View source for Butlin's

{{short description|British chain of holiday resorts}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Butlins Skyline Limited
| logo = [[File:Butlin's.svg|240px]]
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| industry = [[Leisure]]
| foundation = {{start date|df=yes|1936|1|1|}} <br /> (First site, [[Skegness]]) <br /> {{start date|df=yes|2000|4|9|}} <br /> (As present company)
| founder = [[Billy Butlin]]
| location = [[Hemel Hempstead]], [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]]
| area_served = [[United Kingdom]]
| key_people = Jon Hendry Pickup<ref name="travelweekly">{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Phil |title=Prezzo chief executive to take helm at Butlin's |url=http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/302491/prezzo-chief-executive-to-take-helm-at-butlins |website=Travel Weekly |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=26 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="guardian">{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Rob |title=Hi-de-high-end: how Butlin's has climbed from camp to resort |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/mar/24/butlins-holiday-camp-rebrand-upmarket-waterparks |website=The Guardian |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=24 March 2019}}</ref><br />([[CEO]])
| products = [[Seaside resorts]]
| revenue = {{increase}} £184.6M (2010)<ref name="financial">Butlins Skyline Ltd, ''Report and Financial Statements'' 31 December 2010</ref>
| operating_income = {{increase}} £17.2M (2010)<ref name="financial" />
| net_income = {{increase}} £12.2M (2010)<ref name="financial" />
| owner = [[Peter Harris (entrepreneur)|Harris Family Trusts]]
| brands = 
| num_employees = 3,571 (2010)<ref name="financial" />
| parent = 
| subsid = 
| homepage = {{URL|https://butlins.com}}
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Butlin's''' is a chain of large [[seaside resort]]s in the United Kingdom, incorporated as '''Butlins Skyline Limited'''. Butlin's was founded by [[Billy Butlin]] to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families.

Between 1936 and 1966, ten camps were built, including one in [[Ireland]]{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} and one in the [[Bahamas]]. In the 1970s and 1980s, Butlin's also operated numerous large hotels, including one in Spain, a number of smaller holiday parks in England and France, and a revolving restaurant in the [[BT Tower|Post Office Tower]] in London.<ref name="butlins.com">[http://www.butlins.com/about-butlins/history-of-butlins/index.aspx/ Summary of Butlins history on Butlin's website]. Butlins (15 April 2011). Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>

Tough competition from overseas package holiday operators, rising operational costs, and rapidly changing demand, forced many of the Butlin's operations to close in the 1980s and 1990s. Three of the original camps remain open under the Butlins brand in [[Bognor Regis]], [[Minehead]], and [[Skegness]]. They are now owned and run by '''Butlins Skyline Ltd''', which is now wholly owned by the Harris Family Trust.

[[File:Butlins ayr 1985 overhead view.jpg|thumb|The architecture seen in this 1985 photograph of Butlin's in Ayr was typical of most camps before refurbishment. Note the rows of [[chalet]]s in the distance.]]<!--***** IMAGE PLACED HERE TO OCCUPY WASTED WHITE SPACE beside contents section. Intended as a representative sample of a Butlin's camp and its architecture; please move to less prominent position if obviously better image comes along *****-->

==History==
[[File:Billy Butlin at Filey.jpg|right|thumb|Billy Butlin receiving Filey camp back from the [[RAF]], who ran it as ''RAF Hunmanby Moor'' during the Second World War]]
[[File:Gwersyll Gwyliau Butlins ym Mhwllheli (18764084358).jpg|thumb|The Butlins camp at Pwllheli in 1961]]<!-- reference given does not support rest of section -->
Billy Butlin's inspiration for his holiday camp empire came from an unhappy holiday on [[Barry Island]] in his youth, when he had been locked out of his [[bed and breakfast]] accommodation all day by his [[landlord|landlady]], which was normal practice at the time.<ref name="butlin's 1">{{cite web
|title= Bygone Butlin's website
|url=http://www.bygonebutlins.com/barry/
|access-date=8 September 2008
|publisher=BygoneButlins.com 
|year=2007
|work=Barry Island
}}</ref> 
The first of the Butlin's holiday camps was opened by Butlin in 1936 in [[Skegness]], following his success in developing amusement parks. A second camp quickly followed in [[Clacton]] in 1938, and construction of [[Filey Holiday Camp]] began in 1939. With the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]], building at Filey was postponed, and the camps at Skegness and Clacton were given over for military use. Wartime use of Butlin's camps continued, with resorts at [[Ayr]], Filey, and [[Pwllheli]] being completed and opened as military camps. The Ayr camp was later renamed ''Wonderwest World'', and is now owned and run by [[Haven Holidays|Haven]] under the name Craig Tara, part of [[Bourne Leisure]], who previously owned both brands.

In 1945, with the war over, Filey was re-opened as a holiday camp. The camps at Skegness and Clacton opened in 1946, Ayr and Pwllheli in 1947 and [[Mosney]] on the east coast of Ireland in 1948. Butlin's became popular in post-war Britain, with family entertainment and activities available for the equivalent of a week's pay.

In 1948, Butlin acquired two hotels in the Bahamas, and in the 1950s Butlin's began acquiring hotels in England and Wales: [[Saltdean]], near [[Brighton]] (1953), [[Blackpool]] (1955) and five in [[Cliftonville]] (1955–1956). Further post-war camps were opened in the 1960s at [[Bognor Regis]] (1960), [[Minehead]] (1962) and [[Barry Island]] (1966). A site was acquired and permission given for a further camp at Holme Dunes, Norfolk. However, these plans were abandoned after the [[North Sea flood of 1953|devastating floods of 31 January 1953]]; the site was later purchased by the [[Holme Dunes|Norfolk Naturalists Trust]] in 1965.

{{main|Midet Aviation#Butlin's Grand Bahama Island project}}
In the late 1940s, Butlin's launched an ambitious project to build a 1000-guest resort at [[West End, Bahamas|West End]], [[Grand Bahama Island]] in the Bahamas from scratch, including the construction of an airport, [[West End Airport]]. Almost all materials and equipment had to be brought in by air or boat onto an island that at the time was almost completely undeveloped. Butlin's operated the partially-completed facility for one season (1950) only before running out of money. A small part of the resort was put back into operation in 1955 before US interests redeveloped it in 1960.

The camps at Ayr and Skegness also had separate self-contained hotels within their grounds. In later years, they were joined by further hotels in [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]] (1978), [[Llandudno]] (1981), London (1993), a sixth hotel at Cliftonville and one in Spain (1983). In the 1960s and 1970s, the company also operated the ''Top of the Tower'' revolving restaurant at the then-named [[BT Tower|Post Office Tower]] in London.   
 
In 1968, Butlin's son Bobby took over the management of Butlin's, and in 1972 the business was sold to the [[Rank Organisation]] for £43&nbsp;million. The number of camps peaked at ten between 1966 and 1980, but the business experienced the problems being faced by the British seaside holiday industry as a whole, with the introduction of cheap [[package holiday]]s to [[Mediterranean]] [[resort]]s from the 1960s onwards. It also had an image problem of being seen as providing regimented holidays, which caused it to all but abandon the Butlin's name at its remaining resorts between 1987 and 1990.

The camp at Mosney closed in 1982, Clacton and Filey closed in 1983, and the camp at Barry was sold in 1986 (eventually closing in 1996). The lease on the ''Top of the Tower'' restaurant expired in 1980. In 1998, the camps at Ayr and Pwllheli were handed over to Butlin's sister company; Haven. All the Butlin's hotels dating from the 1950s to 1990s were sold in 1998, but most are still open today under different ownership. The [[art deco]] style Ocean Hotel at Saltdean has been redeveloped into apartments, and the hotels at Cliftonville have both been demolished.

In 1998, the "Holiday Worlds" branding was dropped for the remaining resorts in favour of returning the emphasis to the core Butlin's name. Subsequently, in September 2000,<ref>{{cite news |date=28 September 2000 |title=Rank says goodbye to redcoats in £700m sale |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/rank-says-goodbye-to-redcoats-in-pound700m-sale-700020.html |access-date=27 July 2025 |work=The Independent |department=Business News |publisher= |location=London, England}}</ref> the resorts and brand were sold to Bourne Leisure. A new Butlin's logo was eventually introduced in 1999, which has subsequently undergone several modifications and was used until 2011 when Butlin's introduced a design similar to their original logo. The new logo was originally only intended to be used temporarily to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Butlin's, but its use continued into 2012 and 2013 and is now the official logo.

In 2005, the new £10&nbsp;million Shoreline hotel was unveiled at the Bognor Regis resort to expand on the existing variety of apartments on the site. The hotel, styled with an [[Art Deco]] theme, aimed to offer luxury accommodation in conjunction with the entertainment and facilities at the resort. Each of the 160 rooms features floor-to-ceiling windows, twin or king-size beds, leatherette chairs, televisions, [[DVD player]]s and [[En-suite|en-suite facilities]]. Some have sea views.  A second site, Ocean Hotel, opened at Bognor in 2009, styled in a high contemporary standard.

In September 2022, it was announced that Blackstone Group that had bought Butlins in 2021 and the Bourne Leisure Group, sold Butlins back to one of the original founding families of Bourne Leisure. In a £300 million deal The Harris Family Trust bought back Butlins, the deal however does not include Butlins property assets as these were sold earlier in the year to the UK’s largest pension fund, the Universities Superannuation Scheme for £300 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-20 |title=Harris Family Trusts buys Butlin's for £300m |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/20/harris-family-trusts-buys-butlins-for-300m |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

==Locations==
{{Location map+| England |width=335|float=center|caption=Location of current Butlins holiday camps|places=

{{Location map~ | England |lat= 53.1769611|long=0.3502204 |label=[[Skegness]]|position=left}}

{{Location map~ | England |lat= 50.7872995|long=-0.6613110 |label=[[Bognor Regis]]|position=right}}

{{Location map~ | England |lat= 51.2075146|long=-3.4594220 |label=[[Minehead]]|position=left}}
}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Butlins camps past and present
! Location!!Opened!!Closed!!Comments
|-
| [[Heads of Ayr (holiday camp)#Butlins|Ayr]] || 1947 || 1998 || Known as Wonderwest World 1988–1998; operated as Craig Tara by [[Haven (Holidays)|Haven]] since 1999.
|-
| [[West End, Bahamas|West End]], [[Grand Bahama Island]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |date=1950 |title=Colonial Office Report on the Bahamas for the Year 1949 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112106896084?urlappend=%3Bseq=117 |journal=Annual Reports on the Bahamas |language=en |pages=1, 28 |access-date=2025-07-27 |quote=The Colony was a ready field for investment, and construction began on the Butlin Vacation Village at West End, Grand Bahama, which planned to open its doors to American tourists in January, 1950. |via=HathiTrust |website=}}</ref>|| 1950 || Late 1980s || Ambitious undertaking constructing a 1000-guest<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |date=1949 |title=Colonial Office Report on the Bahamas for 1947 & 1948 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106896084&seq=57&q1=butlin |journal=Annual Reports on the Bahamas |pages=1, 4, 8, 27, 39 |quote=A notable instance is the Butlin Vacation Village already mentioned, which is planned to provide 1,000 beds for Americans in the middle income brackets from 1st January, 1950 onwards and thereafter to expand to 2,000 beds.}}</ref> holiday camp from scratch on a nearly completely undeveloped island, including building an [[West End Airport|airport]]. The village received 18,363 visitors in 1950.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |date=1952 |title=Colonial Office Report on the Bahamas for the Year 1950 and 1951 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106896084&seq=169&q1=butlin%7C |journal=Annual Reports on the Bahamas |pages=7 |access-date=2025-07-27 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref> It was reportedly operated for a single season before running out of money.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} The site is now occupied by a new hotel and marina complex known as Old Bahama Bay.
|-
| [[Barry Island (holiday camp)|Barry Island]] || 1966 || 1996 || Operated independently until closure in 1996. Demolished in 2005.
|-
| [[Butlins Bognor Regis|Bognor Regis]] || 1960 || Current || Known as Southcoast World 1987–1998. Still open as Butlins Bognor Regis.
|-
| [[Butlin's Clacton|Clacton]] || 1938 || 1983 || Demolished, now a housing estate. Small area yet to be redeveloped.
|-
| [[Filey Holiday Camp]] || 1945 || 1983 || Operated independently for six weeks in 1986, but the venture failed and it closed. Gradually demolished between 1988 and 2003. The northern end of the site is now part of the [[Haven Holidays|Haven]] caravan park, [[Primrose Valley]], and the southern end is being developed as ''The Bay Filey'', comprising holiday homes, leisure and sports facilities and a hotel.
|-
| [[Butlins Minehead|Minehead]] || 1962 || Current || Known as Somerwest World 1986–1998. Still open as Butlins Minehead 30 April 1999–present.
|-
| [[Butlin's Mosney|Mosney]] || 1948 || 1980 || Operated independently until closure and conversion into an Irish Government refugee centre for [[asylum seekers]] in 2000. Most of the original camp buildings are still in use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlinsmemories.com/mosney/index.htm|title=Mosney}}</ref>
|-
| [[Penychain (holiday camp)|Pwllheli]] || 1947 || 1998 || Known as Starcoast World 1990–1998; operated as [[Hafan Y Mor]] by [[Haven (Holidays)|Haven]] since 1999.
|-
| [[Butlins Skegness|Skegness]] || 1936 || Current || Known as Funcoast World 1987–1998. Still open as Butlins Skegness.
|}

In addition to these main locations known at various times as "Holiday Camps", "Holiday Centres", "Holiday Villages", "Holiday Worlds" and more recently as "Resorts", Butlins also operated numerous smaller holiday parks in England and France for several years during the late 1970s. These were known as "Freshfields holidays" and were more basic parks with far fewer facilities and little or no entertainment. They were aimed at those wanting a quieter, more relaxed holiday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlinsmemories.com/brochuresimages/summer1978/id63.htm|title=Pages 38 and 39}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Butlins Freshfield Holiday Camps<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlinsmemories.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13450&d=1286643489|title=Butlinsmemories.com|website=www.butlinsmemories.com}}</ref><ref>[http://www.butlinsmemories.com/other/freshfields.htm Butlins Small Centres]. Butlinsmemories.com. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>
! Location!!Opened!!Closed!!Comments
|-
| [[Duporth Holiday Village]], [[St Austell]] || 1934 || 2006 || Operated as Butlins from 1972; operated as [[Haven (Holidays)|Haven]] from 1985.
|-
| Seaview Holiday Village, [[Polperro]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1973; Currently operated independently and sold on the independent owners behalf by [[Wyndham Worldwide|Hoseasons]].
|-
| Sunshine Holiday Centre, [[Hayling Island]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1973; Currently operating independently as "Mill Rythe Holiday Resort".
|-
| [[St Minver]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1971; Currently operated by [[Parkdean Holidays]].
|-
| Tencreek Holiday Park, [[Looe]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1973; Currently operated by Dolphin Holidays.
|-
| Ayrville, [[St Ives, Cornwall]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1974; Currently operating as "Ayr Holiday Park".
|-
| Two Chimneys, [[Penzance]] || ? || Present || Operated as Butlins from 1974; Currently operated by Rojo Leisure.
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Butlins hotels past and present<ref name="butlins.com"/> 
! Location!!Opened!!Closed!!Comments
|-
| [[Heads of Ayr (Holiday Camp)#Heads of Ayr Hotel|Ayr]] || 1946 || Early 1970s || Demolished in the 1970s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlinsmemories.com/ayr/overyears.htm|title=Butlins Ayr over the Years}}</ref>
|-
| [[Bognor Regis (holiday camp)#Bognor Hotels|Bognor Regis – Wave]] || 2012 || Present || Newly opened within Bognor resort<ref>[http://www.butlins.com/accommodation/hotels/wave-hotel.aspx? Wave Hotel information on Butlins website]. Butlins. Retrieved on 2 July 2012.</ref>
|-
| [[Bognor Regis (holiday camp)#Bognor|Bognor Regis – Ocean]] || 2009 || Present || Opened 2009 within Bognor resort<ref>[http://www.butlins.com/hotels/ocean-hotel// Ocean Hotel information on Butlins website]. Butlins. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>
|-
| [[Bognor Regis (holiday camp)#Bognor Hotels|Bognor Regis – Shoreline]] || 2007 || Present || Opened 2007 within Bognor resort<ref>[http://www.butlins.com/hotels/shoreline-hotel// Shoreline Hotel information on Butlins website]. Butlins (22 April 2011). Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>
|-
| [[Thatched Barn|Borehamwood]] || 1939 || 1942 || Demolished in the 1980s and replaced with modern Hotel<ref>{{citation |title=Playboy girls to rat bombs|author=Tommy Norton|date=9 December 2005|url=http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/659999.playboy_girls_to_rat_bombs/|work=Borehamwood Times}}</ref>
|-
| Blackpool || 1955 || 1998 || Still open as [[Grand Metropole Hotel]]
|-
| [[Cliftonville]] || 1955 || 1999 || Partially demolished, remainder converted to flats.
|-
| Llandudno || 1981 || 1998 || Still open as [[Grand Hotel (Llandudno)|Grand Hotel]].
|-
| London || 1993 || 1998 || Still open as Grand Plaza Hotel.
|-
| [[Saltdean]] || 1952 || 1999 || Converted to flats.
|-
| Scarborough || 1978 || 1999 || Still open as [[Grand Hotel (Scarborough)|Grand Hotel]].
|-
| Skegness || 1948|| 1974 || [[Ingoldmells (holiday camp)|Ingoldmells]] building still standing and now used as an amusement arcade within the Butlins Skegness resort<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlinsmemories.com/skegness/overyears.htm|title=Butlins Skegness over the Years}}</ref>
|-
| [[Torremolinos]] || 1983 || 1998 || Still open as Griego Mar Hotel.
|}

==Facilities==

===Accommodation===
[[File:Blue Skies.jpg|left|thumb|Blue Skies Apartments in Minehead]]

Butlins resorts offer various accommodation options to cater for different tastes and budgets. These range from "Standard" rooms and apartments to "Silver", "Gold", and "Deluxe" rooms and apartments for higher levels of luxury. There are also "BlueSkies" apartments available at Minehead, and 3 luxury hotels at Butlin's Bognor.

Butlins was originally known for its "chalet" accommodation, which for decades was the only form of accommodation and consisted of many long  blocks. These were arranged so that each line of chalets faced another line, with a grassed area in the middle. Originally there were no toilets in individual chalets (campers had to use communal toilet blocks located in the middle of every few chalet lines) and the furnishings were very basic. Many of these chalet lines are still in use today, but have been enlarged and significantly upgraded to modern standards. All chalets now have en-suite bathroom facilities.

One of the first chalets is still standing at the Skegness resort and is now heritage listed and a historical display only.<ref>[http://www.butlins.com/accommodation// Accommodation information on Butlins website]. Butlins (17 May 2011). Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>
{{Clear left}}

===Skyline Pavilion===
[[File:Skyline Pavilion, Minehead, Somerset (cropped).jpg|right|thumb|Skyline Pavilion in Minehead]]

The "Skyline Pavilion" is the central entertainment complex at each resort, which is enclosed under a white tensile fabric canopy. These were created during the 1998–99 closed season by linking together several pre-existing buildings so that space within those buildings could be used to provide all-weather facilities within the Skyline Pavilions.

Each Skyline Pavilion contains a stage (used mainly for daytime children's shows), a cafe and associated seating, a bar (known as Bar Rosso, The Jellyfish Lounge, Soho Coffee or Costa Coffee), restaurants such as [[Burger King]], [[Papa John's]], Turner's, an amusement arcade, an information counter (termed "infunmation point"), and various shops selling novelties, souvenirs, and groceries. Many of the other venues and attractions in the resort can be accessed directly from within the Skyline Pavilion also.

===Splash Waterworld===
Each resort features a large indoor waterpark known as Splash Waterworld. These contain several waterslides, spas, a wave pool, and a lazy river. There is also a shallow pool area for young children, and sometimes an area for "serious" swimming. Minehead also has an outdoor toddler pool that is open in the summer months. Guests and day visitors can use these facilities at no additional cost.

In 2013, the Skegness resort opened a £16&nbsp;million redevelopment of the Splash Waterworld that features two new octane flumes (Jet Stream and Vortex, which has a space-bowl), a new dinghy ride (The Riptide), a rope-walk challenge (Captain's Challenge), a lazy river, a poolside cafe and DJ. It also has a new outdoor fountain area that replaced the outdoor pool, the fountains go along with music (every hour) and lights. In 2019, Butlins opened a new Splash Waterworld at the Bognor Regis resort with a vintage seaside funfair theme.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

==Entertainment==
There are various large entertainment venues within the resorts including Centre Stage, Studio 36, Reds and Skyline Stage. Additionally, there is Bar Rosso, Hotshots 10-pin bowling centre with bar and snooker tables, Green Baize snooker hall (originally at all camps but now at Skegness only), and several additional bars, pubs, and cafes which vary from one Butlins resort to another. Nearly all entertainment is included in the cost of the holiday or day visitor entry.

Television presenter Stephen Mulhern has been an annual act at all three resorts performing during the summer and at selected school Holiday breaks.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

===Notable headliners at Centre Stage (Bognor Regis)===
*''[[Spider-Man|Spider-Man The Musical]]'' (30 April 1999 – 25 June 1999) 
*''[[The Mask (comics)|The Mask Musical]]'' (28 June 1999 – 4 September 1999) 
*''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost|Casper The Musical]]'' (6 September 1999 – 26 November 1999)

===Notable headliners at Centre Stage (Minehead)===
*''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost|Casper The Musical]]'' (30 April 1999 – 25 June 1999)
*''[[Spider-Man|Spider-Man The Musical]]'' (28 June 1999 – 4 September 1999) 
*''[[The Mask (comics)|The Mask Musical]]'' (6 September 1999 – 26 November 1999) 
*''[[Tweenies|Tweenies Live!]]'' (2004)

===Notable headliners at Centre Stage (Skegness)===
*''[[The Mask (comics)|The Mask Musical]]'' (30 April 1999 – 25 June 1999)
*''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost|Casper The Musical]]'' (28 June 1999 – 4 September 1999)
*''[[Spider-Man|Spider-Man The Musical]]'' (6 September 1999 – 26 November 1999)

==Sports and recreation==
Butlins resorts offer a variety of sports sessions and coaching, for example, archery, fencing, tennis (Skegness only), table tennis, and football. Most of these sessions are included in the cost of holiday or day visitor entry price.

For general recreation, facilities include multi-sports courts, adventure golf, adventure playgrounds, water zorbing, high ropes courses, funfair, inflatable castles/pillows, and go-karts.  Minehead resort also offers bumper boats, donkey rides, use of the adjacent golf course, and "Exmoor Adventures" country leisure pursuits. An additional charge usually applies for most of these activities, although the funfair is free.

Skegness and Bognor resorts each have a spa complex for massage, swimming, facials and other popular spa treatments.

===Children's activities===
There are a number of attractions and facilities at each resort provided especially for younger children. These include playgrounds, a supervised arts and crafts room, "[[Bob the Builder|Bob's Yard]]" (miniature funfair), a "Junior driving school" with small go-karts for children, and a nursery which can care for children and keep them entertained whilst parents enjoy other activities in the resort.

==Bognor Regis==
[[File:Butlin's Holiday Camp - geograph.org.uk - 529604.jpg|thumb|right|Butlins Bognor Regis in 1962]]
{{main|Butlins Bognor Regis}}

Butlins Bognor opened in 1960. The camp later became known as Southcoast World until 1998 and is now known as Butlins Bognor Regis Resort. In 1999 it was renovated again with the construction of a Skyline Pavilion. In 2005, a new £10m hotel called "The Shoreline" was unveiled at the Bognor Regis resort.<ref>Geoghegan, Tom. (17 August 2005) [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4158560.stm No place like holidaying at home]. BBC News. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref> A second hotel "The Ocean" opened on the site in Summer 2009 and general landscaping and upgrading also took place. In July 2012 a third hotel "The Wave" hotel was opened to guests.
{{clear right}}

==Minehead==
[[File:Butlins Minehead Resort October 2010 typical scene.JPG|right|thumb|A typical scene at Butlins Minehead, October 2010]]
{{main|Butlin's Minehead}}

Butlins [[Minehead]] was opened to the public on 26 May 1962. It underwent substantial renovation in the 1980s, being renamed ''Somerwest World''. In 1998 it was renovated again with the construction of a Skyline Pavilion. Since 1999 the Minehead resort has undergone further aesthetic upgrades. However, most of the original buildings remain, including almost all the original chalets. As such Minehead is now the last remaining Butlins camp that is still largely as Sir Billy designed it. Minehead is the largest resort out of the three remaining open parks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minehead |url=https://www.butlins.com/resorts/minehead |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Minehead |language=en}}</ref>
{{clear right}}

==Mosney==
[[File:Irl Butlins Mosney.jpg|right|thumb|Butlins [[Mosney]], [[County Meath]], Ireland was the first camp to be built outside Great Britain. It was sold in 1982.]]
{{main|Mosney Accommodation Centre}}
Mosney was the first Butlins camp outside the UK. The camp opened in 1948, occupying some 200 acres (0.81 km2) of a former country estate. In 1982, Butlins sold the camp, which was renamed ''Mosney Holiday Centre''. The camp continued without substantive changes, however, the last season for Mosney was 2000. Dwindling visitor numbers and problems finding staff for the short 12-week season eventually led to the camp's closure. In December 2000 a five-year deal was signed with the government to turn Mosney into a refugee centre. Mosney is now home to 700 refugees from over 20 countries.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} Like Minehead, most of the original buildings remain, including all the original chalets. Mosney is the only camp that has changed little since it was opened.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
{{clear right}}

==Skegness==
{{main|Butlins Skegness}}
[[File:Butlins Skegness funpool 1987.jpg|right|thumb|Butlins Skegness funpool 1987]]
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, and known as [[HMS Royal Arthur (shore establishment)|HMS Royal Arthur]]. The camp reopened to holidaymakers in 1946. In 1987 the site underwent renovation with the construction of a modern fun pool and modernised accommodation, at this time the site was renamed ''Funcoast World''. In 1998 it was renovated again with the construction of a Skyline Pavilion and since that time has undergone further improvements and maintenance.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

In 2011 the resort underwent more development with the introduction of a new guest catering restaurant called The Deck and a new Italian styled restaurant called Ludo's. In 2013 the new Splash Waterworld opened, adding a new pool area to the resort. Plans have recently{{when|date=April 2023}} been submitted to modernise the resort once again with further investment into new restaurants and stores.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}
{{clear right}}

==Barry Island==
[[File:Majestic Holiday chalets on Barry Island.jpg|right|thumb|View from beach at Barry Island showing chalets.]]
{{main|Barry Island (holiday camp)}}

Butlins [[Barry Island]] was the last of Billy Butlin's holiday camps. The camp opened in 1966 and closed 20 years later. It was sold to Majestic Holidays in 1987 and renamed to Majestic Barry Island.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-03 |title=Butlins at Barry Island |url=https://www.valepeoplefirst.org.uk/dejavu/2021/02/03/butlins-at-barry-island |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Deja Vu in the Vale}}</ref>
{{clear right}}

==Ayr==
[[File:Butlins ayr 1985 overhead view 2.jpg|right|thumb|Butlins Ayr, seen during the mid-1980s before refurbishment.]]

{{main|Heads of Ayr (holiday camp)}}

Butlins [[Ayr]] was built by Billy Butlin as a naval training camp in 1940. The camp opened to the public in 1946.

In 1948 Butlin also opened a hotel on the site and a railway station serving the camp. In 1987 a refurbishment saw the camp re-branded ''Wonderwest World'' and the creation of a new indoor fun-pool along with modernised accommodation.

The site was re-branded to sister company [[Haven Holidays]] in 1999 and renamed ''Craig Tara''. Since then, the focus has moved to replacing the original chalets with static caravans.
{{clear right}}

==Pwllheli==
[[File:view eastwards across the boating lake at Hafan y Môr Holiday Park - geograph.org.uk - 1840162.jpg|right|thumb|View across boating pond at Butlins Pwllheli.]]
{{main|Penychain (holiday camp)}}

Butlins [[Pwllheli]] was built by Billy Butlin as a naval training camp in 1940. After the war, the camp opened to the public in 1947. In 1987 a refurbishment saw the camp renamed ''Starcoast World'' and the creation of a new indoor fun-pool along with modernised accommodation. In 1999 the site was re-branded to sister company [[Haven Holidays]] and renamed ''Hafan Y Môr.''.
{{clear right}}

==Butlins Park==
{{main|Harbour Park}}
In an early use of the name, in 1932 Billy Butlin opened an amusement park called Butlins Park at Littlehampton on the site of the old east bank fort and windmill. It is currently known as [[Harbour Park]].

== West End, Grand Bahama ==
Butlin Bahamas Limited submitted a plan to build a vacation village near West End on the island of Grand Bahama, one of the Islands of Bahamas.<ref name=":1" /> The plan was approved by the colony's [[Parliament of the Bahamas|House of Assembly]] in August 1948.<ref name=":1" /> The village was intended to be open for six months of each year and initially to accommodate 1000 guests but to be expanded to accommodate 2000.<ref name=":1" /> An electricity sub-station was opened to provide for the village.<ref name=":0" /> In late 1949, Butlin also purchased the airline company Nassau Aviation.<ref name=":1" />

In 1950, the village attracted 18,363 guests.<ref name=":2" /> However, it closed shortly afterwards.

==Music weekends==
Butlins music weekends are over 18s only and are offered regularly across all of the three resorts. Each weekend has a different musical theme, including soul music, alternative, folk, disco, and rock and blues. They also have decade themed weekends from the 1960s to the 2000s. Butlins Music Weekends have played host to big-name acts such as [[Beverley Knight]], [[Rick Astley]], [[Toyah (band)|Toyah]] and many others. [[Madness (band)|Madness]] have also held three weekends in Minehead on their House of Fun tour,{{when|date=May 2025}} taking over the whole resort for the weekend.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

===All Tomorrow's Parties===
{{main |All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)}}
'''All Tomorrow's Parties''' was a music festival which takes place at Minehead.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/dec/11/popandrock.festivals "ATP: The Nightmare Before Christmas"] The Guardian, 12 December 2007</ref> Named after the song "[[All Tomorrow's Parties]]" by [[the Velvet Underground]], it was an alternative to larger mainstream festivals and was presented in a more intimate environment than a giant stadium or huge country field. ''All Tomorrow's Parties'' was a sponsorship-free festival where the organisers and artists stay in the same accommodation as the fans.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/arts/music/03parties.html |title=Flouting the Mainstream, Forgoing a Corporate Stamp |newspaper= The New York Times|date= 9 February 2010}}</ref>

===Bloc Weekend===
{{main |Bloc Weekend}}
'''Bloc Weekend''' is an annual music festival, devoted to [[electronic music]] of several genres, and incorporates both DJ sets and live shows. The first two Bloc events took place at [[Pontin's]] holiday camp in [[Norfolk]]. The 2009 event, which took place during 13–15 March, was moved to the larger Minehead resort. The 5,000 capacity event still sold out before the festival began. In 2010 and 2011, Bloc returned to Minehead for another sold-out show.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

==Butlins and Dodgem Cars==
Dodgem Cars, a brand of [[bumper cars]], were manufactured in the US by Dodgem Cars Ltd. Billy Butlin saw them and obtained the UK [[Franchising|franchise]]. As a result, a Skegness funfair owned by Billy Butlin saw the first Dodgems cars in the UK in 1923.

==Butlins Beaver Club on the radio==
In 1956 '''Butlins Beaver Club''' – ''with Uncle Eric Winstrone'' was heard in the United Kingdom and much of continental Europe on Sunday nights at 6:00&nbsp;pm over the 208&nbsp;m wavelength of [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]].

==Reds TV==
The origins of the in-house TV system began in 1995 when Butlins decided to make use of the then 'empty' fifth channel ([[5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] was still two years away from its launch). A teletext system was installed, together with a backing of incidental music, overseen by Redcoat/Stage Manager Tony Filer – and piped through to the guests' chalets to provide first an alternative, then an accompaniment to the printed programme of events. Filer (now a successful radio producer) installed a video camera in the new 'studio' to enable visiting celebrity interviews and 'Know your Redcoats' discussions to be shown. The Butlins 'Channel 5' name was changed to 'BTV' a year before the new fifth terrestrial TV channel launched – and later became known as 'Reds TV'.

==Publicity==

===Butlins badges===
[[File:butlins skegness 1938.jpg|thumb|right|Butlins Badge Skegness 1938]]
[[File:butlins filey 1945.jpg|thumb|right|Butlins Badge Filey 1945]]
[[File:butlins blackpool 1961.jpg|thumb|right|Butlins Badge Blackpool 1961]]
From 1936 until 1967, on arrival at Butlins each camper was issued with an enamel badge unique to that camp or hotel, 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. 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 made of [[die (manufacturing)|die]]-stamped metal (usually [[brass]]), highly polished or [[chrome plating|chrome plated]] with the brightly coloured design made of [[vitreous enamel]] using a process similar to [[Champlevé]] but the troughs being stamped in rather than carved.

Each badge was handmade by jewellery manufacturers in London, Dublin or in Birmingham's 'Jewellery Quarter'. It was the practice for some campers to keep badges from previous holidays and wear them all on a ribbon. Some have become collector's items. 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 [[Second World War]] years of 1940 to 1945 as the camps were taken over by the government 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 gap of the war years as the camp was the first to reopen after the war just in time for the end of the season in August 1945.

The Barry Island 1965 is particularly rare, as the badges were manufactured but never issued, due to the camp not opening that year as planned.

In 2004, Butlins has again begun selling similar style badges in their on-resort souvenir shops. Some of these are of a more modern design, whilst some are close or exact replicas of badges from Butlins earlier days. The current badges, however, serve no purpose in identifying guests and are available purely as nostalgic souvenirs. Many regular guests like to swap badges with Butlins staff, who often have special badges to swap which are not otherwise available to guests. The badge collection ribbons are also sold in Butlins shops and may be used to pin multiple badges to.

Members of the Premier Club (Butlins loyalty club for regular guests) receive a free badge each time they visit, with a new design given each year.<ref>[http://www.butlins.com/premier-club/offers-and-benefits/benefits.aspx#tabnav/ Premier Club Benefits on Butlins website]. Butlins. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>

===Slogans===
Throughout most of its history, Butlins has regularly advertised using various media. Examples of slogans include:
* Early slogans from the 1930s to 1950s included "Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight", "A weeks holiday for a weeks pay", "Holidays are Jollidays" and "Holidays with pay. Holidays with play!"
* 1960s "You'll have a really wonderful time at Butlins by the sea"
* 1970s "Butlinland is Freedomland" and "A holiday that's out of this world" (well known campaign that featured two blue-skinned alien characters called Toot and Ploot in various Butlin's locations).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8BQcAQAAMAAJ|title=Direct Marketing|date=24 January 1978|publisher=Hoke Communications|via=Google Books}}</ref><!-- page 69:  Toot and Ploot are two spacemen by Butlin's, one of England largest tavel agents. The space characters created by Manton, Woodyer, Ketley, and Partners are amazed and "un-earthly" happy about the travels and services offered by Butlin's. By now, the popularity of the two Venusians beats all records. -->
* Early 1980s "A little bit of this, and quite a lot of that"
* Mid 1980s "Butlin it once and you'll do it again!"
* 1990s "Let yourself go, and you won't want to leave" and "No.1 for family fun"
* Approx 1999–2002 "Come to life. Come to Butlins"
* Approx 2002–2004 "A million holidays. One Butlins"
* 2005–2007 "Kids love it"
* 2007–2009 "Altogether More Fun"
* 2010 "Isn't it time you came round to Butlins?"
* 2011 "Happy Days" then "Happiness is..."
* 2012 to 2014 "Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight" (a return to the very first, William Shakespeare-inspired slogan used by Sir Billy Butlin)
*2014 to 2020 "Butlins by the sea" same as the 1960s slogan with 'Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight' still very much in use around resort and for staff training
*2020 "Ready to Butlins"

==Butlins in popular culture==
{{in popular culture|section|date=May 2025}}

The 1947 film ''[[Holiday Camp (film)|Holiday Camp]]'' was filmed mainly on location at [[Butlins Filey]], although the [[establishing shot]] was of Butlins Skegness.

During the 1980s the [[BBC]] produced a sitcom called ''[[Hi-de-Hi!]]'' set in "Maplin's", a farcical holiday camp loosely styled on Butlins. Its writers ([[Jimmy Perry]] and [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]) had themselves been Redcoats at Butlins. A later documentary series called ''[[Redcoats (Butlins)#Redcoats TV series|Redcoats]]'' followed Redcoats through their seasons at Butlins.

In the film version of The Who's ''[[Tommy (1975 film)|Tommy]]'' (1975) there is a 'Bernie's Holiday Camp' where Tommy's mother meets her new husband.

Butlins is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Stay Free" on [[Give 'Em Enough Rope]], the second album by [[The Clash]].

The 1987 ''[[Doctor Who]]'' TV serial "[[Delta and the Bannermen]]" was filmed mainly at the Butlins camp on Barry Island, Wales. The camp is referred to as the 'Shangri-La' holiday camp, run by 'Burton'.

===Books===
Many books have been written about Butlins and its history, and about the life of Sir Billy Butlin. Some of these are:

* {{cite book |last= Read |first= Sue |title= Hello Campers! |publisher=[[Bantam Press]] |year= 1986 |isbn= 0-593-01039-6}}
* {{cite book |last= Butlin |first= Sir Billy |title= The Billy Butlin Story – A Showman to the End |publisher=[[Robson Books]] |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-86051-864-7}}
* {{cite book |last= North |first= Rex |title= The Butlin Story |publisher=[[Jarrolds]] |year= 1962 }}
* {{cite book |last= May |first= James |title= How to Land an Airbus A330 (In his book, May describes how one would go about escaping from a Butlins Holiday Camp) |publisher=[[Hodder Paperbacks]] |year= 2010 |isbn= 978-0-340-99458-0}}

There have also been a number of children's fiction books which include Butlins as a location or an integral part of the story. For example:

* {{cite book |last= Richards |first= Frank |title=Billy Bunter at Butlins |publisher=[[Cassell (publisher)|Cassell]] |year= 1961 }}<ref>[http://www.collectingbooksandmagazines.com/bunter.html/ Article about the author Frank Richards and his character "Billy Bunter"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218082743/http://www.collectingbooksandmagazines.com/bunter.html |date=18 February 2011 }}. Collectingbooksandmagazines.com. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>
* {{cite book |last= Creasey |first= John |title= The Toff at Butlins |location=London |publisher=[[Hodder and Stoughton]] |year= 1954 }}<ref>[http://www.johncreasey.co.uk// Books by author John Creasey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031004956/http://www.johncreasey.co.uk/ |date=31 October 2010 }}. Johncreasey.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2011.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Haven Holidays]]
* [[HIT Entertainment]]
* [[Holiday camp]]
* [[Pontin's]]
* [[Redcoats (Butlins)]]
* [[Resort]]

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* Detailed history of the Butlin's Grand Bahama episode at the Grand Bahama Museum website: {{cite web|url=https://www.grandbahamamuseum.org/exhibits/history-of-grand-bahama-and-freeport/butlins-west-end-debacle|website=grandbahamamuseum.org|publisher=Grand Bahama Museum|title=Butlin's West End Debacle|access-date=19 October 2024}}
* ''[[Life Magazine]]'' 1950 article and photos of "Mystery Flight" passengers flying to unfinished Butlin's Bahamas Vacation Village from Philadelphia: {{cite journal|journal=Life Magazine|title=Life Goes on a Mystery Flight|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BFMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA136|date=27 March 1950|page=136|volume=28|number=13}}
* ''[[Picture Post]]'' article with photos of the Butlin's Bahamas resort during its one season of operation:{{cite web|url=https://www.grandbahamamuseum.org/images/pdfs/gbm-butlins.pdf|publisher=Picture Post|date=17 June 1950|title=Butlin's in the Bahamas|page=31|access-date=20 October 2024}}
* [http://www.bygonebutlins.com BygoneButlins Butlins History]
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2005/06/30/coast05walks_start.shtml bbc.co.uk/somerset: The Minehead Meander]
* [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0750expats/newsletter/page.cfm?objectid=12533596&method=full&siteid=50082 ''South Wales Echo'' story about Butlins early career and first-holiday camp]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090325122824/http://www.arun.gov.uk/images/BognorRegisRegeneration/Butlins/Butlins_MasterplanConcept.jpg Bognor Regis Regeneration at Butlins]
* [http://www.butlins-memories.com/ Butlins Memories]
* [https://www.butlinsmemorabilia.co.uk/ Butlins Memories and Memorabilia]

{{Butlins}}

[[Category:Butlins| ]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1936]]
[[Category:Companies based in Dacorum]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Tourism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Hospitality companies established in 1936]]
[[Category:Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions]]