Clacton-on-Sea, a seaside town just 90 minutes from London, was once home to Billy Butlin's famous holiday resort and a premier family seaside destination. However, the Essex town now ranks among Britain's worst coastal spots in a Which? survey, with ambitious £20 million regeneration plans aiming to restore its former glory.
Butlin's Legacy
In 1936, Billy Butlin purchased the West Clacton Estate, which already featured a miniature golf course and boating lake, and converted it into the Red Coat holiday camp. The resort shut its doors when war broke out, briefly commandeered by the Army. In 1946, it reopened as a holiday camp, subsequently acquiring neighbouring land to accommodate its growth.
By the late 1950s, Butlin's had become a national institution, and Clacton basked in its reflected glory. The combination of Butlin's and Clacton seemed unshakeable for family holiday venues. Visitors enjoyed extensive amenities, including comfortable cabins, a sprawling outdoor pool, funfair attractions, a ballroom, bowling green, shops, a miniature railway, and top-notch entertainment. Notable performers such as the Beverley Sisters, Michael Holliday, and Jack Douglas graced the camp's stage.
Decline and Closure
Unable to rival the affordability of package holidays to sun-soaked Spain, and blighted by rowdy youngsters using the site as a drinking destination, Butlin's closed in 1983. The site was bought for approximately £2 million by Amusement Enterprises Ltd, which unveiled plans to transform it into a 'Disneyland'-style theme park. Under the name Atlas Park, the venue reopened in 1984 but stayed largely unaltered. The enterprise lasted just four months before financial troubles forced another sale. By 1987, everything had been demolished.
The site now accommodates local residents as a housing estate, benefiting from an excellent coastal location. It appears completely different from Butlin's heyday, which continues to be fondly remembered by locals.
Current Struggles
Despite sitting just 60 miles from London, Clacton and nearby Jaywick suffer from low wages and poor public perception. Dark tourists and American influencers venture there to report on their struggles. In Which?'s assessment of the UK's finest coastal towns, Clacton came third-bottom with a paltry 42 per cent destination score, starkly contrasting Bamburgh's 84 per cent.
Regeneration Plans
Happily, there is hope on the horizon. The District Council is working on a raft of regeneration projects across Clacton, Jaywick Sands, and Dovercourt after securing millions in Government funding. In late 2024, the Council entered a Community Regeneration Partnership and was awarded £20 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Plans include repurposing the 200-year-old Martello Tower on Clacton seafront into a vibrant cultural venue, converting a disused public convenience near Clacton Pier, and providing a free-to-use BMX pump track, learn-to-cycle, and climbing facility at Clacton Leisure Centre.
An additional £20 million was secured from the Local Regeneration Fund for Clacton Town Centre to create the new 'Clacton Civic Quarter'. Clacton Library is also being redeveloped into a new multi-story building, including a centre for Adult Community Learning and local registration services.
