Minehead Over the Years Back

 Name of Building or Attraction 

 Original Features 

 Changes from 1963 to 1985 

 Changes during the "Somerwest World" rebuild in 1985/86 

 Changes from 1987 to 1997 

 Changes during the rebuild in 1998/1999 

 Changes since 1999 

 Regency (Later Renamed "Sunsplash")
(Built 1962) 

 Housed the Old Time Ballroom, Regency Coffee Bar,Rock 'n' roll Ballroom, Indoor heated pool, Games Room & Bingo 

 No major changes 

 "The Sunsplash" pool opens, where the Indoor Heated Pool used to be. New flumes added as well as rapids, etc. 

 The Crazy Horse Saloon is added. 

 Sunsplash pool closed in 1998, but still remains complete with water (for Sprinkler System). Building now connected to Skyline Pavilion. 

 "Green Baize" Games Room closed in 2005. Area now re-opened in 2008 as "Crackshots DLG", a paintless paintball & laser game zone. 

 Outdoor Heated Pool
(Built 1962) 

 An Outdoor Swimming pool situated between the Regency and Princes Buildings, overlooking the boating lake. 

 Converted into a fun pool in 1984 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Demolished - Now the area is the main part of the Skyline Pavilion. 

 Land still covered by the Skyline Pavilion. 

 Boating Lake
(Built 1962) 

 The Boating lake covered most of the front of the camp. Soil was dug up from it and used to make a mound to stop the entire camp flooding! 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Half of Boating lake filled in to make room for new fun fair in 1992 

 No major changes  

 The opposite end of the lake from the funfair was filled in to allow the BlueSkies time share apartments to be built on it during 2006. A small section of the lake remains today between the funfair & BlueSkies Apartments. 

 Princes
(Built 1962)  

 Included the following: Pig and Whistle Bar, Indoor Roller Skating rink, Princes Ballroom and Quiet Lounge 

 No major changes 

 Barnums Show Bar added. 

 Broadway Theatre added onto the top floor in the early 1990s. 200-seat Cinema replaced the Indoor skating rink. 

 Broadway Theatre refurbished and renamed 'Centre Stage', a 25,000 sq ft venue with a maximum capacity of 2000 people. Barnums refurbished and renamed 'Reds' (18,000 sq ft, max capacity 1200). Building now connected to the Skyline Pavilion. 

 No major changes 

 Playhouse
(Built 1962) 

 The Playhouse Theatre and shops 

 Burned down in 1971. Replaced with Exmoor Patio / Gardens and Exmoor Bar. 

 No major changes. 

 Exmoor Bar replaced with Molly Malones (Later renamed 'Malones'). Exmoor Gardens Replaced with the new Crazy Golf Course 

 (Molly) Malones was closed in 1998 

 Crazy Golf replaced with Adventure Golf in 2007.
Buildings now house Pizza Hut, Hire Centre, Ladbrokes, Crackerjacks and Sun & Moon. 

 Gaiety
(Built 1962)  

 Housed the Gaiety Theatre, Radio Butlin, TV lounges, snooker/billiard room, shopping arcade, post office and coffee bar 

 Radio Butlin scrapped in 1977 

 No major changes 

 Gaiety Theatre Closes 

 Hotshots (10-pin bowling) replaced the Theatre which was standing empty. A staff only area replaced the entertainments office. Building now connected to the Skyline Pavilion. 

 Building now houses Finnigans, Jaks, Jokers and the shops which face onto the Boardwalk shopping area. 

 Amusement Park
(Built 1962)  

 Amusement park with various rides. Also included an indoor section. 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Closed 1992 and moved to new site on what was the boating lake. Indoor part became the children's playground. 

 Multi weather sports courts were added onto the former outdoor funfair area 

 No major changes 

 Nursery
(Built 1962)  

 Various facilities for infants 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes 

 Dining Halls
(Built 1962)  

 Huge 43,000 sq ft building with 2 dining halls for campers, named Gloucester and Kent. 

 No major changes  

 Halls renamed 'Devon' & 'Somerset' 

 No major changes  

 Renamed 'Ocean Drive' (capacity 1500) & 'Coral Beach' (capacity 500). Still used as dining rooms 

 No major changes 

 Beachcomber Building
(Built 196?) 

 Originally known as the "Stadium Building" with the Beachcomber Bar on the ground floor and games and other facilities on the first floor. 

 Re named "Beachcomber Building" in 1970. New Children's Theatre added the same year. Also Chinese restaurant & Disco. 

 No major changes  

 Beachcomber Bar closed.  

 Disused. The whole building is left standing, but is not used. 

 Demolished in 2006 prior to new BlueSkies apartments being built on top of adjoining boating lake. Area is now grassed over as part of landscaping for BlueSkies. 

 Windsor Building
(Built 196?)  

 Originally housed a Quiet Lounge, Children's Playroom and the Windsor Dining Hall.  

 The following were added (and some removed)
Golden Grill,
Holiday Fayre Restaurant,
Teen Clubroom, Games room Added 

 The Holiday Fayre Restaurant was re named "The Family Diner"  

 No major changes  

 Demolished in 1999. The area now houses the Kids' large outdoor play park  

 No major changes, area still hosts the kids outdoor play park aswell as the Junior Driving School. 

 Reception Building
(Built 1962)  

 Also included public telephones, lost property, British Rail office and campers mail  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Building still used for reception & guest services although most check-ins are handled in the Skyline now. 

 Monorail
(Built 1967)  

 A monorail track with two trains, each carrying 40 people. The half-mile track was in a figure of eight with the cross-over above the outdoor swimming pool 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Last ran 1996. Track remained in place for a couple of years before being torn down to make room for Skyline Pavilion 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Chair Lift
(Built 1965)  

 630 meters (690 yards) of cable running from the front of the camp to the sports field at the rear. 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Closed end of 1997 season and demolished the following year 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Dry Ski Slope
(Built ????)  

 An artificial ski slope situated next to the water-skiing lake 

 Removed in the mid 1970s 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Oasis / Splash Indoor Swimming Pools
(Built 1988)  

 n/a 

 n/a 

 New indoor pool built on the site of the old Tennis Courts in 1988. Originally named 'Oasis'. 

 No major changes 

 Pool tripled in size in 1998 and renamed 'Splash'. Several new water rides also added. 

 No major changes 

 Miniature Railway
(opened 1964) 

 Formed a 3/4 mile loop around the water skiing lake 

 Moved 1977 to a new shorter line running from the self-catering reception to Flatlets 

 Moved yet again, this time running from main Reception to Flatlets at back of camp. 

 Closed end of 1989 & replaced by road train 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Steam Locomotives
(arrived 1964)  

 2 full-size steam locos on static display next to the Beachcomber. Duchess of Hamilton (built 1938) and Knowle (built 1880) 

 Both removed end of 1974 season 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Camp Chapel
(Built 19??)  

 A small Church of England chapel with a maximum capacity of around 30. Located in Green Camp 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes, still kept in remarkably good condition. 

 Red Camp
(Built 1962) 

 Chalets 

 No major changes 

 Renamed 'Redwood' 

 No major changes 

 Now known as 'Surfer's Point' & Sunset Wharf' 

 No major changes 

 Blue Camp
(Built 1962)  

 Chalets 

 No major changes 

 Renamed 'Beachwood' 

 No major changes 

 Now known as 'Pacific Wharf' & 'Ocean Point' 

 No major changes 

 Yellow Camp
(Built 1962 - ????)  

 Chalets 

 No major changes 

 Renamed 'Yellowstone Park' 

 Large section demolished and replaced with new apartments during the late 1980's. New apartments known as 'Exmoor Village', remaining older chalets became part of 'Beachwood' 

 Newer apartments renamed 'Oyster Bar', old two storey chalets now known as 'Atlantic Bay' & old single storey ones now known as 'Pacific Wharf'. 

 No major changes 

 Green Camp
(Built 196?)  

 Chalets 

 No major changes 

 Renamed 'Greenacres' 

 No major changes 

 Now known as 'Holnicote Village' 

 No major changes 

 Flatlets
(first built 1976, second batch 1981) 

 Self-catering apartments located on the old sports field at the rear of the camp 

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 No major changes  

 Some now used for staff accomodation only. 

 All now used for staff accomodation. 

 Modern Apartments
(built late 1980s on the site of the old petrol pumps behind reception) 

 Chalets 

 n/a 

 Built as 'Somerset Village' 

 No major changes 

 Renamed 'Plantation Quay' 

 No major changes 

 Caravan Park
(built 1986?) 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Built on sports field next to old water-skiing lake at rear of camp, named 'Lakeside' 

 No major changes 

 No major changes 

 No major changes 

 Skyline Pavilion
(built 1999) 

 50,000 sq ft  covered area with restaurants, amusements & stage area for live shows. 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Built new in 1999 linking the old Princes, Regency & Gaiety buildings. Covers the site of the old outdoor pool 

 Skyline Cafe removed in 2007 and replaced with much flatter seating area to allow for arena concerts to take place in the Skyline Pavilion. 

 New Outdoor Pool
(built 1999) 

 New outdoor funpool next to 'Splash'.  

 n/a 

 n/a 

 n/a 

 Built new in 1999 on site of old kids Yacht Pond 

 No major changes