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Both resorts are open all year round, with the option of weekend or midweek breaks.
== LocationLocations ==
Potters Resorts own and operate a coastal location at [[Hopton-on-Sea]] in [[Norfolk]] and a countryside location at Five Lakes in [[Maldon]], [[Essex]]. In 2003, Potters Resorts Hopton-on-Sea became the UK's first five-star holiday village as awarded by the [[VisitEngland|English Tourist Board]]. In 2023, Potters Resorts Five Lakes was awarded the same accolade after major investment into its facilities and infrastructure since its acquisition by Potters Resorts in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-25 |title=Potters Resort expands into Essex after acquiring new site |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/business/20640604.potters-resort-expands-essex-acquiring-new-site/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Eastern Daily Press |language=en}}</ref>
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== Facilities ==
Accommodation includes approximately 270 brick-built bungalows and 110 hotel rooms.
The main facilities include the Atlas Theatre which hosts nightly entertainment, the Garden and Gallery Restaurants for full-board dining, the Garden Bar for daytime music and games, plus the outdoor South Terrace and which is open during the summer months. The 6-rink international bowls arena has been the venue for the [[World Indoor Bowls Championships]] since 1999.
Guests also have access to a gym and swimming pool with sauna and steam room.
== History ==
{{COI|date=January 2022}}
InThe 1913company has been owned by the Potter Family since opening its first location in [[Hemsby]], [[Norfolk]] in 1920 after solicitors' clerk Herbert Potter won £500 in a [[Sunday Chronicle]] newspaper competition.<ref>{{citeCite web |date=2019-09-30 |title=Potters Resort on the hunt for early visitors from 1920s to 1960s news|url=httphttps://www.belfasttelegraphgreatbritishlife.co.uk/lifepeople/travel/review-22611039.potters-resort-norfolkhunt-early-31238392.htmlvisitors-1920s-1960s/ |titleaccess-date=Review:2023-06-08 Potters|website=Great resort,British Life Norfolk|worklanguage=BelfastTelegraph.co.uken}}</ref> Inspired by the friendly camaraderie he enjoyed when visiting holiday camps with tents, he made plans to build his own. HeIt was called up to serve in [[World War I]]'Potters' and afteris survivingwidely therecognised trenches andas the [[Battlefirst ofpermanent theand Somme]],mixed heuse returnedholiday and purchased landcamp in nearbythe [[Hemsby]]United where he and brother Arthur Potter opened in 1920Kingdom, with woodentimber huts asfor standard.accommodation Itand waspermanent calledmain 'Potters'buildings.
Upon moving a few miles down the coast to bare land in [[Hopton-on-Sea]] in 1924, the original site in [[Hemsby]] was sold. The proceeds were split with Arthur moving to Cornwall, himself establishing [[Duporth|Duporth Holiday Camp]]. Potters remained in its new location by the [[Hopton-on-Sea railway station|railway line in Hopton-on-Sea]] for 10 years, run by Herbert and his wife Edith. During this pioneering decade, many other holiday camps were established along the Norfolk and Suffolk coast, a total of 14 within a 10-mile radius of Hopton-on-Sea, five of which were in the village itself.
In 1934, having purchased a new seaside site from Mr Colman (who himself operated a successful [[Colmans mustard|mustard business]]), Herbert opened 'Potters Beach Camp' and left the operation of the existing camp to his daughter Rosa and her husband Lesley Groom, the local policeman. For a while, Potters promoted two sites before the original camp located at the railway was renamed 'Grooms'. The seaside camp, operated by Herbert and son Hector, is where Potters Resorts Hopton-on-Sea remains to this day.
During [[World War II]] many holiday camps along the Norfolk and [[Suffolk]] coast were requisitioned by the army and the buildings and huts at Potters were mostly dismantled for firewood to keep soldiers warm in the winter. Following the war many of those pioneering families were unable to reopen their holiday camps. However, Herbert along with son Hector and his wife Vera set about rebuilding Potters. Their son Brian was a small child at the time, born shortly before the war began in 1940.
In the celebratory period following the war, there was a resurgence in British seaside holidays. Potters once again became a thriving holiday camp having re-invested in its facilities, including building one of the first outdoor swimming pools on the east coast in 1958.
Its success was challenged again in the 1960s by the overseas package holiday, during which time many remaining holiday camps closed in the face of stiff competition from sunnier alternatives. With Brian Potter becoming more involved in the family business alongside wife Judy, Potters again re-invested, creating more indoor facilities to meet the challenges of the British weather. During this time, fourth generation Jane and John were born to Brian and Judy Potter in 1967 and 1969 respectively, their names chosen via a vote in the guests' restaurant.
In the 1970s and 1980s cheaper, self-catering holidays emerged, one of the first being nearby Hopton Holiday Village. During this wave of competitive new business models, Potters redefined its own product and enjoyed a hugely successful period led by Brian and Judy Potter, that saw the resort grow from a seasonal, family holiday camp to a unique leisure resort with shows and cabaret style entertainment nightly inclusive meals, daytime activities and a range of leisure and sports facilities.
Remaining wooden chalets had been replaced by brick bungalows, the outdoor swimming pool became an indoor health and fitness club, a new entrance and reception area was created along with a large sports hall. Professional entertainment was heavily invested in, offering a unique selling point and allowing Potters to expand their season. Despite the resort's first ever weekend break falling upon the [[great storm of 1987]] with guests having to be moved to neighbouring sites due to maintenance issues, further breaks were added to the calendar and ongoing investment continued throughout the 1990s.
That investment included the Bowlers Bar featuring six indoor bowls rinks, Terrace Bar and ten pin bowling, before more major developments commenced. During the resort's closed period in 1996, the old theatre was demolished and replaced within 14 weeks by the new Atlas Theatre, in 1997 the old restaurant was replaced within 12 weeks by the new split-level Garden Restaurant and in 1998, the International Arena (with a further six bowls rinks) was opened by special guest bowlers [[David Bryant (bowls)|David Bryant CBE]] and [[Ian Schuback]].
The sport of [[bowls]] became an integral part of Potters' year-round success, with thousands of retired holidaymakers enjoying the combination of this social sport while holidaying in the typically quieter seasons.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/ea-life/hopton_on_sea_bowls_success_leaves_potters_leisure_resort_on_a_roll_1_1858785 | title=Hopton-on-Sea: Bowls success leaves Potters Leisure Resort on a roll | date=5 February 2013 }}</ref> As Potters' link with bowls grew, so did their investment in the sport and subsequently their relationship with the World Bowls Tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbowlstour.tv/ |title=Home |website=worldbowlstour.tv}}</ref> By 1999, Potters was hosting the [[World Indoor Bowls Championships]],<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8441000/8441515.stm | title=Bowls history at Potters Resort | date=5 January 2010 }}</ref> having moved from its long standing home in Preston. The event remains at Potters Resorts Hopton-on-Sea today and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. 1999 also saw the opening of the Hotel, and Potters was open all year round for the very first time.
Brian's son John Potter became managing director in 2000 and in 2003, 'Potters Leisure Resort' became the UK's first five star holiday village, as awarded by the [[VisitEngland|English Tourist Board]].
Re-investment continued throughout the next decade with the introduction of outdoor bowls rinks, an activity centre, bungalow and health and fitness club refurbishment, plus extensions and improvements to the Hotel and Atlas Theatre. The period though had its challenges. The Bowlers Bar was flooded in September 2007 following record rainfall and in November 2008 the laundry and maintenance workshop was destroyed by a fire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2008 |title=Fire engulfs building at Potters holiday resort |url=http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/fire_engulfs_building_at_potters_holiday_resort_1_496203}}</ref>
In 2013, Brian Potter was awarded with an MBE for his long service in the tourism industry.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/royal_honour_for_hopton_tourism_champ_1_1932933 | title=Royal honour for Hopton tourism champ | date=14 February 2013 }}</ref> The resort was renamed 'Potters Resort' (from Potters Leisure Resort) with a new strapline 'Quality Time Together'.
Brian Potter MBE died in November 2014,<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-29933687 | title=Holiday resort boss Brian Potter dies aged 73 | work=BBC News | date=6 November 2014 }}</ref> and in his memory, the Potter Family formed the Potters Friends Foundation<ref>[https://www.pottersholidays.com/potters-friends-foundation Potters Friends Foundation]</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/potters_christmas_spectacular_charity_show_raises_7_000_for_causes_1_4809051 | title=Potters' Christmas Spectacular charity show raises £7,000 for causes | date=8 December 2016 }}</ref> to help local worthy causes, continuing his legacy and charitable efforts.
Investment would continue<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-15 |title=The challenge of carrying on success story at Potters Resort in Hopton |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20892607.challenge-carrying-success-story-potters-resort-hopton/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Eastern Daily Press |language=en}}</ref> with full refurbishment of the resort's main areas including Reception, GameZone, Palms Heath & Fitness and the Bowlers Bar.
In March 2020, the Resort was forced to close<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-17 |title=Coronavirus: Potters Holiday Resort in Norfolk closes |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-51930481 |access-date=2023-06-08}}</ref> due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic|Covid-19 pandemic]] and remained closed until May 2021, with the exception of a 12 week period between August and October 2020. During this time, new all-inclusive breaks were developed allowing guests to enjoy their holidays without additional expenses. Potters Resort reopened as the UK's first and only all-inclusive resort.
ThisThe developmentoriginal coupledcamp withmoved a surgeto Hopton-on-Sea demandin for1924, UKbefore staycationsmoving duringto theits pandemiccurrent pushedcoastal the company to new heights andlocation in December1934. 2021,The theycompany announcedacquired the acquisition of aits second venue at Five Lakes in [[Maldon]] [[Essex]]location,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-2526 |title=PottersFour-star Resortresort expands intoin Essex afterto acquiringbe taken over by new sitefirm for 'undisclosed sum' |url=https://www.edp24gazette-news.co.uk/news/business/2064060419671446.potters-resortresorts-expandstake-essexfive-acquiringlakes-newtolleshunt-siteknights/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Eastern Daily PressGazette |language=en}}</ref> withFive theLakes companyResort changingin itslate name2021, tobefore reopening as Potters Resorts inFive the process. The old Potters Resort nameLakes in turnMay became Potters Resorts Hopton-on-Sea2022.
Potters Resorts is the last privately owned company still owned and operated by the original pioneering family of the holiday centre industry. It is now run by the family's fourth generation, John Potter.
Its new sister location, Potters Resorts Five Lakes, opened in May 2022, becoming the UK's second all-inclusive resort.
==References==
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