Ayr | Barry Island | Bognor Regis | Clacton | Filey | Minehead | Mosney | Pwllheli | Skegness
Any additional information/corrections will be most welcome
| Name of Building or Attraction | Original Features | Changes between 1960 and 1986 | Changes during the "Southcoast World" rebuild in 1986/87 | Changes during the Rank Family Entertainment Resort rebuild in 1998/99 | Changes During Bourne Leisure (2000-2021) | Changes During Blackstone (2021-2022) | Changes During Harris Family (From 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reception (built 1960) |
Main reception, lost property, telephones, left luggage, coffee bar & camp offices. Also the Beachcomber Bar (Butlins' first) |
Main Butlins offices moved here (upstairs) after closure of Oxford Street site. | No major changes | Reception moved to Skyline Pavilion. Upstairs used for Bourne Leisure call centre, offices & archives (closed to public). Beachcomber Bar converted into 'Gala Bingo' hall. Remainder used for storage. | 2005 - Call centre & offices relocated to Hemel Hempstead 2007 - Gala Bingo closed 2008 - Former Gala Bingo used for Archery & Fencing briefly before building demolished later that same year. |
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| Gaiety (built 1960) |
Large Gaiety Theatre, Radio Butlin, Assorted shops | Supermarket added along with various changes to the shops including a new 'Fish Fry' restaurant. | Part of Gaiety Theatre converted into a Cinema (two screens, 200 seats each). Theatre remains open but obviously smaller. Nursery added. | Remainder of Theatre converted into Tom Cobleigh bar & restaurant. Cinema still open. Nursery moved to ex Kent Building. West side now forms part of Skyline Pavilion and houses newsagents, gift shop, Burger King, 'Stars' kids club & hair salon. | Tom Cobleigh renamed Sun & Moon pub. Holiday Booking Shop now along west side of Skyline Pavilion. Guest Services and Leisure hub moved to outside edge of the building, behind the holiday booking shop. Following the covid pandemic, guest services closed with notices advising to call head office number for any guest service calls, removing the face to face experience |
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| Princes (built 1960) |
Pig & Whistle Bar, Princes Ballroom, Disco, Ice Cream/Coffee Bar, Quiet Lounge, Skating Rink, Amusement Arcade & Snooker Room | No major changes | Renamed 'Ocean Complex Building'. Princes Ballroom became 'Ocean View' cabaret venue. Pig & Whistle became 'Manhattan Showbar'. Disco renamed 'Libertys'. | Ocean View now 'Centre Stage' (max 2000 capacity). Manhattan Showbar now 'Reds' (max 1000 capacity). Several new shops. Libertys nightclub becomes the 'Zone'. NW corner forms part of Skyline Pavilion. | No major changes | ||
| Regency (built 1960) |
Indoor Swimming Pool, Regency Ballroom, Coffee/Snack Bar, Regency Bar, TV Rooms, Table Tennis & Hairdressing Salon | Wrestling Stadium, Bingo Lounge & Chapel added | Building demolished. Site now occupied by new 'Splash' indoor Pool complex. | n/a | n/a | ||
| Kent (built 1960) |
Two large dining halls named 'Kent' and 'Windsor'. West side of building housed the 'Playhouse Theatre'. | Windsor renamed 'Grosvenor'. Holiday Fayre' restaurant also added | No major changes | Dining rooms still there but now known as 'Ocean Drive' (capacity 600) and 'Coral Beach' (capacity 700). Nursery added in former Playhouse Theatre area. | Ocean Drive Dining Room reduced in size to incorporate 'Coast' and 'Yacht Club' Premium dining rooms. Coral Beach was reduced in size by approximately two thirds in 2012 'The Deck' Premium Dining Room. |
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| Shopping Centre (built 1960) |
Attached to the east end of the Kent building. Housed a shopping centre on the first floor. Also contained the George IV bar, camp Chapel, Casino and indoor children's play area | 'Golden Grill' & 'Kwik Snak' restaurants added along with "new escalator" to first floor shops. | No major changes | Incorporated into the Skyline Pavilion & housing Bar Rosso, Harry Ramsden's & Swinging Shillelagh Bar | Harry Ramsden's converted to Finnigans and then into the Rosso Lounge in 2011. Swinging Shillelagh converted into Turner's Restaurant in 2011. | ||
| York (built 1960) |
York Dining Hall, Amusement Arcade, 'Blinking Owl' Bar, Children's Theatre, Indoor Bowls, Post Office, Table Tennis, Darts, Billiards & Badminton Court. Also served as entrance to funfair | Post Office & Shopping Arcade added | Children's Theatre converted into large indoor play area. 'Rendezvous' nightclub added | East end of building demolished in 2003 (ex Children's Theatre) for use as car park. Remainder used for 'Jumpin Jaks' entertainment venue, Pinewood Studios cafe/bar, nightclub, 'Green Baize' snooker & 'Megazone' Laser Arena. | Pinewood Studios converted to Papa John's. Green Baize removed and the top floor now houses the Shoreline Conference Centre. | ||
| Nursery (built 1960) |
Nursery, nappy washing, baby sitting & listening | No major changes | Building demolished & site used for new apartments known as 'Westergate Village'. Nursery moved to Gaiety Building. | Apartments now known as 'Atlantic Bay' | No major changes | ||
| Laundry (built 1960) |
Large building containing camp laundry, launderette, ironing room & cleaning facilities. | No major changes | Building demolished & site used for new apartments known as 'Westergate Village'. | Apartments now known as 'Atlantic Bay' | No major changes | ||
| Boating Lake (built 1960) |
Boating Lake | No major changes | No major changes | Lake left in place but out of use. One corner of lake was covered over for use as 'Fox Kids' outdoor play area | Lake filled in during 2007 to make way for the Ocean Hotel. | ||
| Outdoor Pool (built 1960) |
Traditional Butlins rectangular pool with fountains either end. Located in front of Reception building. | Converted into a funpool in 1983 | Remained a funpool | Remained a funpool | Filled in 2007-08 and area landscaped following the construction of the Ocean Hotel | ||
| Amusement Park (built 1960) |
Indoor/outdoor amusement park containing all the Butlin favourites. The indoor section joined onto the rear of the York building. | No major changes except for different rides coming and going. | No major changes | Indoor section demolished along with some of the older original rides. Still there but smaller with fewer rides. | No major changes | ||
| West Camp Chalets (built 1960) |
Full board chalets. Also known as 'Red Camp' & 'Yellow Camp'. | Some chalets converted into self-catering apartments | Chalets refurbished and re-named 'Runcton Village' & 'Yapton Village'. | Refurbished again and renamed 'Oyster Bay'. Some converted into 'Deluxe' apartments | Some chalets demolished when the Ocean Hotel was built to ensure that the overall capacity of the resort remained the same, with further chalets being demolished when the Wave Hotel was built in 2012 for the same reason. The Wave Hotel was built in 2011 - 2012 in the space created by the demolition. | ||
| East Camp Chalets (built 196?) |
Self-catering chalets. Also known as 'Blue Camp'. | No major changes | Chalets refurbished and re-named 'Barnham Village'. | Refurbished again and renamed 'Starfish Quay'. Some apartments now reserved for staff only. | Demolished during 2018/2019 season, now site of Splash family pool | ||
| South Camp Chalets (built 1960s) |
Chalets | No major changes | All demolished & site used for new apartments known as 'Westergate Village'. | Apartments now known as 'Atlantic Bay' | No major changes | ||
| Indoor Funpool (built 1987) |
Large indoor subtropical water world known as 'Aquasplash' |
n/a | Built new on site of old Regency Building | Renamed 'Splash' with various new water features added | New changing rooms added complete with access from Skyline Pavilion. Demolised during the 2020/2021 covid lockdown period ready for re-opening post Covid lockdown |
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| Plaza (built 1987) |
Continental style food court | n/a | Built new on open land between the Aquasplash & Princes Building (formerly known as the Sunbathing Lawns). | Now Hotshots (10-pin bowling), Sports Bar & Amusement Arcade. Forms south side of Skyline Pavilion. | No major changes | ||
| Go Karts & Miniature Railway (built 1987) |
n/a | n/a | Go Karts on site of former Tennis Courts between Princes Building & seafront. Railway ran around outside of Go Kart track. Both removed end of 1991. Go Karts later moved to funfair. | Site now used for car parking | Still used for car parking. | ||
| New Apartments (built 1987) |
New apartments | n/a | Built new on site of old nursery & laundry buildings, South Camp and parking area, known as 'Westergate Village'. | Now known as 'Atlantic Bay' | No major changes | ||
| Skyline Pavilion (built 1999) |
80,000 sq ft covered area housing 'Fox Kids' play area, 'Toyland', Skyline Cafe, amusements & stage area for live shows. Various shops & restaurants. | n/a | n/a | Built new on land in-between the former Kent, Gaiety, Plaza & Princes buildings (part of which was formerly the Putting Green) | 'Toyland' later became known as 'Bob the Builder's Yard' and then, in 2012, as 'Castle Courtyard Cafe was rebranded to Costa coffee during the 2022 Season |
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| Shoreline Hotel (Opened in 2005) |
New hotel | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on former car park site next to the seafront and east of the old Princes building | ||
| Ocean Hotel (Opened in 2009) |
New £20 million hotel including Spa | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on the former Boating Lake | ||
| Wave Hotel (Opened in 2012) |
New £25 million hotel including apartments as well as hotel rooms | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on the site of some former Oyster Bay Chalets, close to the Atlantic Bay Chalets | ||
| Splash (Opened in April 2019) |
New £40 million, 950 person capacity, 6,300 square meter family pool | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on the site of the former Starfish Quay Accomodation | ||
| Studio 36 (Opened in 2021) |
New all weather events space for upto 1600 people | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on the site of the former indoor pool |
