My experience of Butlins (Butlins in general)

Member Name: Ricky Holt

Product:	Butlins in general
Date:	01/05/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great people

Disadvantages: Like being in Prison

I worked at Butlin's Skegness in the simmer of 89 and will never forget the experience. Back then you were payed £55.00 for a six day working week. I worked in the sweet kiosks and the shopping centre and met some good people. We used to joke about how it was the closest thing to being in prison due to the heavy handedness of the security guards and the very strict rules and regulations. Staff accommodation back then were the original 1930's holiday chalets with a bed, wardrobe and sink and only one plug socket. It was a sackable offense to have a double plug adaptor, due to someone the previous year overloading the socket and burning a row of chalets down.

The uniform provided consisted of one pair of trousers and two shirts and this was meant to last a week as the only opportunity you had to use the launderette was on your one day off. Not great provision as this was the summer season.

Nobody tells you about the running battles that staff regularly have with holiday makers. The Scottish national holiday week in June was particularly violent. There was also an armed robbery on the cash van one evening which turned out to have been carried out by a disgruntled ex member of staff.

Looking back though it was a great experience. I'm assuming 20 years on conditions have improved considerably for staff and holiday makers alike. I managed to keep a day to day diary whilst there which I still have today. Some of it's reading would make a good script for a new Mike Leigh film.

Summary: A life changing experience