Memories of Filey from about 1970 by Valerie Roberts Back

My family visited Butlins Filey in about 1970. I was around 10 years old. We lived in Manchester and I remember travelling there by train and then getting a bus to the park.

My brother and I thought Butlins was fantastic, all those free rides, the swimming pool, roller skating, the shows which the Red Coats used to perform (I remember falling in love with Clive - he was gorgous).

Our parents thought the chalets were disgusting, the bedding was dirty and the mattresses were apparently flea ridden. My brother and I shared bunk beds. I remember they went out one night and left us at the chalet, there were no toilet facilities in the chalet and we were too frightened to go outside by ourselves so I weed in a metal waste paper bucket, only to find when mum and dad came back that it had a hole in the bottom.

I remember prunes at breakfast time and the queues waiting to be served. We thought it was fun and we made lots of friends who we kept in touch with for a while. I remember entering competitions and having family photos taken and going to Filey beach for the day. Those good old days.

Valerie Roberts