GEOFF MAYNARD heads to Norfolk with his daughter for a weekend of sporting rivalry at an upmarket holiday village

IT WAS the weekend that I finally realised I wasn’t young any more.At the age of 38, I really should have known better than to takeon my 12-year-old daughter, Emily-Rose. But why let common sense stand in the way of a fun-packed, father-and-daughter weekend?

In a car laden with sporting equipment, we arrived at Potters Leisure Resort near Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast and set about our mission: to cram as many sports into one weekend as possible.

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Potters is the UK’s only five-star, all-inclusive holiday village. Set in 65 acres and with direct access toa private sandy beach, it has all the attractions of a traditional holiday camp but with top-class facilities.

Owner Brian Potter describes the experience of the all-inclusive holiday park as “like cruising on land”. Everything you need is here, from shops to sports halls, bars and swimming pools. There are all manner of activities to choose from, including archery, clay pigeon and air rifle shooting, karting, 10-pin bowling and climbing.

Our first stop was the Palms Health and Fitness Club with its two indoor pools, sauna, steam room and gym. While our fellow villagers tucked into their evening meal, we took a dip in the 50ft-long main heated pool with its conservatory-style glass roof.

Then the competition began.

My pitifully slow breast stroke was exposed as my water-baby daughter romped to several easy victories in our length-of-the-pool races.

We had missed dinner so we stopped off at the snack bar and headed back to our family room in the resort hotel. Accommodation is also available in 200 bungalows around the site.

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Our bright and modern family room was spacious with that all-important flatscreen TV and DVD player. Armed with my Band Of Brothers box set, I subjected Emily to an episode of the gritty Second World War drama. Well, you have to get children to sleep somehow.

After a hearty buffet breakfast in the elegant, high-domed, open-plan Garden Restaurant, we were ready to test our sporting prowess on the tennis courts, where Emily enjoyed sending me from one side of the court to the other. Cruel, really.

Potters is synonymous with bowls and hosts major televised competitions. Clearly many of our fellow guests, both young and old, had come here for that very reason, either playing or happily watching.

Craving something a little less sedate we headed to the 10-pin bowling alley and then on to the badminton court in the main sports hall where Emily inflicted another humiliating defeat.

Unlike many other holiday parks, where literally every court booking costs you money, at Potters sports such as tennis and badminton are free. All you have to do is pre-book your court and turn up. You can also hire equipment.

We did exactly that, hiring rackets and a ball to try out one of the two championship squash courts.

The “cruising on land” analogy is particularly apparent in the dining. Three times a day everyone troops to the same reserved family table to be served by their own dedicated waiter or waitress.

One night we took in an excellent variety show by the in-house theatre company, before star act Joe Longthorne wowed the crowd at the Atlas Theatre, with its long bar.

Many visitors come here for the good old British family entertainment and enjoy performances from the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, as well as established entertainers.

Five-star Potters is so unlike the decaying British holiday parks of my youth. It’s just a shame I couldn’t also raise my game.

THE KNOWLEDGE:
Potters Leisure Resort (0845 437 9890/www.pottersholidays.com) offers two-night weekend breaks from £189 per adult, £149 per child (9-15 years).

Based on four sharing, full board. Children 2-8, £109; under-2s, £20. Norfolk Tourism: 01603 222846/ www.visitnorfolk.co.uk