially throwing a jobs lifeline to 850 workers.

It is understood Bhanu Choudhrie and his family's investment vehicle C&C Alpha Group could team up with the Dubai royal family to buy the business for up to 15m.

Choudhrie said at the weekend he wanted to keep the existing management team. He is set to have talks with administrator KPMG today KPMG has said it is optimistic of finding a buyer and has pledged to keep running all five sites - Brean Sands in Somerset; Camber Sands, Sussex; Pakefield in Suffolk; Prestatyn Sands in Wales; and Southport, on Merseyside.

Choudhrie said he had looked at the business six months ago when Pontin's chief executive Ian Smith was searching for potential investors, but had walked away from the deal after visiting two sites and spending 100,000 on due diligence.

Jane Moriarty, of administrator KPMG, said she had received many expressions of interest from third parties, one of which could be an indirect representation from C&C Alpha Group.

KPMG plans to appoint a leisure operator this week to help them run the business and has pledged to honour all bookings. It catered for 5,000 guests on the weekend and said it had only received one cancellation after the company was taken into administration.

Pontin's was started when Fred Pontin opened the first Pontin's Holiday Park in Brean Sands in 1946.

It is best known for its "blue coat" site entertainers.