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Panorama of Sands Holiday Motel and the Bahia Bar - August 1982 Please send us any photos or other memories you have of Sands Holiday Motel. In particular, we would love to hear from you if you have photos of the construction of the Motel, its life in the late 1980s and 1990s and subsequent demolition. I am very grateful for the contribution made to this page by Tony Wiggins, manager of the Sands Holiday Motel from 1982 to 1984, who has provided a great deal of information and a number of contemporary photos. Click here to see the 1982 brochure for the Sands Holiday Motel Sands Holiday Motel was build in late 1970 and early 1971 at a time when the St Mary's Bay Holiday Camp (across the Dymchurch Road) was a thriving organisation. It took its first guests in May 1971.
The ground floor of the motel during construction, late 1970. It was built on the site of the earlier single storey Sands Hotel, which was demolished in September 1970.
Nearing completion, early 1971. By todays standards, the motel looks rather down-at-heel and lowbrow, but to families with young children on a Summer holiday (and with a limited budget), it was the perfect destination: comfortable accommodation with a heated pool and one of the most glorious beaches in England not more than a stone's-throw away.
Aerial view, completed ca. 1971. The
A view of the Motel and pool showing the proximity to the beach - August 1980
View southwest with Dungeness in the distance (far left) - August 1980 The Motel consisted of about 40 self-catering chalets, 20 on each of two levels arranged in a U-shape around a swimming pool with diving board, and a semi-circular paddling pool, both of which were heated. Each chalet comprised two bedrooms, bathroom, galley kitchen and living/dining area. The reception was located on the ground floor in the north-west corner of the Motel.
Cleaning the pools - August 1980. Although there were kitchen facilities in each chalet, there was a restaurant block to the north of the Motel. Over the years there were two such restaurants. The first was destroyed by fire in the mid-1970s and was replaced by a Spanish-influenced building known as the Bahia Bar.
Construction of the Bahia Bar - 1975/6?
Two views of the Bahia Bar shortly after construction.
A rare interior shot of the Bahia Bar - August 1982 Other facilities on site were a tennis court, putting green and table tennis table.
A view from a chalet overlooking the Bahia Bar - August 1980 The photo above shows the Bahia Bar and also the small putting green on the lawn to the left of centre, with small red flags indicating the holes. The building on the far right was a kiosk which sold newspapers, milk and other essentials. The cream building in the distance is the old shop on the corner of Jefferstone Lane and the Dymchurch Road. The tennis court was directly behind the Bahia Bar in this photo. From the Motel it was possible to see Folkestone to the East and Dungeness to the West. A short walk onto the sea wall led down to the beach, of fine sand with very little shingle.
View from the same chalet looking towards Dymchurch - August 1980 |
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