107-632: Butlin's is a chain of large seaside resorts 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 and one in the Bahamas . In the 1970s and 1980s, Butlin's also operated numerous large hotels, including one in Spain,
214-453: A Skyline Pavilion and since that time has undergone further improvements and maintenance in 2011 the resort underwent more development with the introduction of a new guest catering restaurant called The Deck, a new Italian styled restaurant called Ludo's (named after the dinosaur that appeared in the 2010/11 TV adverts), in 2013 the new Splash Waterworld opened adding a new pool area to the resort and plans have recently been submitted to modernise
321-553: A brand of bumper cars , were manufactured in the US by Dodgem Cars Ltd. Billy Butlin saw them and obtained the UK franchise . As a result, a Skegness funfair owned by Billy Butlin saw the first Dodgems cars in the UK in 1923. 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 pm over the 208 m wavelength of Radio Luxembourg . The origins of
428-1171: A deal with the BBC to gain access to Rank's nineteen feature offerings. In 1987, the Rank Film Distributors group received a $ 100 million fund for film financing, and the Rank Film and Television division had invested in $ 32 million that they would take the budget against non-U.S. rights. In 1995, the Rank Group acquired all the outstanding shares of the Rank Organisation. In spring 1997, the Rank Group sold Rank Film Distributors, including its library of 749 films, to Carlton Communications for £65 million and immediately became known as Carlton/RFD Ltd. Pinewood Studios and Odeon Cinemas were both sold off in February 2000 for £62 million and £280 million respectively. The company finally severed its remaining connections with
535-539: 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 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
642-482: A group profit of over £6 million and stated 41% of its film production income came from overseas. In October 1964 Davis reported profits of £4.6 million. From 1959 to 1969, the company made over 500 weekly short cinema films in a series entitled Look At Life , each film depicting an area of British life. From 1971 to 1976, Rank only invested around £1.5 million a year in film production. According to executive Tony Williams "the two main streams that they were down to
749-408: 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. Butlins Pwllheli
856-529: 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
963-658: A new outdoor fountain area that replaced the outdoor pool, the fountains go along with music (every hour) and lights. Butlins opened a new Splash Waterworld at the Bognor Regis resort in spring 2019 carrying a vintage seaside funfair theme. There are various large entertainment venues within the resorts including Centre Stage, Studio 36, Reds and Skyline Stage. Additionally, there are 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
1070-767: A number of smaller holiday parks in England and France, and a revolving restaurant in the Post Office Tower in London. 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
1177-655: A seaside resort dedicated to tourism with a large fishing fleet of recreational charter boats. Seaside resorts on the Flemish coast of West-Vlaanderen exist at the famous Knokke , Ostend and also De Panne and coastal towns along the North Sea served by the coastal tramway Kusttram run by De Lijn . There are many seaside resorts on the jagged coastline of Croatia and its several islands, including: With three long coastlines, France has many seaside resorts on its various coasts; for specific towns in each region, see
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#17327810140921284-579: 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 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 million. The number of camps peaked at ten between 1966 and 1980, but
1391-575: A spokesman for Rank. The following year, Rank reported a record pre-tax profit of £102 million. According to Tony Williams: After a time Rank Film Distributors was in trouble because they hadn't got any new product. So Rank Film Distributors was then given chunks of money to go and buy into pictures because they made a blunder. And they carried on, on that basis, not directly making them and they had no direct control over what they made at all, no influence. They just bought into pictures. They did an output deal with Orion and that carried on until they sold
1498-443: 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 emerged – and later became known as 'Reds TV'. 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
1605-405: A supervised arts & crafts room, " 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. 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
1712-597: A unique architectural style called resort architecture . The coast of Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania alone has an overall length of 2000 km and is nicknamed German Riviera . Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg , established in 1793, is the oldest seaside resort in Germany and continental Europe . Most important coastal areas with seaside resorts in Germany: Selection of German seaside resorts along
1819-604: A visit being considered as treatment for chest complaints. Owing to its generally better climate, the south coast has many seaside towns, the most being in Sussex . In the later 20th century, the popularity of the British seaside resort declined for the same reason that it first flourished: advances in transport. The greater accessibility of foreign holiday destinations, through package holidays and, more recently, European low-cost airlines , makes it easier to holiday abroad. Despite
1926-432: A wider audience. The Rank Organisation was established, as a means for Rank to consolidate his filmmaking interests, in 1937. A loose collective of filmmakers was established by Rank under the banner of Independent Producers Ltd. including The Archers , consisting of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger , Cineguild Productions , consisting of David Lean , Ronald Neame , John Bryan , and Anthony Havelock-Allan ,
2033-467: 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
2140-553: Is included in the cost of the holiday or day visitor entry. 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
2247-581: Is not always true; for example Broadstairs in Kent has retained much of its old world charm with Punch and Judy and donkey rides and still remains popular, being only one hour from the M25 . Brighton has also seen a fall in visitor numbers in recent years. The city has also experienced a rise in homelessness, especially noticeable on the city streets and in green spaces where tents have been erected. Rank Organisation The Rank Organisation (founded as
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#17327810140922354-732: Is now wholly owned by the Harris Family Trust. 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 landlady , which was normal practice at the time. 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
2461-530: 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 million redevelopment of the Splash Waterworld that features 2 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
2568-805: Is particularly known for its beaches. All seaside resorts in Jordan are located in Aqaba , the only seaport in Jordan. Seaside resorts of Aqaba include Ayla Oasis and Marsa Zayed in the Tala Bay region. Many seaside resorts are located in Gyeongsang , Jeolla , Chungcheong , Gangwon , Gyeonggi , Incheon , Ulsan and Busan . The following are the main resort towns in Malta : Mexican resorts are popular with many North American residents, with Mexico being
2675-600: The Baltic Sea coastline: At the North Sea coastline: Greece, renowned as a summer destination, features a large amount of seaside resorts. Some of them include: India has a long coastline and hence has numerous beaches and resort towns. Beaches were already a popular tourist destination for the kings and the masses alike especially in South India where the Dravidian Empires built large temples near
2782-602: The Bush Radio manufacturing facility and began to diversify its interests. In the early 1960s Rank took over Murphy Radio to form the Rank Bush Murphy Group (which was eventually sold to Great Universal Stores in 1978). In 1956 Rank began a partnership with the Haloid Corporation to form Rank Xerox , to manufacture and promote its range of plain paper photocopying equipment. In later years,
2889-764: The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador . Spanish resorts are popular with many European and world residents. Notable resorts on the mainland and islands include: Some examples of Ukrainian seaside resort towns are: The United Kingdom saw the popularisation of seaside resorts , and nowhere was this more seen than in Blackpool . Blackpool catered for workers from across industrial Northern England , who packed its beaches and promenade . Other northern seaside towns (for example Bridlington , Cleethorpes , Morecambe , Scarborough , Skegness , and Southport ) shared in
2996-469: The J. Arthur Rank Organisation ) is a British entertainment conglomerate founded by industrialist J. Arthur Rank in April 1937, Rank also served as the company chairman. It quickly became the largest and most vertically integrated film company in the United Kingdom, owning production, distribution, and exhibition facilities as well as manufacturing projection equipment and chairs. It also diversified into
3103-662: The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea . Most tourists come from the United States and European countries. Other resorts include: Italy is known for its seaside resorts, visited both by Italian and European tourists. Many of these resorts have a history of tourism which dates back to the 19th century. Resorts include (among many others): There are seaside resorts in Honshu , Shikoku , and Kyushu , but Okinawa
3210-537: The Royal Ballet . In February 1956 Davis announced Rank would make 20 films at over £3 million. He said "great care will be taken to ensure that, while retaining essentially British characteristics the films will have the widest international appeal. This is part of an intensified drive to secure ever widening showing in overseas markets which already return more than half the revenue earned by Pinewood films." That year, Rank announced it would set up distribution in
3317-468: The 1850s and 1860s. The growth was intensified by the practice among the Lancashire cotton mill owners of closing the factories for a week every year to service and repair machinery. These became known as wakes weeks . Each town's mills would close for a different week, allowing Blackpool to manage a steady and reliable stream of visitors over a prolonged period in the summer. A prominent feature of
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3424-467: The 18th-20th centuries. In the past the resorts have received mostly domestic tourism, however, since the 1990s, following the opening of Polish borders, the international tourism has grown considerably. Notable resorts include: Many European and world tourists visit Portuguese resorts, particularly those on the Algarve and Madeira . Notable resorts include: The Romanian Black Sea resorts stretch from
3531-531: 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 devastating floods of 31 January 1953 ; the site was later purchased by the Norfolk Naturalists Trust in 1965. In the late 1940s, Butlin's launched a ambitious project to build a 1000-guest resort at West End , Grand Bahama Island in
3638-457: 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
3745-762: The 540-room Ponce de Leon Hotel and the Hotel Alcazar , and bought the Casa Monica Hotel the next year. Continental European attitudes towards gambling and nudity tended to be more lax than in Britain, and British and French entrepreneurs were quick to exploit the possibilities. In 1863, the Prince of Monaco , Charles III and François Blanc , a French businessman, arranged for steamships and carriages to take visitors from Nice to Monaco, where large luxury hotels, gardens and casinos were built. The place
3852-758: 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 (1978), Llandudno (1981), London (1993),
3959-839: 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. 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
4066-620: The Cannes Film Festival in 1980, Ed Chilton of Rank announced a £12 million slate of projects. However, by June, they withdrew from production once again. "The decision was made to plunge on in and then it was pulled back", said Williams. The Rank films that had been announced for production – including an adaptation of HMS Ulysses , The Rocking Horse Winner and a film version of To the Manor Born – were cancelled. "It now takes too long to recoup money on films," said
4173-921: The Danube Delta in the north down to the Romanian-Bulgarian border in the south, along 275 kilometers of coastline. Notable seaside resorts in South America include Búzios , Camboriú , Florianópolis , Fortaleza , Recife and Salvador in Brazil ; Mar del Plata in Argentina ; Piriapolis and Punta del Este in Uruguay ; Easter Island and Viña del Mar in Chile ; Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia ; and Guayaquil , Salinas and
4280-517: The East of Ireland developed after the introduction of rail travel. The Dublin and Kingstown Railway introduced day-trippers from Dublin to Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire ) in South Dublin , and the coastal town became Ireland's first seaside resort. Other South Dublin towns and villages such as Sandycove , Dalkey and Killiney grew as seaside resorts when the rail network was expanded. Since
4387-709: The Firth of Clyde have continued to prosper as middle-class commuter towns . Some resorts, especially those more southerly such as Hastings , Worthing , Eastbourne , Bournemouth , and Brighton were built as new towns or extended by local landowners to appeal to wealthier holidaymakers. Others came about due to their proximity to large urban areas of population, such as Southend-on-Sea , which became increasingly popular with residents of London once rail links were established to it allowing day trips from London. The sunshine and sea air were seen by Victorians as beneficial for health, and resorts such as Ventnor owed their growth to
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4494-666: The German Seebad . Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists , it may be called a beach resort . Seaside resorts have existed since antiquity. In Roman times, the town of Baiae by the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy was a resort for those who were sufficiently prosperous. Barcola by the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy with its Roman luxury villas is considered a special example of ancient leisure culture by
4601-475: The Premier Club (Butlins loyalty club for regular guests) receive a free badge each time they visit, with a new design given each year. Seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, town , village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast . Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements such as in
4708-468: The Sands and Silver Dream Racer . Many of these stories were set in the past. "You have to go back in time to tell a story that doesn't have to face seventies problems", said Williams in 1978. "What people are nostalgic for isn't necessarily any particular period, but the happier values that are missing today." Few of these new Rank films performed well at the box office, losing £1.6 million overall. At
4815-488: 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 , Pizza Hut , Turner's, an amusement arcade, an information counter (termed "infunmation point"), and various shops selling novelties, souvenirs, and groceries. Many of
4922-608: The Stingers , Wilbert Harrison , Skip & Flip , Andy Stewart , Craig Douglas and John Leyton . A US branch operated from 1959 to 1961; its artists included Jack Scott , Dorothy Collins , and The Fireballs . Rank Audio Visual was created in 1960, bringing together Rank's acquisitions in multimedia, including Bell & Howell (acquired with Gaumont British in 1941), Andrew Smith Harkness Ltd (1952) and Wharfedale Ltd (1958). Subsequent acquisitions included Strand Electric Holdings (1968) and H.J. Leak & Co. (1969). In
5029-739: The UK, opening its first services at Farthing Corner on the M2 in Kent in 1963. Top Rank operated a portfolio of 10 service areas until the takeover of Mecca Leisure Group by the Rank Group in 1991, when they were spun off to ex-Mecca CEO Michael Guthrie under the name Pavilion (later acquired by Granada and now forming part of Moto Hospitality ). There were other small specialised groups, including Rank Taylor Hobson who made inspection equipment, Rank Cintel who made telecine (television film scanners) machines, and Gaumont Kalee who made audio analysis equipment. During this period, Rank started focussing on primarily solidly commercial ventures, largely aimed at
5136-528: The US. In October Davis listed the Rank actors he thought could become international stars: Dirk Bogarde , Peter Finch , Kay Kendall , Jeannie Carson , Virginia McKenna , Belinda Lee , Michael Craig , Tony Wright , Maureen Swanson and Kenneth More . In October 1957, at the 21st birthday for Pinewood Studios, Davis said Rank would make 18 films this year and 20 the next, with the latter costing £5 million. However cinema attendances fell. In September 1958
5243-421: 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
5350-426: 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. There are a number of attractions and facilities at each resort provided especially for younger children. These include playgrounds,
5457-471: The all-covering beachwear of the period was considered immodest. By the end of the century the English coastline had over 100 large resort towns, some with populations exceeding 50,000. The development of the seaside resort abroad was stimulated by the well-developed English love of the beach. The French Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea had already become a destination for the British upper class by
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#17327810140925564-605: 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 collectors' items. Additional badges included 'Second Week' badges, Staff badges, 'Concessionaire' badges (for visiting tradesmen – these badges are distinguished by
5671-457: The business experienced the problems being faced by the British seaside holiday industry as a whole, with the introduction of cheap package holidays to Mediterranean resorts 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
5778-437: 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
5885-404: The company had lost £1,264,000 on films causing the group's profit to drop from £5 million to £1.8 million. John Davis wound up several long term contracts Rank had with talent. "The trouble with some of them is they won't work," he said. "They lose their sense of proportion." To recoup some of their losses, Rank sold Ealing Studios and its library to Associated British Picture Corporation . In
5992-519: The development of Beach Resorts where Europeans used to visit during the harsh and cold winter of Europe. The archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are also famous for beach resorts. Other beach resorts in India includes: The 'Irish Riviera' on the South Coast of Ireland features the seaside resorts of Youghal , Ardmore , Dungarvan , Cóbh and Ballycotton , all set close to
6099-452: 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 -stamped metal (usually brass ), highly polished or chrome plated with
6206-577: The end of the 18th century. In 1864, the first railway to Nice was completed, making the Riviera accessible to visitors from all over Europe. By 1874, foreign residents in Nice, mostly British, numbered 25,000. The coastline became renowned for attracting the royalty of Europe, including Queen Victoria and King Edward VII . In the United States , early seaside resorts in the late 1800s catered to
6313-414: 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 players and 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
6420-427: The family market. These include the popular Norman Wisdom comedies, the Doctor films series and, later, Rank took on the Carry On film series from Anglo-Amalgamated . Films of note were produced during this era including Carve Her Name with Pride , Sapphire , A Night to Remember and Victim , as well as a clutch of prestige topics such as the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and filmed performances by
6527-424: The filmmaking duo of Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat , and the directors Ken Annakin and Muriel Box . The Company of Youth , the Rank Organisation's associated acting school often referred to as "The Charm School", was founded in 1945. It launched several careers including those of Donald Sinden , Dirk Bogarde , Diana Dors and Christopher Lee . Although she was not a member of the school, Petula Clark
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#17327810140926634-427: The first ITV television contract holder for the south of England . In the late 1950s, The Rank Organization set up Rank Records Ltd. , the record label division was named Top Rank Records and Jaro Records (a US subsidiary). In 1960, Top Rank Records was taken over by EMI , and in 1962 they replaced it with Stateside Records . Top Rank Records artists included Gary U.S. Bonds , the Shirelles , B. Bumble and
6741-444: The first chalets is still standing at the Skegness resort and is now heritage listed and a historical display only. 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
6848-453: The following articles: Germany is known for its traditional seaside resorts on the Baltic Sea and the North Sea coasts, mainly established in the 19th century. In German they are called Seebad ("Sea Spa") or Seeheilbad , sometimes with Ostsee- or Nordsee- as prefixes for the respective coastline. The most prestigious resorts can be found along the Baltic coastline, including the islands of Rugia and Usedom . They often feature
6955-438: 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, 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
7062-425: The in-house TV system began in 1995 when Butlins decided to make use of the then 'empty' fifth 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
7169-409: The industry; in particular they led film director David Lean , responsible for some of Rank's most critically and financially successful films, to look elsewhere for backing. J. Arthur Rank stepped down as managing director of the Rank Organisation in 1952, but remained as chairman until 1962. In October 1955 the company reported its film production was "satisfactory". In 1945, the company bought
7276-424: The largest resort out of the three remaining open parks. 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
7383-439: The late 1950s Sydney Box became head of production although he retired from the industry in 1959. In January 1960, John Davis announced that Rank would concentrate on bigger budgeted, internationally focused productions. In 1961 they announced a production slate of a dozen films worth £7 million. In October 1962 Lord Rank resigned as chairman of the company and was replaced by managing director Davis. That year to company made
7490-549: 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. 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
7597-410: The loyalty of returning holidaymakers, resorts such as Blackpool have struggled to compete against the hotter weather of Southern Europe and the sunbelt in the United States . Now, many symbols of the traditional British resort ( holiday camps , end-of-the-pier shows and saucy postcards ) are regarded by some as drab and outdated; the skies are imagined to be overcast and the beach windswept. This
7704-521: The manufacture of radios, TVs and photocopiers (as one of the owners of Rank Xerox ). The company name lasted until February 1996, when the name and some of the remaining assets were absorbed into the newly structured Rank Group plc . The company itself became a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox and was renamed XRO Limited in 1997. The company logo, the Gongman , first used in 1935 by the group's distribution company General Film Distributors and seen in
7811-493: The mid and late 1970s, Rank Audio Visual made a 3-in-1 stereo music centre, as well as TV sets in conjunction with NEC of Japan. The production of the "classic" Rank TV ran in the mid to late 70s, some interim models appeared and the "modern" Rank TV appeared in the early 1980s. The NEC badge did not appear in the PAL /220/240 volt countries until the mid-1980s. Top Rank was one of the early operators of motorway service areas in
7918-462: The middle and working classes began with the development of the railways in the 1840s; they offered cheap travel to fast-growing resort towns. In particular, the branch line to the small seaside town of Blackpool from Poulton-le-Fylde led to a sustained economic and demographic boom. A sudden influx of visitors arriving by rail motivated entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and rapid growth throughout
8025-630: The north coast, with its two beaches and a world-famous golf course, Royal Portrush Golf Club . Other Ulster seaside resorts are Newcastle , located on the east coast at the foot of the Mourne Mountains; Ballycastle ; Portstewart ; Rathmullan ; Bundoran and Bangor . Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland and the marina has on occasion been awarded the Blue Flag for attention to environmental issues. The main seaside towns in
8132-626: The opening of Bray Daly Station in 1852, the County Wicklow coastal town of Bray has become the largest seaside resort on the East Coast of Ireland. The town of Greystones , five miles south of Bray, also grew as a seaside resort when the railway line was extended in 1855. Other seaside resorts include Courtown and Rosslare Strand in County Wexford . Ulster has a number of seaside resorts, such as Portrush , situated on
8239-512: The opening titles of the films, became a celebrated and enduring film emblem. The company founder J. Arthur Rank, born in Kingston upon Hull , UK, was already a wealthy industrialist through his father's flour milling business, Joseph Rank Ltd , before making his start in filmmaking by financing short religious subjects in line with his Methodist beliefs. As Rank was a Methodist Sunday School Teacher, he wished to introduce these beliefs to
8346-472: The other venues and attractions in the resort can be accessed directly from within the Skyline Pavilion also. 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
8453-506: The outbreak of the 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 , part of Bourne Leisure , who previously owned both brands. In 1945, with
8560-423: The resort once again with further investment into new restaurants and stores. 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. 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
8667-530: The resort was the promenade and the pleasure piers , where an eclectic variety of performances vied for the people's attention. In 1863, the North Pier in Blackpool was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for elite visitors. Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor. Many popular beach resorts were equipped with bathing machines , because even
8774-555: The same accommodation as the fans. 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. Dodgem Cars,
8881-523: The sea. Mersea Island in Essex , England was a seaside holiday destination for wealthy ancient Romans living in Colchester . The development of the beach as a popular leisure resort from the mid-19th century was the first manifestation of what is now the global tourist industry. The first seaside resorts were opened in the 18th century for the aristocracy, who began to frequent the seaside as well as
8988-402: The seashore. Beaches are also associated with Hindu rituals where pilgrims from different parts of India go for worshipping rituals. The sun rise and Sunset are also associated with Hindu traditions which are considered sacred my many Hindu communities and there are festivals to celebrate the sunset and sunrise. A major example of such festivals is Chhath Puja . The British Raj also contributed in
9095-670: The second most visited country in the Americas. Notable resorts on the mainland and the Baja Gold Coast and Peninsula include: There are many seaside resorts on the Dutch coast, chiefly in the provinces of North Holland , South Holland and Zeeland , as well as on the West Frisian Islands . A selection includes: Poland's coast on the Baltic Sea includes many traditional seaside resorts established throughout
9202-627: The ships bringing the trade could berth. Another area notable for its seaside resorts was (and is) the Firth of Clyde , outside Glasgow. Glaswegians would take a ferry "doon the watter" from the city, down the River Clyde , to the Firth's islands and peninsulas and beyond, such as Cowal , Bute , Arran , and Kintyre . Resorts include Rothesay , Lamlash , Whiting Bay , Dunoon , Tighnabruaich , Carrick Castle , Helensburgh , Largs , Millport and Campbeltown . In contrast to many resorts, some on
9309-414: The shooting match. Then the decision was made to get out of (the) film (industry), so RFD was closed down, Rank Film Advertising was sold off, eventually, the laboratories went. Cinemas was the last one to go. In 1982, the company partnered with Andre Blay Corporation to license its British title library to home video. In 1986, Rank Film Distributors, and archrival Cannon Screen Entertainment had signed
9416-403: 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. 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. Butlins Skegness
9523-633: The site of the old east bank fort and windmill. It is currently known as Harbour Park . 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, Brand New Heavies, Toyah, Buzzcocks, Rick Astley, David Gest & Friends and many more. Madness have also held three weekends in Minehead on their House of Fun tour, taking over
9630-614: The south coast of Ireland . Youghal has been a favoured holiday destination for over 100 years, situated on the banks of the River Blackwater as it reaches the sea. Dungarvan is a seaside market town beneath the mountains in the centre of the Irish south coast. Kinsale is often described as a food lover's and yachting town, with a diverse range of restaurants, as well as a large and active creative community with numerous art galleries and record and book shops. Seaside resorts in
9737-623: The success of this new concept, especially from trade during wakes weeks . The concept spread rapidly to other British coastal towns, including several on the coast of North Wales , notably Rhyl , and Llandudno , the largest resort in Wales and known as "The Queen of the Welsh Resorts", from as early as 1864. As the 19th century progressed, British working class day-trippers travelled on organised trips such as railway excursions , or by steamer , for which long piers were erected so that
9844-477: The then fashionable spa towns, for recreation and health. One of the earliest such seaside resorts was Scarborough in Yorkshire during the 1720s; it had been a popular spa town since a stream of acidic water was discovered running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town in the 17th century. The first rolling bathing machines were introduced by 1735. In 1793, Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg , Germany
9951-446: The waning film company assets were hastily converted and pressed into 'Rank Xerox' service. This venture was a huge gamble but ultimately the company's saving grace, until, once more in financial difficulties, it signed off increasing percentages of its holdings, to the parent company, finally becoming fully integrated into Xerox in the late 1990s. Rank was also a significant shareholder in the consortium which became Southern Television ,
10058-628: 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
10165-861: The wealthy, including city businessmen. Cape May, New Jersey became one of the first coastal resorts in the United States, when regular steamboat traffic on the Delaware River began after the War of 1812. Early visitors to Cape May included Henry Clay in 1847, and Abraham Lincoln in 1849. By 1880, Henry Flagler had extended several rail lines southward down the US Atlantic coastline, enticing northern upper-class families south to subtropical Florida. The Florida East Coast Railway brought northern tourists to St. Augustine in greater numbers, and by 1887 Flagler began to build two large ornate hotels in St. Augustine,
10272-578: The west of Ireland are in County Clare ; the largest are Lahinch and Kilkee . Lahinch is a popular surfing location. Like British resorts, many seaside towns in Ireland have turned to other entertainment industries. Larger resorts such as Bray or Portrush host air shows , while most resorts host summer festivals. Israel is a major tourist area. Tourism in Israel is one of the major sources of income, with beautiful beaches, such as those found on
10379-502: The whole resort for the weekend. All Tomorrow's Parties was a music festival which takes place at Minehead. 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
10486-520: Was Carry On pictures and horror films made by Kevin Francis". However, in 1976, Rank enjoyed much success with Bugsy Malone (which they co-produced with Paramount Pictures , who held its American rights). This encouraged them to re-enter film production. In 1977, Rank appointed Tony Williams head of production and over two years Rank made eight films worth £10 million, including Eagle's Wing , The Shout , The Thirty Nine Steps , Riddle of
10593-467: 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. . In an early use of the name, in 1932 Billy Butlin opened an amusement park called Butlins Park at Littlehampton on
10700-526: Was founded as the first seaside resort of the European continent, which successfully attracted Europe's aristocracy to the Baltic Sea . The opening of the resort in Brighton and its reception of royal patronage from King George IV extended the seaside as a resort for health and pleasure to the much larger London market, and the beach became a centre for upper-class pleasure and frivolity. This trend
10807-568: Was now called), owned: Despite funding films which were both popular and critically acclaimed, Rank was in crisis by 1949, having built up a debt of £16 million, and reported an annual loss of £3.5 million. Managing Director John Davis cut staff, reduced budgets and concentrated film production at Pinewood. Other studio facilities (in Islington ) were closed, sold (Lime Grove Studios) or leased (Denham). The Rank Organisation closed Independent Producers Ltd. The policies of Davis alienated many in
10914-611: 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
11021-490: Was praised and artistically elevated by the new romantic ideal of the picturesque landscape; Jane Austen 's unfinished novel Sanditon is an example of that. Later, Queen Victoria 's long-standing patronage of the Isle of Wight and Ramsgate in Kent ensured that a seaside residence was considered a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home. The extension of this form of leisure to
11128-662: Was renamed Monte Carlo . Commercial seabathing also spread to other areas of the United States and parts of the British Empire such as Australia , where surfing became popular in the early 20th century. By the 1970s cheap and affordable air travel was the catalyst for the growth of a global tourism market. Since the late 20th century, recreational fishing and leisure boat pursuits have become very lucrative, and traditional fishing villages are often well positioned to take advantage of this. Destin, Florida , for instance, has evolved from an artisanal fishing village into
11235-490: 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. 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. Butlins Minehead was opened to the public on 26 May 1962. It underwent substantial renovation in
11342-411: 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 . 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
11449-474: Was under contract to Rank for a period of time and starred in a number of films released by the studio, including London Town (1946), one of the costliest flops in British film history. Also under contract to Rank was the Canadian actor Philip Gilbert . The company grew quickly, largely through acquisition. Significant developments included: By the late 1940s J. Arthur Rank (or the Rank Organisation as it
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