Hi-De-Hi

19 August 2005



Butlins Tries to Re-Invent Itself

Butlins is a British institution rather like jellied eels or half-day Wednesdays, things rapidly passing into history as the 21st century makes them obsolete. However, the holiday camp invented by Billy Butlin in 1936 with his resort in Skegness isn’t going quietly. A major effort to re-brand Butlins took a big step forward this week when its first hotel, the £10m Shoreline in Bognor Regis, opened. A bold move some think, but for Butlins, the decision was easy; the old brand was on life-support.

When he started it in the pre-war years, Mr. Butlin offered something new to the rising middle class of Britain. They could go on holiday and not get kicked out of their bed and breakfast during the day. Entertainment was on-site. In short, they got taken care of. And all that for £2 12/ 6d a week – which for those who don’t remember British currency before decimalization in 1971, was about £2.60, give or take. How that translates into 2005 prices is tough to say, but around £100 wouldn’t be far off the mark. As a percentage of wages, it was rather more than that. Still, it was enough of a bargain to make Mr. Butlin rich and to make the Redcoats who entertain and organize fun a cultural icon.

By the 1980s, though, the shine had worn off Butlins. Indeed, the word “Butlins” became a slang in parts of Britain for “prison.” The 1980s sitcom “Hi-De-Hi,” set at a Butlins resort brought out the very worst stereotypes of the holiday experience, and some of the worst British comedy in a decade that produced some of the best. Meanwhile, cheap airfares had hit Europe, and the Brits discovered Spain and sunshine.

Jim Forward, the Butlins fellow who oversaw the Shoreline project, said, “We wanted to create a contemporary space for families with big windows and modern colours. We want people to say ‘I didn't expect this at Butlins’.” At £79 a night, it’s competitive, but the real issue is whether there are enough people who want to take a break in Bognor Regis when that same amount could put them up in Amsterdam, Barcelona or Mykonos.

The Lady Mayor of Bognor said, “It's the first step to regenerating Bognor's image. Without Butlins, Bognor Regis would slowly die. In the past it's created the wrong image but with this hotel, it's being rebuilt to give the town a lift.” And what is being lost? As one taxi driver remarked to the BBC, “The hotel looks lovely but I can't help thinking about how the character of the beach is being lost. What happened to the donkey rides, the packed beach and the Punch and Judy?” Or the jellied eels.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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