Ayr | Barry Island | Bognor Regis | Clacton | Filey | Minehead | Mosney | Pwllheli | Skegness
Thanks to Tom Bullock for his help with compiling this information
Any additional information is most welcome!
| 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. As well as this the building also house the Crazy Horse Saloon & Newsbreak. Sunsplash is still there but disused. |
| 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 and was brought back into use in 2009 when motorised bumper boats were introduced. |
| Princes (Built 1962) |
Included the following: Pig and Whistle Bar, Indoor Roller Skating rink, Princes Ballroom, Quiet Lounge & Camp Chapel | No major changes | Barnums Show Bar added, Camp Chapel moved to it's own building. | 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 2,000 people. Barnums refurbished and renamed 'Reds' (18,000 sq ft, max capacity 1,200). Building now connected to the Skyline Pavilion. | Centre Stage was refurbished in 2009. |
| 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 housed Pizza Hut, Hire Centre, Ladbrokes, Crackerjacks and Sun & Moon. Although Crackerjacks was demolished in 2009. |
| 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, although most check-ins were handled in the Skyline. | Building still used for reception & guest services with check-in moving back to this building in 2009. |
| 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. | Individual cubicles placed in changing areas in 2011. |
| 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 1986) |
A small Church of England chapel with a maximum capacity of around 30. Located in Green Camp | n/a | Small chapel built in Green Camp to replace the one in the Princes Building | 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 | Renamed 'Lagoon Bay' | Refurbished & renamed 'Holnicote Village' |
| 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 |
| Blueskies Apartments (built new in 2007 on one end of the former boating lake) |
Chalets | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | Built on one end of the former boating lake following the demolition of the Beachcomber Building. |
| 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 |
