'Butlin's is my new go-to for good times with teens - it kept them off screens'
From Thomas The Tank Engine stage shows to mini discos and magic acts, I look back on our early years family holidays at Butlin’s as halcyon days. When soft play, splashing in the baby pool and being pushed on the swings ruled. And you could take the kids to watch the Little Mix tribute band and pass them off as the real thing.
Then Covid struck, they were suddenly at ‘big school’ and a mobile phone became a permanent extension of their right arm. Would we ever go back to my beloved Butlin’s again?
I’d seen the TV advert for this year’s new shows. Starring Mr Saturday night himself, Stephen Mulhern, he talked it up as “the home of entertainment” with big new draws, the Masked Singer Live on stage, a high-tech dance troupe, and their very own ode-to-Glasto summer festivals show. It all looked rather exciting.
Splashworld at Butlin's MineheadAnd with the activities we’d never even touched when the kids were little – the big raft rides at the indoor Splash Waterworld, high ropes course and laser tag to go at – Butlin’s was back on the agenda.
We headed to Minehead, Somerset, one of their three seaside resorts – the others are in Skegness and Bognor Regis. With phones, earpods and iPads packed, however, I still wondered how much nagging I’d have to do to wrench my kids from their devices.
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“There’s the helter-skelter!” shouted my eldest, Will, as we drove through the gates. “I remember those big deckchairs!” beamed my daughter, Charlotte. I did a mini fist pump in my head. It was like the years had magically rolled away.
We checked into our accommodation – a lovely three-bedroom chalet with balcony in the West Lakes Village, surrounded by lakes and fountains. Decorated in greys, greens and oranges, with cheerful vintage pictures of Butlin’s holidaymakers from back in the day, it was funky and retro.
Luxury living at West Lakes Village, Butlin's Minehead (Copyright unknown)Slogans of yesteryear – ‘our true intent is all for your delight’ – danced across the walls and there was a blackboard where we wrote silly messages to each other. To my amazement, the kids’ phones actually stayed in their rooms as we stepped out for our first dinner at The Deck restaurant.
We’d bought dining packages which meant everyone could help themselves to anything they wanted from the buffets, or order from the cooking stations.
Never-seen-before meal combinations of Chinese chilli beef, lasagne and carrots; pizza slices, prawn crackers and a fish finger were consumed, followed by a dessert marathon of apple crumble, cheese and biscuits, orange jelly and whippy ice cream from a pull-down lever like in a proper ice-cream van. Eating together as a family had never been so entertaining!
West Lakes at Butlin’s Minehead (DAILY MIRROR)Then we were off for our first evening of fun at Studio 36, an enormous new concert-type venue, where you can order drinks at your table via an app (so don’t ban your entire family from their phones! They also come in handy when booking places at the big shows and some daytime activities).
That night we saw hilarious comedy show Animals V Dinosaurs by the Animal Guyz, where life-like creatures including a T-Rex stomps on stage. Then it was off to Centre Stage for the Abba Show – Thank You for the Music. What a night!
The next morning, we were back at The Deck for a monster brekkie. It’s amazing how much bacon and toast teens can consume. Then it was a whizz on the slides at Splash Waterworld – both children are now tall enough for the Master Blaster, Black Hole and Space Bowl – followed by a cruise around the lazy river, then a go on the Blue Comet water chute for old times’ sake.
West Lakes at Butlin’s Minehead (DAILY MIRROR)A few spins on the fairground – chair-o-plane the forever crowd pleaser – and this time riding solo in the go-karts with engines purring around the fast track with hairpin bends. A major thrill.
Sharp-shooting in an hour-long laser tag battle saw them do their bit to win victory for the green team. Then a bounce on the bungee trampolines and a quick round of crazy golf before the big night of the weekend: The Masked Singer Live.
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We’d all seen the hit ITV Saturday night show and wondered how Butlin’s would pull it off with a live audience watching for one night only. Would they even have real celebrities?
The first surprise was the host. Radio and TV presenter Melvin Odoom from Xtra Factor and Lego Masters was super-cool as he warmed up the crowd by taking a camera crew into the audience and asking questions. As you can imagine, when kids are put on the spot, they say the funniest things!
Take it off! Masked Singer at Butlin's Minehead“Where are you from Ellie-May?” asked Melvin. “Errrrr… my house!” was the reply. Then with a panel of judges selected from the audience, we were off, with Robobunny, Bushbaby, Firework and Sausage taking to the stage and two ‘celebrity’ characters for the audience to guess. I won’t spoil the surprise – that’s for you to play along with – but I must say, they were brilliant.
On a high after our brush with the stars, we dashed over to the Jukebox Musicals show at Centre Stage, which featured hits from Dream Girls, Back To The Future and Moulin Rouge. Another very slick production.
If you have younger children who can’t stay up for the later evening shows, they’re also staged earlier in the night, or even in the daytime. Plus there’s all the colourful fun of the Skyline Gang characters with their Frozen Adventure and dance academy. And there’s Brainiac Live!, the puppet theatre, Goldilocks in panto, as well as a chance to see tots’ TV heroes PJ Masks and Peppa Pig’s Seaside Adventure.
Minehead beach and the Butlin's resort (Getty Images)Did I mention the beach across the road at Minehead? It’s lovely for a paddle or a stroll along the sand.
Our last night proved to be another evening of mega entertainment. With costumes cleverly-programmed to incorporate a moving glow show, Electric City is an incredible visual feast, mixing the coolest dance routines, circus acrobatics, video technology and an eclectic soundtrack, which builds to a climax with trick after more spectacular trick.
Then it was time to get out the air guitar at Festivals Rock, where the hits of Lizzo, Becky Hill and Harry Styles contrast with Pink, Bon Jovi and Prince. And with not a bit of mud or a pint of warm beer in sight, this is everyone’s kind of rock concert.
So Butlin’s, my happy place of holidays past, you have blossomed into my go-to for good times with teens. Congratulations, you are through to the next round!
Book the holiday
Butlin’s offers a three-night school holiday break featuring The Masked Singer Live staying in a two-bedroom Comfort Apartment in Minehead from £468, arriving August 25.
- A four-night Showtime term time break featuring Peppa Pig and PJ Masks staying in a two bedroom Standard room in Minehead is from £49, arriving October 2.
- Prices for a family of four sharing and include live shows and activities with free flow pool access and unlimited fairground rides. Dining packages from £22.75 per adult, per day and £11.40 per child, per day. butlins.com
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