22-05-2025
Abandoned seaside town was once home to huge Butlin's resort but looks completely different now
Butlin's Barry Island was once a bustling resort that could accommodate 7,000 visitors every week - but now the site looks completely different, apart from one small reminder
An iconic coastal town, once the site of a massive Billy Butlin's resort, has undergone a dramatic transformation, yet retains a subtle nod to its past. While many Brits credit the popular TV series Gavin and Stacey for thrusting south Wales' Barry Island into the tourist spotlight, the town was already a magnet for holidaymakers in its heyday.
Nestled in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales, Barry and its namesake island are home to a vast expanse of golden beach, blue waters, and a recently revamped seafront teeming with restaurants, cafes, and vibrant beach huts. However, back in 1966, the town also played host to a Butlin's resort capable of housing 7,000 holidaymakers every week.
According to reports, Sir Billy Butlin is said to have conceived his holiday camp venture after his family was inadvertently locked out of a B&B in Barry Island by the landlady.
The all-inclusive complex, comprising 800 'no-frills' chalets, boasted heated swimming pools, a cable-car ride, a miniature railway, bars, restaurants, and even a Fish and Chip shop - not forgetting the iconic Red Coat staff.
However, much like the Butlin's resort in Filey, business began to wane as package holidays to destinations such as Spain became increasingly affordable. Hampered by the 'Benidorm boom', Barry Island's Butlin's, situated on Nell's Point, operated for just 20 years.
The site was later acquired by Majestic Holidays, rebranded as The Barry Island Resort, but only managed to survive another decade.
During its final years of operation, the iconic Red Coat staff were compelled to don blue uniforms due to legal threats, reports the Mirror.
However, in 1996, a storm exacerbated existing maintenance problems leading to the closure of the entire resort.
Rows of once bustling cabins, swimming pools, and eateries were abandoned and left to decay for nearly a year until Vale Council purchased the site for £2.25million.
The property was later sold to Bovis Homes and razed to make room for a new housing development as part of a £3million regeneration scheme in the area.
Today, the former Butlin's resort resembles any typical residential neighbourhood, complete with modern homes and green spaces.
While visitors flocking to Barry Island for a sunny weekend getaway won't be able to enjoy an iconic Red Coat performance or lounge by the pool, they can still experience a touch of nostalgia.
This is thanks to a blue plaque installed at the seafront garden in 2014 to honour the legacy of the holiday entrepreneur.
Ex-Red Coat Tony Collier spoke to the BBC, saying: "We couldn't want for a better position in this lovely garden for the plaque. Hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers and staff came from all over the country each summer and Christmas, to enjoy the facilities offered on site, and the beautiful Welsh countryside on its doorstep."
