Skegness Holiday Park | Book Family Holidays | Butlins Seaside Apartments With a lovely fresh seaside feel inside and out, we've restyled some of our apartments in Skegness to become Seaside Apartments. Benefitting from being closest to the beach and the Skyline Pavilion, with relaxing spaces for the family including balconies or patios. Firehouse at Skegness We’re turning up the sunshine this summer in our Firehouse restaurant in Skegness with a delicious Great British BBQ menu. The menu has been specially designed for families to share a wide choice of tasty lip smacking dishes all roasted to perfection on our flame grill. Splash Waterworld If your family love our Splash Waterworlds, they’ll adore our newest development that only opened in Skegness in 2013. There are thrilling new flumes and rides, quieter paddling areas that are perfect for little ones and if your mood is rest and quietude, there are plenty of relaxing spaces to help you to unwind.

A brief history of British Holiday Camps Butlins | Pontins | Warners | Other Camps British Holiday Camps: A Brief History Including a selection of old period adverts Also see our pages on Pontins and Warners When Billy Butlin opened his first site at Skegness in 1936 a number of other camps were already in existence offering similar chalet accommodation, meals and entertainment. He didn't invent the holiday camp idea but simply took it to a much higher level. The Skegness camp offered more than anything ever attempted before and the immense scope of entertainment and attractions, along with the high-class interior features of many of the public buildings, was way larger and more impressive than anything ever seen in Britain. This huge "mega-camp" tradition was continued with all subsequent Butlin sites and the company never had any direct competitors who could offer the same vast range of entertainment. They really were in a league of their own. The first holiday camp had actually been in business for over 40 years when Skegness opened. Cunningham Young Men's Holiday Camp had opened in the Isle of Man in 1894 and by 1908 had acquired all the familiar characteristics of the later camps.

Campers (men only) stayed in row upon row of candle-lit tents and facilities included a heated indoor swimming pool, a selection of shops, a huge dining hall, bank and concert hall. It even had it's own miniature castle which housed the toilets and washrooms! Campers were encouraged to take part in all kinds of activities including sing-songs and team games. Advertised as "The largest most popular holiday resort in the world" the camp remained open until just after the second world war. Turning to England the first major camp was at Caister in Norfolk which opened just after the turn of the century. Others soon appeared nearby and this stretch of coast soon became swamped with an assortment of camps (at one point there were 14 within a ten mile radius). One of these early pioneers was the Potters Camp which first opened in 1924 (later moving to a new site in 1930). Upon opening it could boast of such luxuries as "brick chalets with running water, electric light and modern toilet facilities....a brick sun-lounge, lavishly furnished with expensive carpets and modern easy chairs". This highly regarded camp is still open today.

Another local entrepreneur was 'Maddy' Maddieson who opened a nearby camp at Hemsby, shortly followed by a second near New Romney in Kent. Turning to North Wales we see the appearance of the Golden Sands camp at Rhyl. Opened in 1933 the 20 acre site consisted of tents, chalets and a vast central pavilion housing the dining room and entertainments. Another opened on the other side of town shortly after, known as the Robin Hood Camp - both are still open today. Several camps even opened at inland locations including such sites as the Robinson Crusoe camp in Berkshire which boasted of chalets built high up into the trees! After the success of these early commercial operations, a number of non-profit cooperative camps were established by various trade union groups. The first was the Roseland Summer Camp at Rothesay in Scotland. Opening in 1911 this camp lasted right through until 1974. Another was the Coventry Cooperative camp at Voryd in Rhyl which also lasted well into the 1970s.

Another organisation was the 'Civil Service Holiday Camps' which opened it's first site at Corton in 1924 and it's second at Hayling Island in 1930. The NALGO union also became involved with the opening of a camp at Croyde Bay in Devon (1931) followed soon after by a much larger site at Cayton Bay near Scarborough. Both boasted of "waterproof" chalets along with recreation rooms, concert halls, swimming pools and a whole host of daytime and evening activities. Cayton was sold in 1976 but Croyde Bay is still thriving and now owned by UINSON. All this activity therefore happened before the first Butlins camp had even been built. There were many others too numerous to mention but the basic concept and idea had been pretty well developed by the time Billy Butlin became involved. After the war the holiday camp boom reached new heights (helped somewhat by the cheap availability of old wartime military bases) and a couple of other entrepreneurs soon became household names, Harry Warner and Fred Pontin. In fact Warner had opened his first camp in 1931, some five years before Butlin entered the scene.

Pontin got started in 1946. Additional info on both companies can be found in our relevant Pontins and Warners pages. By the early 1960s there was a total of around 100 registered holiday camps in the UK. However Butlins were still the market leader and the total attendance of all the other camps combined didn't even come close to the one million plus holiday makers that headed to Butlins every year. The industry saw some major changes throughout the '70s and '80s and many of the old camps disappeared. But an interesting fact is that most of today's survivors can trace their origins back to those early pioneers. Most are unrecognisable today and caravans have replaced many, if not all, of the old chalets. We're always interested in receiving scans of photos or postcards (old or new) from any UK holiday camp for future use on this website Below are a couple of postcards dated 1952 showing the Prestatyn Holiday Camp which was designed and built by the LMS Railway & Thomas Cook in 1939.

Noted for its wonderful architecture the camp was later sold to Pontins and renamed 'Tower Beach' but was eventually closed in the 1980s. Bygone Butlins. Butlins Holiday Camp history. Butlins past memories. Bringing back all your Butlins Holiday Camp Memories . Welcome to BygoneButlins.com, the home of Butlins memories, with recollections of happy times spent at Butlins holiday camps. Here at Bygonebutlins.com our aim is to give an insight into how Butlin's has changed over the years and is still changing to this day. The result should be a regularly updated site, as lets face it Butlin's memories can be anything from the 29th September 1899 to yesterday. Contact Bygone Butlins if you feel you have any Butlins memories to contribute to this site and hopefully between us we can produce a web site full of Butlins history and memories, along with Butlins memorabilia. There are hundreds of ex Redcoats out there so if any of you wish to share Butlins nostalgia, we would love to hear from you.

Sir Billy Butlin (Sir)William Heygate Edmund Colborne Butlin (1899–1980), Billy paid just 30shillings (£1:50) at Lock's Yard, Bedminster for a hoop-la stall at a traveling fair. . . and his multi-million pound Rags to Riches story began. Born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1899. He came to live in Bristol as a little boy when his mother married a Bristol gas worker. He went to St Mary Redcliffe School for a while before emigrating to Canada. After service with the Canadian army during the first World War, he worked his passage across the Atlantic to Liverpool, was paid £5 and walked 160 miles back to Bristol to join the Marshall Hill fair at its Bedminster winter base. Billy made his hoop-la pedestals the easiest to 'hoop', gave out prizes more quickly than anyone . . . and took 10 times the profits of his stunned rivals with their penny pinching attractions as he triumphantly toured the West Country on the traveling fair circuit.

He went from hoop-la stalls to amusement parks to zoos and, in 1935, to his first holiday camp in Ingoldmells, Skegness, an idea he'd long since dreamed about after remembering a rotten holiday on the Bristol Channel when he'd been thrown out of his lodgings by a seaside landlady who wouldn't allow 'guests' to stay during the day. Give the punters a fair deal, a roof over their heads and amusements, and they would flock in just as they had to his Bedminster hoop-la stall.

And, of course, it worked ----------------------------------- Adult only weekend (disco inferno) - Review of Butlins Skegness Resort, Ingoldmells, England - TripAdvisor Review of Butlins Skegness Resort 1,451 photos We can't find prices for this hotel Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this hotel, but we can search other options in Ingoldmells Check In mm/dd/yyyy Check Out mm/dd/yyyy Resort | Roman Bank | Ingoldmells, Ingoldmells, Skegness PE25 1NJ, England | Hotel amenities Travelers' Choice® 2016 Winner Family There are newer reviews for this hotel “Adult only weekend (disco inferno)” Reviewed June 28, 2013 The camp have thought of just about everything ! The rooms are basic (silver, sleeping four) but clean, beds could have been more comfortable but to be fair I was so tired by then I did not care. Web site was not clear on the fact that no towels were provided and extra quilts or blankets would have been nice ,(heating available but I shared with a friend who is always warm ) .

Entertainment was varied and great, I loved the fact that you had many different places to go. Loads of bars shops and things to do to keep you out of trouble, or get you into trouble ? Restaurant (the yacht club) what can I say , the staff in there were all so nice I cannot fault them but the food, mmmm thanks billy butlins I put on three pounds that weekend because the food was outstanding, hot, fresh, variety, thumbs up ! The weather was naff that weekend so we did not see very much of the rest of the camp other than shops and clubs/bars but great time had by all. Visited the Spa and thought it was over priced for what I received and the facilities were tired :( What a laugh watching everyone in costumes, there were some crackers, literally lol . Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends Value Ask ClaireCope about Butlins Skegness Resort This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. 4,122 reviews from our community Traveler rating Traveler tips help you choose the right room.

Room tips (935) 4,122 reviews sorted by: “Disco Inferno Adult Weeekend” Reviewed June 26, 2013 We recently come to butlins skegness for an 18+ weekend and it was amazing ! I remember going to butlins as a child but these adult weekends are something else. The weekend was for a stag do and all 12 of us had a great time and will will definitely be returning. The accommodation was basic but it was everything 4 guys in a room would need. The day time entertainment was brilliant and the evening entertainment was fantastic, the tribute acts , the bars the clubs was just a great party atmosphere all weekend. I would highly recommend an adult weekend at butlins .. and DONT FORGET YOUR FANCY DRESS ! Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends Value Ask craig2610 about Butlins Skegness Resort This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Liz B “Poor customer service - will never go again!” Reviewed June 26, 2013 Have been twice before (family of four) and has been ok, but probably as we didn't need to complain about anything. Booked in Gold apartment this year and (mistakenly) thought this might give better quality and service. On arrival, child's bedroom stank of vomit - suspiciously this bedroom door was shut with heating on full blast and damp feeling carpet. Reported to guest services and very patronising lady told us that carpets need cleaning from time to time - we queried why one room only and at busiest time of year. She flatly denied anyone had vomited in the apartment and said we should have gone to Gold reception and she was busy. Gold reception person said they would clean the carpet - we were back in the apartment half an hour later so would not have had time to clean it - had put air freshener in there which worked a day and a half then vomit smell returned. I was also heavily pregnant and worried about risk of catching vomiting bug - mentioned this to Gold and they ignored it.

It is a joke when you pay extra for Gold thinking will be better quality; also the marketing rubbish about 'we're here for your delight' when really they are there to make money and not help if you compain Stayed May 2013, traveled with family Value “Disco Inferno Weekend 2013, Skegness” Reviewed June 25, 2013 I had a weekend that defies description because amazing fantastic and epic just doesn't do it justice!!!!! Butlins Disco Inferno weekend actually gave some of my holidays abroad a run for their money entertainment wise!!! It was my last minute birthday treat and had a feeling it would be good but it far, far exceeded my expectations. The accommodation was very comfortable, we were spoilt beyond belief with the entertainment and DJ's so much so that my friend and I danced for 7 hours straight the Saturday night!!!! I was in a different zone, somewhere I've never visited before and it was amazing!! I would urge all to try it for special occasions because you will remember it even when it's all over. You actually listen to music you want to listen to and it also plays in the surrounding restaurants and eateries.

Oh, and don't forget your fancy dress outfits. :) Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends Value Ask shanne8 about Butlins Skegness Resort This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Sarah H “***Butlins Big Weekend***” Reviewed June 25, 2013 Just got back from disco inferno n had an amazing time :-) the rooms were great n the entertainment was the best!! Having never been to butlins before n heard sum interesting stories I was a bit dubious about going but when I got there it was the best weekend fancy dress was amazing n the acts were really good can't wait to go to 90s reloaded in march wooooo hoooo Stayed June 2013 “Disco Fever - not our usual bag but can't fault it!” Reviewed June 25, 2013 We spent the weekend at Butlins Skegness as a group of 4 adults (2 couples) with an age range of 34 to 59. We attended the disco fever big weekend which we booked at relatively short notice.

We stayed in a gold apartment (we booked a two bed apartment but were given a three bed apartment on arrival). I will admit I booked the weekend with more than a little trepidation as I wasn’t sure if the place or the theme would be for us but we felt it was a steal at £404 half board (premium dining) for 4 adults. The cost has a very strong bearing on the rating I have given of 4 stars as it really did help us to ‘forgive’ some of the issues we encountered. Check-in - we received a booklet through when we booked advising we could check in from 1pm and access rooms from 3pm but could make the most of the facilities from 12 noon. We arrived bang on 1pm and were first in line to check in at the drive through facility. All went very smoothly, the check in staff were very efficient. One of the biggest disappointments was the lack of facilities available to those arriving early. We had planned on have some fun at Splash Waterworld which was the main reason we had booked the day off work to arrive early. We turned up at the pool with our togs to find out it wasn’t open at all that Friday!

I really do think this should have been made clear on booking the weekend break. To send a booklet through advising we could arrive onsite from noon to enjoy the facilities is misleading to say the least as one of the main leisure facilities is the pool! Basically the only facilities open were the bars! No crazy golf, no fun-fair, no pool! Accommodation – we were pleasantly surprised by the apartment on entering which was a top floor apartment in the Neptune area. It was more spacious than we had expected and had a well equipped kitchen complete with microwave and dishwasher. There was also a decent flat screen digital TV in the lounge. The beds looked like put-you-ups but were actually very comfortable. The only real criticism we had was there was a terrible smell in the kitchen / lounge area. It smelt like out of date milk but very overpowering but we could find no obvious source. Luckily being on the top floor we could leave the windows open 24/7 which helped. I did report the issue to housekeeping but it was certainly not rectified whilst we were there. I also couldn’t quite work out what the daily housekeeping service did!

Our beds weren’t made, the towels weren’t changed but we did get an extra loo roll left in the bathroom each day! It didn’t bother us for the time we were there but I do think the cleaning leaves a lot to be desired! We enjoyed the noise from the other guests, the decks on the lawns, the loud speakers and claxons but you can’t be too precious about your environment! The Deck restaurant – we are all foodies especially myself and my husband and we love eating out. We had an open mind with regards to the quality of food we would get at Butlins simply because half board / all inclusive options in holiday resorts are rarely anything to write home about and can not be compared to a dining experience in a restaurant or even a good pub! We were again very pleasantly surprised with what was on offer! Each night at dinner we were spoilt for choice, you couldn’t fail to find something you liked from curries to roasts and fresh cooked stir fries etc. No it isn’t fine dining but as far as eat all you want buffets go this really was pretty good. I enjoyed the cheese and biscuits (I lack a sweet tooth) and was pleased to see such a good selection.

Above all else, the staff in the Deck Restaurant were a credit to Butlins. They were efficient and polite and so very helpful. Breakfast was also very good with a choice of cooked items, continental and cereals, tea, coffee etc. There was also a live cooking station serving omlettes or pancakes. The Pool – for us this was the biggest let down. The pool itself was fabulous but as already mentioned it didn’t open at all on Friday, opened for 5 hours on Saturday but no slides were working at all and we didn’t bother Sunday but again it was open short hours. Now I know this is an adults’ weekend and not a family holiday but some of us still enjoy leisure pools and the facilities so we felt this was not good enough. The Evenings / Entertainment – It has been a very long time since I have laughed and danced so much. The place was filled to the rafters with stag and hen dos and birthday parties but I didn’t see any trouble at all. Everybody was there for the same reason and that is to have a good time and let their hair down. I felt out of place only because I wasn’t wearing some ridiculous fancy dress!! The majority dress up and they really go to town!

There were a few groups of people with learning difficulties / disabilities who seemed to be really enjoying themselves and we noticed a lot of the stag dos etc getting them up to dance and it was so nice to see everybody just having fun together. The live entertainment was excellent although we did feel that in the majority of cases the tribute acts were better than the original acts that were on! Drinks were more expensive than you would pay in pubs in the area but that is to be expected really and no different to a nightclub. It was about £3.60 a pint and around £4.50 for a regular glass of wine, VKs etc were £4 and it was about the same for a single spirit and a splash. There was karaoke each day in Jaks from 4pm to 7pm which was great fun especially watching the stag do group of chickens perform etc! On Sunday night there was a silent disco in Hotshots but probably would have been better to do this in Jaks after the karaoke as the environment didn’t feel right for it. General comments – the weekend was a huge amount of fun and I would say go with an open mind, don’t sweat the small stuff and you will have a great time.

Yes there were a few issues (those already mentioned and the toilets in Hotshots should have been condemned and you will be stuck to the carpet in all bars!) but all in all we doubt we could have laughed so much and eaten so well for £100 each anywhere else! We have a list of dates for big weekends next year and will definitely be going back which says it all really! Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends Value Reviewed June 25, 2013 Just came back from the 18+ adult weekend, 'Disco Inferno'. I must admit, I am a lover of Butlins. Having gone every year since I was a child I have a definite soft spot for the resort. Being a young adult in my early 20's and on the glowing recommendation of my parents I decided to try out the adult weekend for the first time, after all, a weekend with no screaming children, queues on the rides and cheesy disco music I was pretty much sold! Having gotten together a group of 5 young adults and eagerly awaiting the date I could finally go to Butlins, I was thrilled to finally arrive at the resort!

I was pleasantly surprised by the rooms (2 standard apartments, each with a double room and twin room) they looked like they had recently been refurbished, they were clean, pleasant and had all the facilities you would expect of a standard room. It was after settling into the rooms and having gotten the group together that we decided to head off to the fair ground. I had been looking forward to the rides for months! after all, I remember going to Butlins in previous years and spending a good few hours in Butlins personal fair, it was with great disappointment that I found that the fair wasn't open and after asking a member of staff I was told that they closed it during adult weekends due to health and safety (drunk adults). I was understandable of this, as there were quite a few drunken adults by this point (5pm) who were hanging around all the bars. At this point we decided to head to dinner, which we had upgraded to the premium Yaht Club, which I will say is absolutely amazing! the food was lovely, the staff were extremely pleasant and it was definitely worth the upgrade judging by the queues and rowdy adults in the other dining courts.

The nights at Butlins were certainly a laugh, lots of people were dressed up and I loved the music! Although a lot of the guests at this event were much older than my group looking to be in the 40's-50's age bracket. On the Saturday we decided to see what other activities we could do, it was at this point that the weekend took a turn for the worse. Looking at the booklet we were provided about this weekend we decided to go 'zorbing', unfortunately zorbing was not open the whole weekend. Okay, how about the high ropes and climbing wall? ..not open. Right, so Splash Waterworld it was! I must admit, I was excited to see the new swimming pool and experience all the new rides they had installed. Don't forget to have £1 spare for the lockers! (although you get it back at the end). The swimming pool was clean and tidy. Having a swim in the pool it was then my group started to notice something, why were there children in the pool?

now don't get me wrong, I am no Grinch but when I go to an adult weekend for 18+ years and expect to relax in a quiet swimming pool the last thing I expect is to hear kids screaming as they jump and chuck each other into the swimming pool. (by the way, why was this not picked up by lifeguards? surely the children chucking each other into the pool was a health and safety issue?) As I was told, if you are in a caravan you and your children can have access to Butlins even during an adult weekend. Now, the other gripe I had with the swimming pool was that the rides were not open, no flumes, no slides, no bowl. A lifeguard informed me that this was due to a 'technical fault'. Another guest was told that it was closed due to 'planned maintenance' as the adult weekends were not as busy, another guest was told that it was due to 'health and safety' (drunk adults). At this point I was a bit ticked off, there was no zorbing, no high ropes, no swimming pool rides and no fair ground.

The reason I love Butlins is that you have entertainment and have no reason to leave the resort, but at this point there was not much available to actually do! Me and my group ended up spending the rest of our Saturday at Pleasure Beach and Sunday we drove into Skegness town. I was definitely not pleased that the first time my friends experienced Butlins most things were closed and we had to waste money leaving the resort. I ended up going to Guest Services and enquiring on why everything was closed, as they certainly didn't have on their website or during the booking that most things would not be open! in fact, in the booklet they provide for this particular weekend they have these things as being open! (except for the fair ground). The gentleman at the desk was not helpful, I was told that I was here for the music, at which point I asked him to point out where it says on the Butlins website that I was only here 'for the music' and that all these things would actually be closed. Obviously he could not show me, in fact it says on their website the exact opposite!

It makes me think that Butlins view adults as being unable to take enjoyment in children activities like going on slides and fairground rides, personally, I don't see much point in going to the adult weekends at this point unless you just want to drink. While I still think Butlins is excellent value for money, taking into consideration the quality of food and the price I paid, I was extremely and thoroughly disappointed with my recent visit (especially as I was not made aware before I arrived at the resort how much would actually be closed during the adult weekend) I think I will be finding other resorts in the future which offer adult weekends, which may actually provide some fun entertainment throughout the day. Stayed June 2013, traveled with friends Value Skegness History Skegness History SKEGNESS AND ITS ROOTS by Betty Kirkham Skegness once extended much further out to sea and the coastline has suffered erosion over many years though it is now gaining ground. We know that the area has been occupied since before Roman times. Roman pottery can be found today on the shore, it makes a change from collecting sea shells!

Salt was manufactured along much of the low lying coast of Lincolnshire in Roman times and evidence of their working sites and even artifacts bearing their fingerprints can still be found today. To come nearer to our time it is interesting to see how Skegness has altered in the last 150 years. In White's Directory for 1842 we read that Skegness had a population of only 185 people, it is described as a `pleasant village'. At that time there were only two hotels and several private lodging houses but even then bathing machines were stationed on the beach and there was a lifeboat to rescue survivors of the many small fishing boats which found themselves in trouble. It was also a small port with `upwards of 6000 tons of coal being landed here in the summer of 1841'. Visiting the seaside became ever more popular over the years though at first only the better off people were able to take advantage of the facilities provided. In the 1870's the Earl of Scarborough, landowner of Skegness at that time, decided to improve the town and with estate agent V.Tippet plans were drawn up for new streets and houses which extended to what is now Scarborough Avenue.

This was a piece of very advanced planning for the time. The area was laid out in a very sensible geometric pattern with wide roads, wide verges and footpaths, all of these are still adequate even for today's traffic. It was not until the coming of the railway to Skegness in 1873 that the town really began to grow. The rail link with the midland towns meant it was possible for the working class people to spend a day at the seaside. At first there was only a single line and it was not until 1900 that it was made a double track. Winston Kyme in his book, `Skeggy the story of a seaside town' says that on August Bank Holiday 1882 the railway brought 22,000 day trippers to Skegness. 20,000 of them paid to go on to the pier which had only just been erected. By this time the population of Skegness had grown to 1400. The erection of the gas works took place in 1875 and the town boasted 56 street lamps.

White's Directory of 1882 describes the construction of the north and south promenades on the sea wall, costing £2,000 (in pre-decimal money) and being officially opened in 1879. Very early on amusements of various kinds were thought up to amuse the visitors. Donkey races on the beach in front of the Sea View Hotel (built in 1862) attracting thousands of people. (For more information on this see The Book of the Lincolnshire Seaside by David Robinson). Sea water baths were built in 1882 on Scarborough Avenue, these were bombed during the war and have since been demolished. The first car number plate was issued in 1903 and as cars became popular people began to come and stay for longer than a day trip. This resulted in more hotels and lodging houses being built and more and more amusements supplied for the visitors. A giant figure eight railway was built in 1908 on the new foreshore beyond the north parade. It was demolished in 1970. The person who made the biggest impression on Skegness and district holiday trade was Billy Butlin.

He came to Skegness in 1921, a poor traveling showman. He entertained the holidaymakers with his hoop-la stalls. By 1929 he had opened a large amusement park on the south side of the pier. By 1935 he had built the Butlins Holiday Camp between Skegness and Ingoldmells. This went from success to success and many famous entertainers served their apprenticeship at Butlins Theatre. During the second world war it was used by the Royal Navy and re-named H.M.S Royal Arthur. It was returned to Butlins in 1946 and run successfully until 1972 when it was bought by the Rank Organisation and re-named yet again, this time as Funcoast World. In 1997-8 the theatre was demolished along with the famous wooden chalets in which generations of families had spent their holidays. Substantial blocks of flats built on the site have now given it the appearance of a small village. Meantime Skegness has grown to a famous holiday town having a resident population of around 17,000.

Betty Kirkham If you have any comments regarding this you can e-mail the Author . You must have a browser that supports iframes to view the BBC weather forecast Planning a visit to Skegness Phone Tourist Information on 01754 899887 Navigate through Skegness.net Butlins FAQ Butlins FAQ Back How many Butlin camps were built? Nine UK camps were built. They can be divided into three distinct eras: The pre-war camps of Skegness (1936) & Clacton (1938), the wartime camps of Filey, Pwllheli and Ayr and the post-war camps of Mosney (1948), Bognor (1960), Minehead (1962) and Barry (1966). So did Billy Butlin invent the holiday camp idea? No. There were already quite a few holiday camps in existence but he took the concept to a whole new level by making them far bigger and by offering a previously unheard of range of entertainment and activities. The Butlin camps were really in a league of their own and were far larger than anything seen before or since.

But this whole 'mega-camp' idea was not to everyones taste. Why were they so popular? In the drab post-war years of mainland Britain the camps promised and delivered a world far removed from anything most people had experienced before. The brightly coloured buildings with exotic names, the seemingly endless list of entertainment and activities, the wonderful flower gardens, and all available for the equivalent of a weeks pay. So what were the old camps like in their heyday? The camps were like mini towns, in some cases spread over 200 acres, and were virtually self sufficient. They were eventually equipped with shopping arcades, indoor and outdoor pools, a whole range of sporting and entertainment facilities, a fairground, a host of bars and discos, professional theatre shows, amusement arcades, boating lakes and even churches. They also boasted hairdressing salons, newsagents, betting shops, launderettes and post offices. Some camps had chairlifts, miniature railways, water skiing and even monorails. It was quite possible for a family to remain on Butlins soil for the entire duration of their trip, and many did.

The best part was that most of these activities were free and Butlins pioneered the use of all-in-one admission in Britain, something which was unheard of back then. Many people marveled at the fact that you could spend all day enjoying these facilities at no extra cost. What's this special Butlins magic that I've heard all about? It was different for both adults and children but for everyone concerned the Butlin camps were indeed truly magic. For kids, to be able to go off from your parents, to explore on your own, to be able to meet new friends, to go swimming, to go to the fairground or chairlift, to visit the theatre, play sports and to just have that whole freedom was truly awesome. And having all that land to explore and those buildings to investigate was something quite extraordinary. And the best part? It was all free! You didn't have to keep begging mum and dad for more money. And for parents it gave them a wonderful relaxing break from the kids. Hordes of daytime and evening activities to keep them occupied and secure in the knowledge that the children were busy (and safe) elsewhere. It really was a unique and magical experience. What were the chalets like?

When talking of old chalets most people tend to think of the little 10ft square buildings with their plaster walls and apex roofs. Although a lot of these were built in the early camps the majority were contained within long single-storey blocks with brick walls and asbestos roofing. Two-storey structures started appearing in the 1950s but many of the these original chalets lasted well into the 1980s. All of the early chalets were pretty basic and consisted of nothing more than a bed, wardrobe and sink with cold running water. Heating and carpeting was not considered necessary and jugs were provided to fetch hot water from a nearby tap. Toilet and bathroom facilities were provided in huge communal washrooms and if you fancied an early morning cuppa you could take your flask to the restaurant the evening before and get it filled. However by the early '60s all the chalets had been equipped with hot running water and some even had heating and private bathrooms - available for an extra charge! Today's Butlins chalets ('apartments') are very luxurious by comparison and even the most basic now feature en-suite bathrooms and televisions as standard.

In fact the new 'Deluxe' half-board rooms have wide-screen TVs, video and DVD players, in-room safes, hair dryers, a personal parking space, balcony or terrace, free wine and chocolates on arrival and even a second TV in the bedroom! So what did people do for food? Up until the late 1960s the only option was full-board. At some of the larger camps it was quite possible for 10,000 people to be staying on site at any one time and all of these had to be fed 3 meals day. Each camp had two or more cavernous dining halls and two sittings were arranged for each meal, usually an hour apart, with campers being allocated a time and table for either the first or second sitting. The menu wasn't particularly extensive but everyone could be fed within the hour and cleared out ready for the next hungry batch. This feat is even more impressive when you consider that some of the dining halls could seat a thousand people - and some camps had four of them! The larger camps could easily serve over 200,000 meals per week, all cooked and prepared on site and and hand delivered by a fleet of waiters and waitresses.

It was a major operation and Butlins became experts in the slick and efficient way it undertook this huge example of mass catering. Whole teams of chefs, kitchen staff and waiters worked flat out to keep the food coming. They were helped by huge heated food trolleys and massive industrial machinery such as mechanical potato peelers and dishwashers which could handle 8,000 plates an hour. It's no wonder the Army turned to Billy Butlin for help in feeding the troops during the second world war!

Here's an extract of the Butlin shopping list for a typical year in the early 1960s: 3.5 million eggs 100 tons of sausages (would stretch for 217 miles) 120,000 gallons of soup (enough for 4 million portions) 1,570 tons of potatoes (216 acres of crops) 34 tons of tea (enough for over 20 million cups) 240 tons of pork chops (requiring over 8,000 pigs!) Although many of todays visitors opt for self-catering Butlins still offers a half board option (breakfast and evening dinner). The whole process has been modernised though with flexible eating times and a more relaxed approach which includes wide-ranging self serve buffets complete with international and vegetarian options. Didn't the dining halls compete with each other? Yes, to encourage the competitive spirit there were a number of Redcoats allocated to each dining hall (or House) and they were led by the Redcoat House Captain whose task it was to encourage the campers to enter the numerous competitions available.

House Points were awarded to winners and runners-up in every weekly competition and the House with the most points at the end of the week would win the Inter-House Trophy. There was always great rivalry between Redcoats and campers alike. Similarly, there was a Redcoat House Chairman (usually an older Redcoat) and he/she would obtain volunteers from each Dining Hall to form the weekly Campers Committee. This Committee would meet periodically through the week to air any complaints or suggestions raised by campers and they were immensely valuable as judges in the many competitions. What about self catering? Billy Butlin was always against this idea and insisted that people went on holiday to escape the chores of cooking and cleaning. But after his retirement, and after seeing the success of the conversions carried out by Pontins, Bobby Butlin decided to introduce self catering in a big way. Starting in the late 1960s whole rows of back-to-back chalets were enlarged by knocking at least four separate units into one thus providing a kitchen & dining area, bathroom & toilet, lounge with TV and one or two bedrooms. The settee in the lounge could become another bed if required. A number of brand new self catering blocks were also built.

But plenty of the half-board rooms still remained to give campers a choice. Some of the old dining halls were then converted into other uses, including self serve restaurants which enabled those on self catering to choose when and where to eat. Each camp also had its own supermarket which allowed campers to buy their supplies on site. The popularity of self-catering meant that fewer people were now taking the full-board option so this allowed the company to introduce single meal sittings and to focus more on quality instead of quantity. Altogether self catering was a highly successful move and still makes up a good proportion of today's visitors. So what camp attractions were available in the early days? Although the early camps lacked a lot of the later features, you still had plenty to keep you occupied - lots of sporting activities, the outdoor heated pool, kids play area, boating lake and a good range of bars, theatres and entertainment venues. And not forgetting the organised entertainment provided by the ever enthusiastic Redcoats! During the '50s and '60s the company invested over £10 million into the camps which resulted in bigger and better facilities such as indoor pools, fairgrounds, chairlifts and monorails.

A good percentage went towards the construction of some new entertainment venues along with the improvement of some older buildings. What were the bars and pubs like? Each camp featured a wide selection of different bars and entertainment venues, each with its own unique atmosphere. Probably the most famous were the Beachcomber Bars which started appearing at all the camps during the early 1960s. The layout was based around a Hawaiian beach scene with waterfalls and bridges and a "volcano" which erupted once an hour. Others included the Crazy Horse Saloon (complete with Wild West paraphernalia), the Pig & Whistle (with its famous revolving bar), the Regency and the French. In fact the bar counter in the French Bar at Filey was once the longest in the UK, measuring nearly 200 feet and requiring up to 70 staff to operate. These statistics held pride of place in the Guinness Book of Records for many years. Although different from the past, Butlins still have a good selection of different themed pubs and bars. What were Quiet Lounges? These were simply rooms were people could go for a quiet read or chat.

Some of the walls were adorned with paintings which had been purchased over the years by Billy Butlin, usually at knock down prices. However this art collection gradually increased in value and eventually became valued at several million pounds! There were also TV lounges, one for the BBC and the other for ITV. At the time chalets did not have their own televisions so people would flock to their favourite room to catch up on the latest news and entertainment. What about the theatres? Each camp had one or two theatres along with smaller venues hosting children's shows, film shows and talent competitions. Some of the main theatres were huge, seating 2,000 or more people, and boasted superb 'West End' style facilities. Infact, the Gaiety Theatre at Filey, built in around 1960, was the largest theatre in Europe seating 3,000 on one floor. A lot of the shows were highly professional and many later stars of TV and stage had their first taste of fame here. Shows were run throughout the day although the main events were always scheduled for the evenings. The 'Sunday Night Showtime' became one of the big events with top line stars brought in to entertain.

Other shows included those by the resident repertory company, Redcoat shows, talent contests and even some highbrow entertainment in the form of visiting operatic and ballet companies. All the traditional old Butlin theatres have now gone but their place has been taken with huge cabaret type venues with highly professional lighting and sound systems and able to accommodate up to 2,000 people. Each camp also has its own cinema showing the latest releases. And the ballrooms? Ballrooms were always a major part of Butlin life and each camp had a good selection to choose from. Various interests were catered for in the form of Modern, Old Time or Jive and each had it's own separate facility. Each ballroom also had it's own resident band and competitions were held throughout the summer with grand finals being held at the end of the season, usually in London at the Royal Albert Hall. The largest event was the Butlin's Dance Festival which was recognised as the biggest in the world, would take-over a camp as an exclusive booking at the end of season and enjoy up to 10,000 dancers, supporters and officials for a week with different types of dance taking place simultaneously in the various ballrooms and theatres on the camp.

Other contests included Highland Dancing, Modern, Old Time, Novice, the Veleta Trophy and even Tap Dancing. What's all this about the loudspeakers and that infamous 'wakey-wakey' call? All of the camps and hotels had an extensive network of loudspeakers supplied by the London company of Tannoy Ltd. They were operated by staff from Radio Butlin and were used to broadcast both announcements and music. But probably their most memorable purpose was to wake the campers every morning. At a certain time the loudspeakers would suddenly burst into life with the famous 'wakey-wakey' call and music would be played to let everyone know that the first sitting for breakfast was coming up. The early campers at Ayr probably had the worse deal as they endured a wake-up call in the form of a local bagpipist! The Tannoy system was toned down in the 1970s and later scrapped altogether. What was the chalet patrol service? This was a service run by the nursery department and designed to allow parents to go out in the evening whilst the kids remained asleep in the chalets.

Teams of staff would patrol the chalets (sometimes on cycles) and make a note of any from which crying babies or children could be heard. This information was then relayed on the Tannoy or back to the main entertainment buildings where a sign would flash to alert the parents. Didn't Butlins also own hotels? Yes in the 1950s they began acquiring hotels in Brighton, Blackpool and several in Cliftonville. In later years they were joined by further hotels in Scarborough, Llandudno, London and even Spain. The camps at Ayr and Skegness also had separate self-contained hotels within the grounds. The hotels obviously didn't have the same huge range of activities as the camps but most of them still offered a selection of bars, a theatre, swimming pool, competitions and of course the Redcoats. All the hotels were sold in 1998 but most are still open today under new ownership. In 2003 the company announced plans to build a brand new luxury hotel at the Bognor resort, which was opened in 2005 and known as the Shoreline Hotel.

This was followed in 2009 by the Ocean Hotel, with some of the old chalets being demolished as a result. What about the Butlin badges? The attractive little metal pin badges were introduced as a kind of ID tag to show that you were a paid-up holidaymaker. They were worn for the duration of the holiday and allowed you admission into the various entertainment venues. They first appeared in 1936 and each year (except for the war period) different badges were produced for each camp and hotel. The badges changed colour each week. For instance, on the Pwllheli 1958 badge (pictured), the outer ring could be either red, blue, green, black or yellow and for five weeks the new arrivals would have a different colour badge to the previous week's campers. This helped on two counts, Security could see whether anyone had outstayed their welcome and Bar staff could refuse to serve you if not wearing the right colour badge, helping with the Licensing Laws. Badges were also produced for a whole range of other activities including the children's clubs, the Winter reunions, sports festivals and Christmas.

Badges were also given to day visitors, to those staying for a 2nd week and to members of the different social clubs and committees. They were last produced at the end of 1967. The exact number of different badges is not known but a rough estimate is around 1,700. Most can be picked up relatively cheaply today although certain rarities command a higher price. But, isn't it possible to buy badges at Butlins today? Yes, in 2004 pin badges were launched, the idea being that guests buy badges and then attach them to a lanyard which they wear around their neck. The badges feature a variety of images including Butlins characters and old logos. Staff also wear lanyards and guests can swap their badges with staff, thereby encouraging guests and staff to interact with each other. Some of the badges are available to buy on resort whilst others can only be obtained from swapping with staff.

Special badges are also available including annual "Premier Club" badges, which are available to guests who visit Butlins more than a certain number of times, "Eat Well" and "Discovery" badges, both of which are available to guests who get cards stamped for eating certain healthy food or completing certain activities. So what caused the camps to lose popularity? By the late 1960s the camps had experienced several boom years and things were looking good for the future. Billy Butlin retired in 1968 and moved to Jersey (for tax reasons) and the company was taken over by his son Bobby. In 1972 the company was sold to Rank for £43 million although Bobby remained in control. But the entire British holiday industry was about to see some major competition from foreign destinations. People began flocking abroad in record numbers and the heady days of the British seaside resort were coming to an end. In common with most other holiday companies Butlins began seeing some major declines in bookings. But didn't they also have an image problem? Yes, what was fine for the post-war years was now looking very dated.

The chalets in straight lines, the blaring loud speakers, the barbed wire fences, the communal bathrooms and the general air of regimentation reminded people more of a military camp than of a place of fun. Butlins began losing some of it's valued family custom and in their place came hordes of unruly teenagers. The camps also took on a rundown appearance and references to them being the 'Stag party capital of the world' certainly didn't help. The whole Butlins family image had become severely dented. Did the company do anything to stop this slide? The camps became known as 'centres' and changes were made to ban the single-sex bookings, to scrap the Tannoy system, to tone down the regimentation and to boost the self catering facilities. They also diversified into other holiday markets with the acquisition of some smaller holiday camps and caravan parks which they operated under the banner of Freshfield Holidays. To try and cash in on the foreign holiday craze they even bought a large 400-room hotel in Torremolinos Spain. But low bookings resulted in low investment. Reports came in of leaking and damp chalets, of cold swimming pools, peeling paint, closed facilities, poor food and indifferent staff.

£3 million was invested in 1978 but this was not enough to halt the decline. A major decision was made to trim down the empire and focus on a smaller number of sites. Between 1982 and 1986 four of the camps were sold (Mosney, Clacton, Filey and Barry Island) leaving just five remaining. What happened to the camps that were sold? Mosney remained open until 1999 but is now closed and used as a home for asylum seekers. Clacton and Filey were later demolished after both their new owners went bankrupt. Barry Island lasted until 1996 and has since been demolished. Mosney is therefore now the last remaining ex-Butlins camp that is still very much in it's original condition. What happened to the five that were left? Between 1986 and 1990 a total of around £100 million was invested to try and make up for the years of neglect. The camps all received new 'Holiday World' identities with the Butlins name being used less to try and distance themselves from the past. The word 'Hi-de-Hi' was banned.

The money went towards new sub-tropical indoor funpools along with new and improved accommodation, new food and restaurant facilities and a general overhaul of buildings. Rows of old chalets were torn down and replaced with new 'apartment' accommodation. Log cabins and static caravans were also added although quite a few of the old buildings and chalets still remained. So why only three camps now? By the late '90s the camps at Ayr and Pwllheli were still not generating the expected returns and a decision was taken to convert them into Haven caravan parks, a sister company of Butlins. The move was made to reduce overheads as Haven operate with fewer staff, facilities and attractions. Most of the chalets and buildings were demolished and replaced by several hundred caravans. So what happened to the remaining three? Bognor, Minehead and Skegness then received yet another new round of investment and the old 'Holiday World' identities were dropped with the Butlins name now taking prominence once again and the camps becoming known as 'resorts'. £130 million was invested over the winter of 1998/99 and again it went towards more modernisation, improved accommodation and new facilities.

Each camp received a Skyline Pavilion, huge undercover areas the size of Wembley football pitch. Allowing protection from the British weather, each Pavilion houses shops, bars, restaurants and a wealth of entertainment and enables the company to provide year-round, weather-protected breaks. Over 1,000 brand new apartments were built at Skegness. Minehead received a huge new indoor swimming complex. Over 3,000 rolls of new carpet were spread around the three resorts along with 230,000 litres of paint. Every single apartment was refurbished. Redcoats became trained at Butlins academies of excellence and West End choreographers were brought in to direct them in lavish musical productions. Mother-in-law jokes were banned, as were beards for Redcoats, who had to adhere to "grooming guidelines". Food outlets included such famous names as Burger King and Harry Ramsden's. The company teamed up with Marvel leading to live appearances from Hulk and Spider-Man. Children's TV favourites Digimon, Power Rangers and America Wrestling entertained children in the Skyline Pavilion. Noddy and his Toyland friends were also Butlin regulars and had their own play area.

Towards the end of each season a huge 7,000 seat temporary undercover Arena was erected at Minehead complete with tiered seating, state of the art sound and lighting and giant TV screens. This was used for concerts featuring a host of top name acts. Wasn't the company recently sold again? Yes Rank decided to sell their entire holiday business, which included Butlins, Warners, Haven and Oasis, to Bourne Leisure in September 2000 for £650 million. What changes have been made since Bourne Leisure purchased the business? Money is spent each year on improvements to the resorts on things such as refurbishments to the main venues at each resort, improved landscaping, high ropes courses, new adventure golf courses and various chalet refurbishments. A Spa has opened at Skegness resort, Minehead has seen changes to the Skyline Pavilion which allow it to be converted into an arena and for concerts to be held in there whilst Bognor Regis has seen two new hotels built as well as the opening of the Shoreline Conference Centre, which includes boardroom and functon room facilities.

Each resort now also offers a premium dining experience with new restaurants offering the chance to eat in more upmarket surroundings for an additional charge. What are the camps like today? A lot of people have very fond and special memories of the old camps and some don't like the new centres due to the vast changes and the loss of that unique 'Hi-de-Hi' Butlins atmosphere. But the company is simply bringing the camps into the 21st century and it must be said that the standards of accommodation and food are now far better than anything offered in the past. The old camps were perfect for their time but they wouldn't have any place in todays market. Billy Butlin always wanted the best and most modern facilities and the new owners are simply following that same basic principle. Yes they are very different, gone are the glamorous grandmother and beauty contests. Gone are the endless free activities (although some still remain). Gone are the chairlifts and trains and monorails. Gone are the brightly coloured buildings. Hundreds of millions have been invested to bring the centres kicking and screaming into the modern age.

Children are entertained by familiar faces from tv such as Bob the Builder as well as by Butlins' own characters which include Billy Bear and the Skyline Gang. The Redcoats are still there, providing regular shows and helping to entertain and interact with the guests. Entertainment is also provided by various triubute acts as well as from Britains Got Talent and X-Factor finalists. Themed, adult only, weekends are also available under the brand of " Big Weekends ", where adults are able to enjoy themselves without worrying about children. The shattered image of the 70s and 80s is now just a distant memory and the new centres, albeit different from the past, look set for a long and prosperous future. Over 1 million people a year now stay at Butlins. What did Billy Butlin do after he retired? Billy Butlin had always been heavily involved with charitable causes and this increased upon his retirement, mainly with the Variety Club. He also established a number of business ventures in Jersey including a small holiday village and several hotels.

He was knighted in 1964 and in 1972 was awarded the Variety Club's annual Humanitarian Award, being only the seventh British person to be honoured since 1938. In 1977 he suffered a heart attack but fell ill again in 1979 with stomach cancer. He died on 12th June 1980. He was buried in the cemetery of St John's Church in the north of Jersey. His headstone is engraved with an amusement park, a camp scene and the Jolly Fisherman from the famous railway poster, bearing the legend "Skegness is so bracing". Still have a question? Then why not ask it on our forum where someone may be able to help you! How can I book a Butlins holiday today?

Visit the Butlins website at We English » Blog Archive BUTLINS REBORN AND THE JOHN HINDE POSTCARDS | We English BUTLINS REBORN AND THE JOHN HINDE POSTCARDS August 19th, 2009 admin As Peter Walker writes in a recent article in The Guardian, the word staycation – a predicted mass shift by recession-hit Britons towards domestic holidays – has slipped inexorably into the modern tourist lexicon in just a matter of months. And if you believe all the media reports on this phenomenon, a combination of the recession and the feeble pound will see/have seen millions of families abandoning their villa on the Algarve for a cost-conscious domestic alternative. According to a recent survey by Mintel , some 35% of Britons said the economic climate had stopped them from booking a main holiday in the next six months, despite the fact that such a break has increasingly become seen as a right rather than a privilege throughout the recent era of cheap, easily accessible overseas travel. As a result domestic holiday centers such as Butlins – that veritable English institution – are enjoying a revival.

Butlins, the nation’s favourite cheap and cheerful holiday resort may have battled with an image problem in the past but new investment is hoping to put it firmly on the pampering map! The company’s PR department has obviously been in overdrive recently with articles on their new £20 million Ocean Hotel in Bognor Regis (the South Coast resort that famously caused George V to exclaim ‘Bugger Bognor!’ when told by his doctors to convalesce there) featuring in most of the national newspapers. Take this report in the Daily Mail for instance. © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd The first holiday camps in the UK were the masterplan of entrepreneur William ‘Billy’ Butlin, who had seen some lakeside holiday centres during a visit to Canada during World War I and realised that they were something that could easily be introduced to his native Britain. Butlin selected the seaside town of Skegness, Lincolnshire, for the location of his first holiday camp, which was opened on 11 April, 1936.

The story goes that he first spotted what became the company slogan – “Our true intent is all for your delight” – emblazoned on a fairground organ, little knowing that it was a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd Stephen McClarence charts the background to Butlins in an article in the Telegraph here . McClarence writes “Butlin, a canny South African-born fairground man who started out with a single hoopla stall, realised that the unreliable British climate left holidaymakers with a problem – what to do when it rained. Reputedly fed up with trudging around a monsoon-lashed seaside resort in search of shelter and amusement, he came up with the idea of a holiday village with all-inclusive accommodation, meals and entertainment. And plenty of roofs. The appeal was simple. From dawn (signalled by a cheery “Good morning, campers!” over the tannoy), to dusk, there was no need to organise anything for yourself. It was all there on site and on tap: ballrooms, theatres, golf courses, swimming pools – brimming, if Forties posters can be believed, with sleek, chic young people with dazzling smiles.

Vast dining rooms served meals on an industrial scale. It was all ‘Biggest… Brightest… Best’ and its heyday was the Sixties, with two million overnight guests a year.” © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd In the 1960s, Billy Butlin commissioned colour photography maestro John Hinde to immortalise his empire. The results spawned the tradition of the lurid, hyper-real postcard. Each photograph was stringently composed by Hinde and his team, and the colour saturation doctored to render everything in unnatural Technicolor. It was the job of two German photographers (Elmar Ludwig and Edmund Nagele) and one British (David Noble) to execute the photographs to Hinde’s rigorous formula. At the time, the results were deliberately populist adverts, but as Holly Kyte writes in The First Post , “now these delightfully artificial social documents have, unintentionally, become art instead.” The postcards were brought together in a wonderful book edited by Martin Parr and published by Chris Boot. Our True Intent is all for Your Delight was published in 2005.

“Long viewed only as a master of kitsch Hinde is now recognised, albeit posthumously, as a peerless social documentarian. Dazzling in their their colour intensity and strange clarity…. Visionary, Wonderful.” Sean O’Hagan, The Observer, London “Extraordinary…the combination of aesthetics and promotion produced something that bypasses documentary and approaches an arresting British surrealism.” David Jays, Financial Times © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd © John Hinde Ltd/ Chris Boot Ltd It’s interesting to note that the postcards had an impact on the young Martin Parr, who worked over two summers at Butlin’s in the early 1970s and introduces the images for this book. You can see how the photographs has had a lasting impact on his own photographic aesthetic – Martin Parr’s portfolio on Magnum website . More than 10 million British holidaymakers have stayed at Butlins since then, and though modernised versions of the camps still exist, their glory days have long been over (que the new Ocean Hotel resort). There is an article on the John Hinde postcards written by Michael Collins in The Telegraph here . You can read a potted history of the Butlins resorts on the BBC website here .

And here is a slideshow of photos from Butlins resorts in their heydey. This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am and is filed under OTHER STUDIES . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Question: Which English seaside town had the first Butlins camp?
Answer: Skegness