Pontins celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, so 4BR has delved into the history books and come up with a few odds and ends to chew over in the countdown to the weekend.

All are true and there are more tomorrow…

The facts

The very first winners of the contest were Skelmersdale in 1974, conducted by W. Lyon. The next year they won again, although this time in the Second Section – a unique double no other band has ever emulated.

Top prize

The first £1,000 top prize came in 1977 as Sir Fred Pontin announced that competing bands would also receive travel allowances too – increased to 30p a mile a year later. The Finals took place in Prestatyn for the first time.

Lots of bands

The first preliminary contests took place at Brean Sands and Prestatyn, with 95 bands taking part at Brean and 82 in North Wales.

Entertainment at the 1979 Finals included...‘Miss Most’ – ‘a contest to find the most chubby and cheerful lady on the camp on the weekend’. The men followed this with ‘The Bigger the Better’ – we kid you not…4BR

Chalet costs

The cost of a chalet at Brean from the Thursday to the following Tuesday over the Bank Holiday was £31.00 =VAT for 3 people, although it was well known that anything up to 20 bandsmen managed to find a bed at night in a chalet on some occasions depending on the amount of local beer they had to drink!

Entertainment

Entertainment at the 1979 Finals included ‘International Cabaret’ with ‘Tia Wei Sou & Tien’, ‘Children’s ‘Hokey Kokey’ and the very non PC ‘Miss Most’ – ‘a contest to find the most chubby and cheerful lady on the camp on the weekend’. The men followed this with ‘The Bigger the Better’ – we kid you not…