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Butlins
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Butlin's Holiday Camps, presently known by the (non-possessive) trademark Butlins, were founded by (later Sir) Billy Butlin to provide economical holidays (North American English: vacations) in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Between 1936 and 1966, nine camps were built. Three resorts remain in use by the Butlins company today in Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness.
Butlins are noted for their famous "Redcoats" who provide entertainment and organisation at every level.
There was a UK TV satirical sitcom during the 1980s based on a Butlins-style holiday camp called Hi-de-Hi!.
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Encyclopedia
Butlin's Holiday Camps, presently known by the (non-possessive) trademark Butlins, were founded by (later Sir) Billy Butlin to provide economical holidays (North American English: vacations) in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Between 1936 and 1966, nine camps were built. Three resorts remain in use by the Butlins company today in Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness.
Butlins are noted for their famous "Redcoats" who provide entertainment and organisation at every level.
There was a UK TV satirical sitcom during the 1980s based on a Butlins-style holiday camp called Hi-de-Hi!. More recently a documentary series called Redcoats followed Redcoats through their seasons at Butlins.
History
The first of the Butlin's holiday camps was opened by Billy Butlin in 1936 in Skegness following his success in the development of amusement parks. A second camp quickly followed in Clacton (1938) and construction of a third began at Filey (1939). With the outbreak of World War II, building at Filey was postponed and the camps at Skegness and Clacton were given over for military use. Wartime use of Butlins camps continued with resorts at Ayr, Filey & Pwllheli being completed and opened as military camps.
In 1945, with war over, Filey opened as a holiday camp. The camps at Skegness & Clacton (1946), Ayr & Pwllheli (1947) followed and a new camp was built on the east coast of Ireland at Mosney (1948). Butlin's became popular in post-war Britain with family entertainment and activities available for the equivalent of a week's pay. Further post-war camps were opened in the 1960s at Bognor Regis (1960), Minehead (1962) and Barry (1966).
In 1948, Billy Butlin acquired two hotels in The Bahamas and in the 1950s, Butlins began opening hotels in the UK: Saltdean, Brighton (1953), Blackpool (1955) and five in Cliftonville (1955-1956). In later years, they were joined by further hotels in Scarborough (1978), Llandudno (1981), London (1993), a sixth hotel at Cliftonville and one in Spain (1983). The camps at Ayr and Skegness also had separate self-contained hotels within the grounds. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company also operated the Top of the Tower revolving restaurant at the then-named Post Office Tower in London.
In 1968 Billy Butlin's son Bobby took over the management of Butlins and in 1972 the business was sold to the Rank Organisation for £43 million. The number of camps peaked at nine from 1966 to 1980, but the business experienced problems along with the British seaside holiday industry in general due to the introduction of cheap package tours to the Mediterranean from the 1960s. It also has a specific image problem of providing regimented holidays, which caused it to abandon the Butlins name at its remaining resorts between 1987 and 1990.
The camps at Clacton (now a housing estate) and Filey closed in 1983, and the camp at Barry closed in 1986. The lease on the Top of the Tower restaurant expired in 1980. In 1998 the camps at Ayr and Pwllheli were re-branded as Haven Park. All the Butlins hotels of the 1950s-1990s were sold in 1998 but the majority are still open today under different ownership, the art deco style Ocean hotel at Saltdean is under redevelopment into flats (2007) and the hotels at Cliftonville have both been demolished.
The remaining resorts returned to the Butlins name in 1998, and the company was sold to Bourne Leisure in 2000.
In 2005, the new £10m Shoreline hotel was unveiled at the Bognor Regis resort to expand on the existing variety of apartments on resort. The hotel, styled with an Art Deco theme, aimed to offer luxury accommodation inconjunction with the entertainment and facilities at the resort. Each of the 160 rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, king-size beds, leather chairs, widescreen TVs, DVD players and en-suite facilities, some also include sea-views, telescopes and balconies.
Butlin's Badges
When booking in on arrival at Butlin's (camp or hotel) each camper was issued with an enamel badge to wear for the duration of their holiday. The badge granted the camper readmission to the site should they take a trip out during their stay. Badges were worn with pride with campers keeping badges from previous holidays and wearing them all on a ribbon.
Each year a different badge was produced for each camp with the name of the camp and the year forming part of the design.
The badges were made of die-stamped metal (usually brass), highly polished or chrome plated with the brightly coloured design made of enamel using a process similar to Champlevé but the troughs being stamped in rather than carved.
Each camp had at least one badge each year with most of the larger camps having several colour variations throughout the season for improved security. Occasionally, two different designs would be used in one season.
The badges were issued every year from the first season in Skegness in 1936 up until 1967 when the badges were discontinued.
Each badge was hand-made by jewellery manufacturers in London, Dublin or in Birmingham's 'Jewellery Quarter'. The quality and beauty of the badges has ensured that many survive as heirlooms and are very collectable.
A collection of one badge per camp per year would total 192 badges. However, the myriad colour variations and additional 'special' badges would take the collection to over 1200 badges (although there is no definitive list of all variations).
Additional badges included 'Second Week' badges, Staff badges, 'Concessionaire' badges (for visiting tradesmen - these badges are distinguished by the absence of enamel), Committee badges, Christmas badges, Beaver Club badges, Reunion badges and many others.
Badges were not issued during the war years of 1940 to 1945 as the camps were closed and used as accommodation for war service personnel.
Notable badges include 'Skegness 1936' (the first badge issued) and 'Filey 1945' which features the 'V for Victory' in its design and is an exception to the war year gap as the camp was the first to reopen after the war just in time for the end of the season in August 1945.
Barry Island 1965 is the 'Holy Grail' of Butlin's badges as the camp didn't open that year as planned. The badges were manufactured but never issued; some examples survive.
Toot and Ploot
In the 1970s an advertising campaign was used that featured two fictional visiting blue skinned alien Characters from another planet called 'Toot and Ploot' they featured on a series of television advertisements. They also featured in various Butlins related items such as holiday brochures and carrier bags.
Locations
listed alphabetically
Current Butlins resorts
- Bognor Regis (1960—) - known as Southcoast World from 1987 to 1998.
- Minehead (1962—) - known as Somerwest World from 1986 to 1998.
- Skegness (1936—) - known as Funcoast World from 1987 to 1998.
Previous Butlins resorts
- Ayr (1947–1998) - known as Wonderwest World (1988–1998); still open, but operating as Haven Park (1999—)
- Barry Island (1966–1986) - operated independently until closure in 1996. Most of site now a housing estate. Small area yet to be redeveloped.
- Clacton (1938–1983)
- Filey (1945–1983) - operated independently for six weeks in 1986, but the venture failed and the park closed
- Mosney (1948–1980) - operated independently until closure and conversion into an Irish Government refugee centre for asylum seekers in 2000.
- Pwllheli (1947–1998) - known as Starcoast World (1990–1998); operating as Haven (1999—)
Facilities
- Splash Waterworld
- master blaster
- space bowl
- sub-tropical climates
- wave machines
- entertainment
- Centre Stage
- Reds
- ABC cinema
- Junior Driving School (Minehead only)
- Shoreline Hotel (Bognor Regis only)
- BlueSkies (Minehead only)
- Ex-More Adventures (Minehead only)
- Green Baize (Skegness only)
- restaurants
- accommodation
- gold rooms
- gold apartments
- deluxe rooms (not available in Skegness)
- deluxe apartments (not available in Skegness)
- silver rooms
- silver apartments
- silver bungalows
- silver-plus suite
- standard rooms
- standard apartments
Bognor Regis Camp
Situated in the small seaside town of Bognor Regis, Butlins Bognor first opened on the 2 July 1960 at a cost of £2.5 million. The camp quickly became popular, accommodating around 5,000 campers and another 5,000 day visitors.
1980s refurbishment
Butlins Bognor was refurbished through the 1980s. In 1987, the camp was renamed Southcoast World following a £16.5 million spend on new and updated accommodation, the addition of a new indoor water complex and a new miniature steam railway.
1990s major redevelopment
In 1998, as one of Butlins three remaining camps, Bognor again underwent major refurbishment. The camp's Southcoast World identity was dropped, and £45 million was invested in redevelopment. A Skyline Pavilion was added to the resort, providing a huge undercover area for year-round, weather-protected facilities. The Skyline Pavilion contained new shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment areas. The refurbishment also included further updates to the chalet accommodation, a redesign for the Redcoat uniform and the provision of a resort police constable to improve security. Butlins Bognor was relaunched by pop star Ronan Keating in May 1999. The redeveloped resort had an increased capacity of 5,800 beds.
Shoreline Hotel
In 2005, further work was undertaken to update the camp with the introduction of the Shoreline Hotel. £10 million was spent on the hotel and its surrounding landscaped gardens. With big porthole windows, and a ship-like prow, the four-floor hotel was designed with a slightly nautical feel. The hotel provides 160 rooms of three different grades, each including hi-tech equipment and luxurious furniture. Guests staying at the hotel can enjoy the sea-views, room service, modern bistro restaurant and cocktail bar, in addition to the regular Butlins facilities. There is currently another hotel being built, opening Autumn 2009 named Ocean Hotel. Another four hotels are being planned as part of Bognor Regis Regeneration.
Minehead Camp
The camp was opened on the 26 May 1962.
1980s refurbishment
Butlins Minehead underwent its first set of improvements during the 1960s, when problems with flooding were fixed and a miniature railway, chairlift and monorail were added to the camp in 1964, 1965 and 1967 respectively.
Exmoor Adventures
Butlins Minehead developed the Exmoor Adventures which include a climbing wall, diving courses, horse riding, Land Rover Safari, fly & sea fishing, sailing, canoeing and coasteering. Some of which are held at Exmoor National Park.
BlueSkies apartment
In 2007, further work in the Minehead resort has been undertaken with the creation of new timeshare apartments. contains further information.
Music festival
From December 2006, the Minehead resort has hosted the All Tomorrow's Parties music festivals which are held 2 or 3 times over the year. It is also the venue used for electronic music festival BLOC weekend.
Adult Party Weekends
The Adult Party Weekends at Butlins, is dedicated to over 18s only, spread across all of the three resorts, around 42 weekends in the year, are closed to families and children in the form of themed music weekends.
- 80s Madness
- Rock and Blues
- Festival of the 60s
- Disco Inferno
- Hot Summer Parties
- 90s Reloaded
- We Love The 70s
- Skool Reunion
- Soul and Motown
United Kingdom of Dance is in its second year at Butlins Bognor Regis, first being known as United Kingdom of Ibiza in 2006. Ibiza clubs, such as Eden and Miss Moneypennys, host club sessions with DJs such as Dave Pearce, Jeremy Healy and Judge Jules. This wasn't held in 2008 and isn't due to be held in 2009.
Skegness Camp
Butlins Skegness was the first of Billy Butlin's holiday camps. The camp opened in 1936 but was taken over for military use in 1939. The camp reopened in 1946.
1980s refurbishment
In 1987 the camp underwent refurbishment and was renamed Funcoast World.
1990s major redevelopment
In 1998, as with Bognor and Minehead, Butlins Skegness again underwent major refurbishment. The camp's Funcoast World identity was dropped and a new Skyline Pavilion was built.
The Spa
In 2004 'The Spa' opened at Butlins Skegness with a swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, fitness suite, spa, sauna, steam room. The adults-only facility offers a range of treatments including manicures, pedicures, facials and massages.
Barry Island Camp
Barry Island, , is a small, seaside resort in the Bristol Channel about 9 miles (14 km) south south west of Cardiff, , south Wales. Until 1896, when a rail link was completed from the mainland, the only access to Barry Island had been either by foot across the sand and mud at low tide, or when the tide was in, by Yellow Funnel Line paddle steamer. Over 150,000 visitors were recorded arriving one August Bank Holiday weekend, mostly by train. Further tourist attractions were developed on the island, and by 1934 the number of visitors to the fairground during the August Bank Holiday week was over 400,000.
The Camp
Billy Butlin's inspiration for his holiday empire came from a (less than happy) holiday to Barry Island in his youth, when he'd been locked out of his B&B all day by his landlady. He finally decided to build, what was to become, the last and smallest of his holiday camps at Barry Island in 1965. The Rank Organisation, Butlin's owners, took out a 99-year lease on the headland at Nell's Point, Barry Island, in 1966. Building work began there in the winter and the gates opened to campers on 18 June 1966.
Barry Island holiday camp contained all the tried and tested Butlins ingredients: the famous Butlins Redcoats; funfair; early morning wake up with Radio Butlin; dining hall (with the cheers going up when a waitress drops a plate); indoor and outdoor swimming pools; ballroom; boating lake; tennis courts; sports field (for the three legged and egg & spoon races and the donkey derby); table tennis and snooker tables; amusement arcade; medical centre; theatre; arcades of shops; the Pig and Whistle Showbar, etc. A 430m Chairlift system was opened In 1967. There were 800 chalets, all very basic, 'no-frills' and designed to modern 1960s standards, which, on the outside, meant wooden panels and flat roofs.
The camp continued to be enormously successful throughout the 1970s but, on 29 October 1986 Butlins announced that Barry Island holiday camp would have no place in the company's future and would close after Christmas. The last campers left on 27 December 1986, with the camp officially closing on 31 December 1986.
Majestic Holidays
The camp was sold to Majestic Holidays and re-opened on 23 May 1987 as Majestic Barry Island - subsequently renamed Barry Island Resort. Majestic's plans to completely demolish and rebuild the site didn't reach fruition and only amounted to the refurbishment of the entertainment complex, completely replacing the swimming pools and removing the chairlift. Majestic continued with their Redcoats until 1993, but they became Bluecoats in 1994, following Butlins' threat of legal action over the name.
Maintenance had now become such an issue, especially with the chalets' flat roofs and wooden paneling, that a clause was added to the booking conditions limiting legal action to 20% of the cost of the holiday. Following numerous complaints about the camp, the BBC TV show That's Life investigated. The report aired In January 1989 and tore Barry Island Resort apart. The report, called "It's Barry Awful, Its Barry Hell" ended with the presenter, Esther Rantzen, saying "If you're off to Barry Island this summer, send us a Postcard". They did. By the time the summer ended in 1989, That's Life had received about 8,000 postcards in praise of the holiday camp, with only about 40 complaints. Majestic Holidays' owner, Rick Wright, sued and Majestic received £500,000 damages.
By 1996, with storm damage causing more maintenance problems, Vale of Glamorgan Council threatened to refuse renewal of Barry Island Resort's entertainments license, unless work was carried out to improve the now 30-year-old site. Majestic's now trading company, Insurebowls Ltd, continued through the summer, but closed the camp for good on 7 November 1996, owing local companies thousands of pounds in upaid bills, although they had originally intended to reopen the following year.
Modern times
The holiday camp site was sold for £2.25m to Vale of Glamorgan Council, in October 1997, who demolished the camp and sold it to Bovis Homes for housing development. Now known as Bryn Llongwr, two, three, four and five bedroom houses were built on the site between 2002 and 2003, with the remaining two original camp buildings and outdoor pool being demolished in early 2005.
Spring Harvest
Spring Harvest, the largest Christian conference in Europe takes place at the Minehead and Skegness sites every Easter. The event attracts some 55,000 Christians from a range of denominations and plays host to many preachers, Christian musicians and dramatic artists.
Butlins and Dodgem Cars
Dodgem Cars, a brand of bumper cars, were manufactured in the USA by the Dodgem Cars Ltd. Billy Butlin saw them and obtained the UK franchise. As a result, a Skegness funfair owned by Billy prior to going into holiday camps saw the first Dodgems cars in the UK in 1923.
Butlin's Beaver Club on the radio
In 1956 Butlin's Beaver Club - with Uncle Eric Winstrone was heard in the United Kingdom and much of continental Europe on Sunday nights at 6:00 pm over the 208 wavelength of Radio Luxembourg.
Slogans
Throughout most of its history, Butlins has regularly advertised using various media. Examples of slogans include:
- Late 2007 "Altogether More Fun"
- 2005 - 2007 "kids love it"
- Approx 2004 - 2005 "Come to life. Come to Butlins"
- Approx 2002 - 2003 "A million holidays. One Butlins"
- Mid 1980s "Play Happy Families"
- Early 1980s "Let's Go Butlin It" and "Butlin it, and you'll do it again!"
- 1970s "Butlinland is Freedomland" and "Holidays are Jollydays"
- Original slogan from 1930s "Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight", although his first slogan was "A weeks holiday for a weeks pay!"
See also
- Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight: The John Hinde Butlin's Photographs edited by Martin Parr (London: Chris Boot Ltd., 2003), a collection of postcard images of Butlin's camps from the 1960s and 1970s.
- Pontin's
External links
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- - Wizzy World Tribute Website
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