Graham Parr's confident claim he would rather pump money into a resort like Blackpool than south coast rival Brighton comes as a huge shock from a man who this week announced he was closing the Squires Gate site.

It also comes after his chief executive blamed a decade-long "lack of investment" in Blackpool as one of the reasons for the closure – ending 48 years of Pontin's on the Fylde coast.

But Blackpool-born Mr Parr – himself a former Bluecoat – today broke his silence over the closure and told The Gazette how it was "not my call" to shut the much-loved holiday camp and how Pontin's would love to one day return to the resort.

He claimed the only reason for the closure was his Ocean Parcs company did not own the Squires Gate/Clifton Drive North site outright and so therefore was unable to invest in improvements.

Landowner and Blackpool Tower boss Trevor Hemmings's Northern Trust company wants to build houses on the prime site.

"Blackpool was not the problem," Mr Parr said. "The problem was we didn't own the freehold for the Squires Gate site.

"I'm a Blackpool lad, I love Blackpool and as someone who travels around visiting a lot of resorts, I can certainly say that Blackpool is in a better position than, say, Brighton.

"It may well be that in future we look to develop new sites in and around the Blackpool area."

Earlier this week, Pontin's chief executive Ian Smith reportedly bemoaned a lack of investment in Blackpool over the last 10 to 15 years.

Mr Smith's comments were slammed by local tourism chiefs who accused him of being "blindfolded" to the massive regeneration works taking place in the town like the Promenade works, Birley Street's Brilliance project and the £220m Talbot Gateway scheme.

The closure announcement on Tuesday will now see 74 staff lose their jobs in Blackpool, although it is hoped some could move to other areas of the company.

Mr Parr added: "I would have loved to have kept it going, but you can't invest in something you don't own. It made it very difficult.

"But like I've said I love Blackpool, I'm a huge supporter of the town.
"This is not a knock on Blackpool."

Coun Maxine Callow, Blackpool Council's tourism leader, said she would welcome Mr Parr back with open arms.

"If they are looking at investing in Blackpool in the future that is excellent news," she said.

"I know Graham from many years back and he is a nice man with an excellent track record in business.

"I'm pleased he recognises the potential in Blackpool and how it is moving forward.

"If he ever wants to come to the town hall and meet with myself and the Chief Executive, we will welcome him with open arms.

"Our door is always open."

Mr Parr bought the Pontin's holiday parks' empire for £46m from former owner Mr Hemmings last year.

But in Blackpool Northern Trust retained ownership of the land.

In January 2009 the owners submitted a plan to Fylde Council to build 370 homes on the site in a £50m scheme, putting the writing on the wall for Blackpool/St Annes site.

And while other Pontin's sites have boomed this summer, with visitor number up by as much as 20 per cent, they were down eight per cent in Blackpool.

Pontin's Blackpool is due to close on October 2 when the current lease expires.

Ocean Parcs is planning to invest £100m in its park in Southport as well as boosting four other parks across the country.