Inside abandoned UK Butlin's resort now transformed into £25m holiday village with poolside sauna, arcades & playground

The Sun

13-05-2025

A ONCE-thriving Butlin's resort has been transformed into a £25million coastal holiday village with pools, saunas, an arcade, and spa.
Billy Butlin's Filey campsite was once a haven for thousands of post-war Brits hoping for some beachside R&R.
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Nestled between Scarborough and Bridlington in North Yorkshire, Filey pulled in more than 150,000 guests every year.
Holidaymakers enjoyed swimming, sunbathing, dancing and amusement arcades at the seaside resort.
In the evening, if they hadn't retired to their simple, yet homely chalets, they were treated to entertainment laid out by the famous Red Coats.
The Butlin's campsite was so popular that it had its own branch and station on the north east railway - which is still open to this day.
Despite its popularity, it was no match for the boom in affordable trips to Spain in the 1970s, and bosses closed it down in 1983.
By 2001, it resembled a ghost town with the shells of abandoned cabins and drained swimming pools filled with rubbish.
Richard Bailey, a former staff member at Filey, paid the site a visit that year and shared his findings on social media.
"I was walking my dog along the beach towards Primrose Valley when I went in search of the remains of the old Butlin's holiday camp whereas an 18 year-old-art student I had worked in the summer holidays of 1968," he wrote.
"There was still plenty of evidence of what had once been a holiday camp, including the chalets, fountains and remains of the outdoor and indoor pools."
But now there's almost no trace of the original staycation provider at the redeveloped site, which is now called The Bay.
The luxury complex has been described as a 'purpose-built holiday village on the clifftops.
The first beach house was built in 2012 and in 2021 The Bay expanded to include a new 'Meadows development'.
There are around 500 properties on the site, many are rented out by private owners.
According to its website: "The developers paid great attention to the look and feel of The Bay, including boules courts, courtyards, grassed areas all around the development to make it a lovely setting.
"Gardens are not enclosed partly to make it easier for our gardeners but also makes it a lovely communal holiday village."
At the centre of the village is a 20 metre pool with a baby pool and sauna and steam rooms.
There's also a gym for those who want to get the blood pumping.
The Bay has a beauty room for holidaymakers looking for a bit of pampering,
There's a pub on site, which serves food ad drink all day and in a slight nod to Butlins: a family entertainment centre with an arcade.
There's even a purpose-built shop selling all the necessities and souvenirs.
For kids under the age of 12, there's an adventure playground.
Despite its luxurious feel, Filey Bay prides itself on being perfect for those on a budget.
For a two-night stay in June, a two-bedroom apartment will cost £380.
On the same dates, guests can also stay at the Sea Urchins beach house, which has king-size bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen for £464 .
At the other end of the scale, a massive four-bedroom house with a sea view will cost £1,160.28 for two nights in June.
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