# Warners Holiday Camp, Seaton. Update - March 08



## Foxylady

I went out with the intention of taking photos of pillboxes but on the way there I had to go past the derelict holiday camp (link to previous explores thread below) and to my amazement the gates were open. So wandering in, I encountered who I believe to be the site foreman. I asked him if I could take a few photos, just of the outside of the main building from where we were standing, to show how it's deteriorated recently. To which he replied 'No'. He then told me that as Tesco had bought the site they were anxious to begin demolition straight away. I asked him when demolition was due and he said 'now'. I then said that it was fair enough and I'll just take some pics from beyond the gates. To which he said 'No you can't'. He then went on about corporate liability and if any photos get out then there'll be some trouble.
Now I don't know about you, guys and gals, but I don't like threats, so I duly left the site, snuck behind the walls and shot a few pics.  I then hared around to another side of the site and took a few pics from there. There's nothing majorly interesting, but the photos do show the preliminaries of clearing the site, the addition of portacabins and some of the latest deterioration.

Previous explores thread...very long as several visits have been tacked onto the one thread.

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=2379

















From another side, from where some of the portacabins can be seen.


























Cheers


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## tangled

I'm no expert, but I thought that, with the exception of pics of Crown/Government/MoD property, it was legal to take photographs from public property.

Of course, you could be legally warned by a police officer for causing an obstruction by using a tripod or simply for standing in one place for too long (as happened to Esther Rantzen on "That's Life" many years ago, for those who can remember).

Not sure how 'corporate responsibility' enters into it, unless you catch demolition contractors ignoring health and safety law, as they often do... 



Foxylady said:


> I then said that it was fair enough and I'll just take some pics from beyond the gates. To which he said 'No you can't'. He then went on about corporate liability and if any photos get out then there'll be some trouble.


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## no1rich

What a nob. Nobody can stop you filming or taking photos when your on public ground! How longs that spot been abandond! Would'nt fancy taking a holiday there thats for sure.....


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## smileysal

To me that sounds a little dodgy, corporate liability. That doesn't make sense, especially if your outside the gates, on a public road, or footpath, then you can't be stopped from taking pics.

With him saying that, i wonder if Tesco have permission to demolish the building straight away? Normally there is a notice on a post, lamp post, telegraph pole etc, informing people of planning permission, and who to consult to appeal etc.

found this on wikipedia regarding corporate liability.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_liability

loads of new laws have come into play now, since i did my law course, so not sure whats going on there.

ask at the local council offices and see if anything has been put up, cos it seems quick to me. but maybe im wrong lol. 

Cheers for the update Foxy,

 Sal


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## Foxylady

Yeah, I know! There's something definitely weird about it. I knew they couldn't stop me taking pics from the pavement, but the way I read it, is that Tesco are more scared of litigation than anything else, ie liability for any accident occuring on the site. Why they'd be lary of someone taking pics at all (and he did stress that) is strange.
I read in the local paper that Tesco bought the site, but it's just occured to me that the guy was also stressing that now Tesco own it, they can do what they like. Not so, of course!
I won't say what I'm going to do...unfriendly eyes and all that, but I will do it and I'll get back to you!


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## mineme

this smells really dodgy to me to like you are all saying as long as you are on public property who can stop you taking pics?


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## Foxylady

mineme said:


> this smells really dodgy to me...



Research done...looks even more dodgy...watch this space.


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## chelle

Thanx for the update Foxy,sure does seem something covert is going on..maybe a call to your district councils planning dept may clear things a little..generally I (Stu) find on most sites about to demo`d they will let some folk take pics providing they wear hardhat,vis vest and steely shoes..We are doing a similar thing over at RAF Yatesbury where it is being redeveloped..a bottle of good wine always paves the way for relations if you know what I mean!
cheers
Stu


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## krela

Or it could just be a jobsworth security guard trying to make his own life easier. It usually is.

Tescos buying it is no secret.


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## Foxylady

Cheers for that, Krela. I hadn't been able to find anything from either the East Devon District Council website or the local papers to confirm it.

Neat quote from Tesco...
'Seaton will at last be able to capitalise on the new high-spend and high-value tourism trend...'
I think they probably mean 'Tesco will at last be able to...' 

The guy I spoke to was the site foreman of the contractors brought in to demolish the buildings. Maybe he was being jobsworthy, but some of the things he mentioned didn't add up somehow. Anyway, I've sent an email to the planning department with various queries and comments, and should hear something within a few days.


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## King Al

Foxylady said:


> Neat quote from Tesco...
> 'Seaton will at last be able to capitalise on the new high-spend and high-value tourism trend...'
> I think they probably mean 'Tesco will at last be able to...'



 nice update foxy


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## NatTC

Thats so sad, when I was there on holiday we were mostly on this side, it had all the family stuff, the tiger club and the harbour lights club room. The abandoned building in the photo was reception for both sites. They were pretty much merged together when I went on holiday there in about 92 I think, you could go in both sides although the warners side was geared towards adults. When I went to Haven training seminars they mostly used the Warners side in Lyme Lights and the dining room, however we used to go across to Harbour Lights for the show rehearsals!


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## chelle

Foxy,a question...is the Tesco being built on the old site only,or is the other half closed too and being demolished as well...I think it was called Hollybush Hotel.
cheers
Stu


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## smileysal

The Lyme Bay holiday camp/centre lol (sorry, still use the old term camp lol) is still being advertised and taking bookings for this year, so presumably it will only be built on the old Seaton holiday camp site, the one on the left.

Here's the website for it.

http://www.hollybushhotels.co.uk/lyme_bay.htm

Hope that helps,

 Sal


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## chelle

Thanx for clearing this up Sal,
regards
Stu.


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## NatTC

Just what you want, go on holiday next to Tescos!!


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## Foxylady

Ahhh! Not quite like that unfortunately.  
Tesco now owns the whole of the regeneration site which is from just this side of the bridge to the harbour right up to beyond the old Warners site. This includes both camp sites, Racal Electronics, several small retail outlets, a boat builders yard, Seaton Youth Centre, the Tourist Information Centre and the Tram terminal and station.There is also a huge tract of land going inland which includes flood plains where they plan to build houses!!!!! Now you know why I'm so freakin' angry. :icon_evil 
If you look at Krelas link you'll see a map of where Tesco will be building their supermarket plus all the rest of the 'for rent' retail sites. This is just a tiny part of the regeneration site.
tesco haven't just bought a site for their supermarket...they've bought half a town!


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## chelle

Thanx for that Foxy,sounds like Seaton has fallen to Tesco`s world domination tour...on to Pyestock next to set up camp...ah well,thats healthy competition for you..not.


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## smileysal

Not sure whats happening with Lyme Bay camp then, on the website, they're still advertising for the new year next year, up until 2nd Jan 2009.


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## krela

chelle said:


> Thanx for that Foxy,sounds like Seaton has fallen to Tesco`s world domination tour...on to Pyestock next to set up camp...ah well,thats healthy competition for you..not.



I'm pretty sure I read recently that Tescos is the second biggest landowner in the country next to the Royal Family now. They buy vast tracts of land simply to stop their competitors from building stores.


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## Neosea

So that's why they are so expensive - got to pay for all this land somehow


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## Foxylady

smileysal said:


> Not sure whats happening with Lyme Bay camp then, on the website, they're still advertising for the new year next year, up until 2nd Jan 2009.



Sal, I'm pretty sure that's because the company rented the lease from the then owners, East Devon district Council. What happens when that lease runs out will undoubtedly be up to Tesco.



krela said:


> I'm pretty sure I read recently that Tescos is the second biggest landowner in the country next to the Royal Family now. They buy vast tracts of land simply to stop their competitors from building stores.



Yes, i've heard about the competitors policy. I think it was on that C4 documentary 'The Supermarket That Ate Britain'. I didn't realise how big a landowner they are though. Cheers Krela.


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## Foxylady

Neosea said:


> So that's why they are so expensive - got to pay for all this land somehow



   I shouldn't laugh really...it's very scary what these monsters are doing. Fortunately, their store will be very inconvenient for me as I live the other side of Seaton, so I won't be tempted to use the so-and-so's.


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## smileysal

true, it looks like lyme bay is trying to do what Dovercourt Bay did, and keep taking bookings for the following year, then they'll get closed at the end of this year. :'( Looks like another one is about to hit the dust. :'( again


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## Foxylady

smileysal said:


> true, it looks like lyme bay is trying to do what Dovercourt Bay did, and keep taking bookings for the following year, then they'll get closed at the end of this year. :'( Looks like another one is about to hit the dust. :'( again



I know. It's really sad because they get fully booked and it's very popular...been featured on the holiday programmes several times.
Btw, thanks for all your help with the planning department research Sal, and for the extra info re Lyme Bay Holiday Village.


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## smileysal

no problem mate, just wish i could have found more info from their websites.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Foxylady

More Info.

Took a walk to see what's happening. Demolition has begun but they haven't got very far yet. The chalets behind the main building have gone although the circle of chalets still remains. Took a couple of pics from outside the site. I then bumped into a town councillor that I know and he had some useful information. 
Apparently, Tesco haven't yet bought the whole of the regeneration site (despite being told that by a member of the planning dept in a reply to my email), but had initially bought the Warner's site only. On Monday they bought the Lyme Bay Holiday Village site and immediately handed out redundancy notices to the 150-strong workforce. Many of these employees live in housing on the site and have been served notice to be out by Christmas when the Village will be closed down.
Negotiations are still going on regarding the remaining regeneration site and, apparently, there are still other irons in the fire, so it's not certain who will own the rest of the site.
I'll be continuing to visit regularly and hope to document the demolition as it happens.


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## smileysal

That isn't good at all.  Wonder if they'll be allowed to stay open through to Jan 1st cos thats when they'll get more money for the new year breaks. 

Bad news for the staff tho, loads of camps are closing, and not many new ones appearing to take over.  grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers Foxy,

 Sal


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## NatTC

I keep getting confused as when I went the now derilict side was Haven and the still open side was Warners, although they were pretty much the same park and when I worked for Haven it was all Haven. So is the Hollybush side owned by Tesco now too and they are closing the whole lot down???

Also I have been looking at the pics on the threads but where are the galleries you are mentioning?


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## Foxylady

NatTC said:


> I keep getting confused as when I went the now derilict side was Haven and the still open side was Warners, although they were pretty much the same park and when I worked for Haven it was all Haven. So is the Hollybush side owned by Tesco now too and they are closing the whole lot down???
> 
> Also I have been looking at the pics on the threads but where are the galleries you are mentioning?



Both parts were originally one big campsite owned by Warners. My knowledge of the exact history since then is a little sketchy. All I know is that it, or parts of it, were owned by Haven and I think Blue Waters was involved at some point too. Both sites are completely different to the original Warners although I suspect the main building of the derelict site remained the same but just reorganised with different doorways, etc.
Yes, Tesco own both parts now and they are closing the Hollybush side down.
Um, galleries? I don't know of any galleries or recall mentioning any. I'll have to check the threads and see if I can find what you mean.
I'll get back to you on that.
Cheers


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## Foxylady

NatTC said:


> IAlso I have been looking at the pics on the threads but where are the galleries you are mentioning?



Ah! Woke up this morning and realised what you meant! I was thinking of architectural galleries but you meant photo galleries. Doh! Long day yesterday...brain befuddled! 
The format of the Derelict Places website used to contain photo galleries, pretty much like the forums with separate sections for industry, leisure, etc, so that pictures could be put in there as well as on the threads. When the site was upgraded/changed, the galleries weren't included so those pics are no longer accessible.
Sorry about the confusion...hope that explains.


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## NatTC

ha-ha cheers I have got it now! It was all warners when they did family hols then Haven took over all the self catering sites, therefore the left side (derlict) became Haven and the right side stayed Warners, although if you holidayed in one you could go in other! Then when Warners re-branded as adults only it all went under Haven, then Haven rebranded them all for a year to 'Leisure Holidays', then decided to sell all their full and half board only parks (inc Lyme Bay, Harcourt Sands & Mill Rythe) to Renowned, who sold Lyme Bay on again about a year later to Hollybush! The rest we now know!! Phew, can you tell I worked for Haven for nearly 10 years lol!!!


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## Foxylady

Thanks for the history info, Nat. That's very useful as I'm planning on collating a full history from it's beginning to the final demolition together with pics for my website (when I finally get my act together!  ) and...I can't believe this, but I was going to say 'every little helps', which is damn ironic considering who just bought the site! 
You might also be interested to know that the camp site, which began life in the 1930's, was used as a German POW camp during WW2.

Cheers


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## herts_urbex

ive been told tescos buy under a differernt name to bypass a sertan law


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## zero seven four

*
Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK*



> Despite the law being clear on a citizen's rights to freely take pictures in public places (with a few restrictions) there is growing evidence of the police, police community support officers (PCSOs), security guards and general jobsworths failing to respect the rights of photographers going about their lawful business.



Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK


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## Foxylady

herts_urbex said:


> ive been told tescos buy under a differernt name to bypass a sertan law



That wouldn't surprise me in the least. Not certain what the law is but I think it's to do with the Monopoly's Commission. I'm amazed no-one's curtailed their activities under it, tbh. A bit of news though...Tesco don't have permission to build on the land they bought and Sainsbury are very much in the running for getting the go-ahead for one of their supermarkets built...plus they've got some good plans which will benefit the town. 



zero seven four said:


> *Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK*



Thanks for the info on that, zero. I once did some work experience with a photographer and one thing he taught me was to act like you're official and belong there...anyway, I remember once we were taking some pics at the Castle in Exeter and he calmly removed some bollards, took the pics, then put them back again...even though the castle walls contain the law courts!


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## jonny1647

*hi*

is any of the camp still open or is it all gone any 1 no and was it a bit like hardcourt sands camp and y did part of it close ? thanks jonny


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## Foxylady

jonny1647 said:


> is any of the camp still open



The half that is Lyme Bay Holiday Village is still open, but the derelict side has been completely demolished now. I'm not being funny, but I don't understand text speak so I couldn't decipher the rest of your question, but hope that answered some of it. 
Welcome to DP, btw.


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## Neosea

Foxylady said:


> . I'm not being funny, but I don't understand text speak so I couldn't decipher the rest of your question, but hope that answered some of it.
> Welcome to DP, btw.



It's the state of education these days. Budget cuts have forced teachers to cut down on the number of letters they can use in words.


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## Foxylady

Neosea said:


> It's the state of education these days. Budget cuts have forced teachers to cut down on the number of letters they can use in words.



Sounds about right!


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