Ayr | Barry Island | Bognor Regis | Clacton | Filey | Minehead | Mosney | Pwllheli | Skegness
Photograph © Stephen Eblet
The beachcomber was amazing. Billy Butlin got the idea from a similarly themed club or bar in Mayfair London. Streams ran through an South Pacific themed bar down to a lagoon. The waitresses dressed in grass skirts etc. At the back of the lagoon which included a shipwreck mock up, was the cyclorama. This was a volcano, that erupted every so often, during a tropical thunderstorm, where torrential rain fell into the lagoon. Upstairs was the snooker hall. There were numerous snooker tables and this particular hall was where I first saw an American pool table, back in the 70's.
The red, white and black paint on the building is the colour scheme that was used throughout the camp, after it was turned into Amtree Park. The Butlins colour scheme was always blue and yellow. In this photo which was taken only a few weeks after Amtree went bust, you can see some of the old fairground buildings and the metal framework supported a clock and some advertising.
