Butlin's Minehead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Butlins Resort Minehead |
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| Location | Minehead, Somerset, UK |
| Coordinates | 51°12′22″N 3°27′33″W / 51.20611°N 3.45917°W |
| Facilities | Amusement Park, Swimming Pool |
| Established | 26 May 1962 |
Butlins Resort Minehead is a fun holiday camp run by Butlins. It is located in Minehead, a town in Somerset, England. The camp first opened its doors in 1962 and is still a popular place for holidays today.
It was first called Butlin's Minehead until 1987. Then, it changed its name to Somerwest World until 1999. After that, it became known as Butlins Minehead Resort.
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History of Butlins Minehead
In the winter of 1961, Billy Butlin started building this holiday camp in Minehead. He chose this spot because it was flat and easy to reach by train. It was also close to the town and the sea.
However, the area sometimes had problems with flooding. To fix this, workers dug a trench around the site. They also built an earth wall to keep water out. This trench later became the camp's boating pond, a fun place for guests.
The camp officially opened on May 26, 1962. Building it cost about £2 million. Over the next ten years, more exciting things were added. A miniature railway arrived in 1964, followed by chairlifts in 1965. A monorail was built in 1967, offering rides around the camp.
Two real, full-sized steam trains, the Duchess of Hamilton and Knowle, were brought to the camp in 1964. These trains left the camp in 1974. They have since been fixed up and are now kept safe for people to see.
Butlins Minehead got a big makeover in the 1980s. The flooding problems were finally solved for good. Both the indoor and outdoor swimming pools were turned into "funpools." They added waterslides, water cannons, and other cool features. More places to stay were built, and caravan holidays became an option. After these big changes, the camp was renamed Somerwest World.
In 1998 and 1999, Minehead resort had more updates. The old Windsor building was taken down. The outdoor funpool was moved, and the Skyline Pavilion was built in its place. These changes were not as big as those at other Butlins resorts. Most of the original buildings and layout stayed the same. In 2007, new fancy apartments called BlueSkies were built. These are now known as the BaySide Apartments.
Fun Activities at Butlins Minehead
Butlins Minehead offers many exciting activities for its guests. You can try Go-Karting or visit the Little Stars Fairground. There's also a soft play area for younger kids. You can enjoy outdoor and indoor sports, or splash around at Splash Waterworld.
Other fun things to do include mini-golf and a driving school. The Dotto Train can take you around the resort. There's also an outdoor fairground. It looks like a typical seaside fairground from the 1960s!
Ex More Adventures
Butlins Minehead has special activities called Ex More Adventures. These include a climbing wall for those who like heights. You can also try diving courses or go horse riding. For a wilder experience, there's a Land Rover safari.
If you enjoy fishing, you can try fly fishing or sea fishing. Water sports like sailing and canoeing are also available. Some of these adventures take place at Exmoor National Park, which is a beautiful area nearby.
Amusements Arcade
The resort has an amusements arcade with many different games. You can find classic arcade games and newer ones too.
Motion Simulators
For an exciting ride, try the motion simulators. These rides move and shake to make you feel like you are part of the action!
Special Events and Festivals
The Minehead camp often hosts big events. It has been the location for the Britain's Strongest Man contest several times. The most recent time was in 2004. Since 2006, Butlins Minehead has also been a venue for the World Wrestling Entertainment's UK winter tour. It also hosts major darts tournaments, like the Professional Darts Corporation's UK Open and Players Championship Finals.
Spring Harvest
Butlins Minehead is special because it is the only Butlins resort that still has a small church on site. Every Easter, the entire resort hosts an event called Spring Harvest. This is the largest Christian festival in the UK. Between Minehead and Skegness, this event brings together about 55,000 Christians. They come from many different church groups. Many famous preachers, Christian musicians, and artists perform there.
All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties was a unique music festival held at Minehead. It was named after a song by the Velvet Underground. This festival was different from big, mainstream events. It offered a more personal experience, not like a huge stadium show. At All Tomorrow's Parties, the organizers and artists stayed in the same accommodation as the fans. It was also a festival without sponsors.
Bloc Weekend
Bloc Weekend is an annual music festival. It focuses on electronic music of different styles. The festival includes both DJ sets and live performances. The first two Bloc events took place at a different holiday camp. However, the 2009 event, held from March 13–15, moved to the larger Minehead resort. This event, which could hold 5,000 people, sold out completely before it even began. Bloc returned to Minehead in 2010 and 2011, with both shows selling out again. After some issues at another location in 2012, Bloc successfully came back to Butlin's Minehead in March 2015.
Images for kids
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Skyline Pavilion in Minehead
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