Butlin's Memorabilia Website
After Butlins Barry Island - The Changes

Also known as Barry Island Resort

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Remembering Barry Island Butlins

Research into the transformations of Butlins Barry Island would not truly have been achievable without the outstanding program called Google Earth and Google Maps. Google Earth and Google Maps offer the ability to view images from significant historical moments, and this helpful tool allows us to observe a time that has since passed at the previous Butlins Barry Island location. Each photograph carries a copyright credit below it. These images are used in accordance with the regulations specified at this link. I am thankful for the chance to showcase these screenshots, which were obtained using Google Earth (click on these words for additional information), for historical education. Google and Google Earth have not solicited me to include this here, nor do they have any connections to the design and information presented on this website. 

1945 - photo

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

We start our research with this amazing photo from 1945

I have a deep appreciation for images like these, which I like to label "Before Butlins" as it shows a location called "Nells Point" in Barry Island. The region was not as developed as it is now, yet this amazing photo tells me that a great individual named Billy Butlin would choose this spot for another Butlin's Holiday camp. At that time, it was not known that this would be the last camp built under his guidance. The narrative started here and ended here, which is a fantastic way to do things. 

Butlins Barry Island Map

Butlins Memorabilia Website Maps  - Link

Photos from Google Earth Pro start from 2001

The photos of Barry Island Butlins do not start until 2001, which shows the former Butlins and Majestic site being demolished. We can still see some area of interest with some of the former site still showing off its former story.  However, we can use my Butlins Barry Island map to show us how the layout would look at one stage.

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

Image 2001

At first, I was disappointed that we could not see more of Butlins Barry Island until I looked deeper and found that this image of 2001 is telling us a great deal of information. Here are the areas that I am going to look into further to see the changes. 

  • The yellow circle is the train station.
  • The teal circle is showing the Regency Building.
  • The red circle is showing the Rope railway (Cable cars), skating rink and medical centre/offices building
  • The pink circle is the Gaiety Building
  • The dark green circle is the Princes building, the blue camp chalets, self-catering, funfair and sports field were based
  • The dark blue circle is the boating lake and children's playground, plus chalets
  • The white circle is the car park and the roundabout
  • The light green circle was the putting green and the yellow camp chalets
Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

The Regency Building and main entrance - 2001 Image

The name of this building remained the same for both eras of this former Butlins site. The road you see on the roundabout was the main entrance to the camp/resort. You can still see the security building in its place, ready to check your booking documents.

Butlins Era

  • The indoor swimming pool
  • The Playhouse Theatre
  • Games room (table tennis, snookers, etc.)
  • Quite Lounge
  • Camp Chapel

Barry Island Resort Era

  • Bingo Lounge
  • CoCo's nightclub
  • Reefclub Indoor Pool

In both eras of Butlins Barry Island, the outdoor swimming pool was located just below this building.

Butlins Barry Island 2006

Map data: Google, Bluesky, Infoterra Ltd & COWI A/S  - Link

2006 Image

Sadly, the former Regency Building was no longer in Barry Island by 2006. Usually, when there is a demolition, there is an outline of what used to be there. In this photo, we can clearly see that there is nothing that remains to tell anyone that there was once a building here called the Regency Building.

The main entrance still remains in this photo as an access point with the trees along the side. The middle building that security used to sit in to check if your bookings were removed by this year.

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: October 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

A great view of what would have been the entrance to the former Butlins Barry Island and Barry Island Resort, with the Regency building to the left-hand side.

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: October 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This amazing photo shows us the former location of the Regency Building that had once stood at this location, entertaining the guests who came for a well-deserved break. This photo also adds to the size of the building and how Mother Nature had reclaimed this area after the building was demolished. The house at the rear of this photo is shown in the research below.

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: October 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This is a view from the entrance to the Station Approach Road, where you would have seen the Regency building would have been. Driving down this road, you would come to the main entrance to the former Butlins Barry Island and Barry Island Resort. 

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: October 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This is the former entrance to Butlins Barry Island and the Barry Island Resort.

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: October 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

I am going to admit that I got excited when I saw this image, as what we see here is the layout of the former Butlins Barry Island security hut at the main entrance. You can see here that the layout remains in place, and a gate is now going through the original building. Amazing to think that in 2008, this part of history still remained in this location.

Butlins Barry Island 2009

Map data: Google, Google Earth  - Link

2009 Image

In 2009, nature had reclaimed this former site and the surrounding areas. Interestingly, if you were a visitor at Barry Island and strolled past this area, you would be unaware that it once housed a building that entertained many guests and holds a rich history and significance. This is why I enjoy researching history, as this location speaks volumes about its past.

The main entrance and trees remain in the same place as they did when Butlins Barry Island was constructed. Interesting to note that the outline of the former security building remains in place in this photo.

Butlins Barry Island 2013

Map data: Google, Google Earth  - Link

2013 Image

In this photo, we see that this area has now been converted into a car park. The main entrance to the former Butlins site has also seen some work with an entrance and exit signage being added. There is still a small part of the former security building still in view in this photo. The trees from the Butlins era still remain in place.

Google Maps 2014

Image capture: August 2014, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

In this photo, we can see that the former Butlins and Barry Island Resort main entrance is reopened for the use of being a car park. Also note that the trees from the Butlins era are still there, after all them years. I am unsure if the wall that runs alongside the trees is from the Butlins era; however, it's present in the previous photos. There is also a for sale sign shown in this year.

Butlins Barry Island 2016

Map data: Google, Google Earth  - Link

2016 Image

There are some minor changes made to this area by 2016.

  • There is still a very small part of the former security guard remaining in this photo
  • The main entrance road has had more layout painting added, with the former Regency building area now having an entrance and exit layout.
  • The trees from the Butlins era of this location remain
Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

What a great photo to spot in my research, as we see the former Butlins and Barry Island Resort security hit foundations. You can see in this photo the tiles on the former flooring, which were not removed by 2019. It's interesting to see this part of history remaining at the former Butlins site, with many passing it not knowing of its importance to this story.

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

According to my research, the island where the road sign is shown was not in the early years of Butlins or the Barry Island Resort. However, what you can see here is the exit and entrance to the camp.

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

What a great photo that pulled on my heart strings as if you were to stand here when Butlins and Barry Island Resort remained, you would be looking at the Regency Building. You can just picture that magnificent building here with guests swimming and so much joy from a location that is now a car park...what a great photo!

Butlins Barry Island 2025

Map data: Google, Airbus  - Link

2025 Image

As I looked further into the years, this site remained undeveloped up to this year as it's being used as a car park. 

My feelings about this location
I have never been to Barry Island Butlins, yet I hold a strong affection for this place as it resonates with me on some level. In the remarkable photograph from 2001, we observe a structure that once occupied this exact site. It hosted numerous guests of all ages, joyfully shouting at the swimming pool, while others relaxed in the quiet lounge with a newspaper, and some engaged in a game of Bingo, alongside an outdoor swimming pool.

I find it hard to ignore my strong feelings for this area of the old Butlins and Barry Island resort, and I am very thankful that Google Earth Pro and Google Maps have provided me the opportunity to tell this crucial story. While I usually cope well with these types of research, my connection to this area certainly pulls some heartstrings. The thought that this story might be unfamiliar to some brings me down, but on the bright side, the story is here and ready to be shared via this website. 

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

The Gaiety Building - 2001 Image

The name of this building remained the same for both eras of this former Butlins site. 

Butlins Era

  • Reception and Railway office
  • Shopping arcade - Lyons Maid Parlour, newsagents, post office...
  • Gaiety Theatre
  • Lounge Bar
  • Key office, lost property, Barclays Bank, public phones
  • Amusement Arcade and Holiday Fair,
  • Pig and Whistle and Modern Ballroom,
  • Cash Bingo and evening coffees.

Barry Island Resort Era

  • Rose Garden Restaurant
  • Pig and Whistle Showbar
  • Food mall - ice cream to burgers
  • Reception, information desk, cashiers, public phones
  • Gaiety Ballroom
  • Ebonys Lounge Bar,
  • Gaiety Theatre
  • Games World
Butlins Barry Island 2006

Map data: Google, Getmapping plc  - Link

2006 Image

By 2006, the Gaiety building was no longer situated in Barry Island, as evidenced by this image showcasing the earlier layout of this impressive building. This photograph also conveys the scale of the structure and how it was organised during its time of hosting guests. What I find particularly appealing about this image is that it displays the flooring of the previous locations, giving us an understanding of the layout, excluding the top floor. 

The middle pathway you see here is called "The Arcade"

Butlins Barry Island 2009

Map data: Google, Bluesky, Infoterra Ltd & COWI A/S  - Link

2009 Image

It was clear by 2009 that the former Gaiety building was undergoing some renovations. While some areas were actively used, others were being taken back by nature. More than three years have elapsed since the building's demolition, with only memories from campers/staff, residents and historians knowing this location. I admire the fact that the layout remains intact, offering evidence that something once existed there.

Butlins Barry Island 2016

Map data: Google - Google Earth  - Link

2016 Image

The lower portion of the old Gaiety Building has been completed, with the new car park currently in use and no traces of the previous building's configuration. The upper section has been partitioned by bushes, which seem not to be used a great deal at this moment, although this could be because of when the photo was captured.

The arcade pathway has been converted into the main road to get in and out of the carpark.

Butlins Barry Island 2018

Map data: Google - Google Earth - Link

2018 Image

As I shifted my attention to the upper section of the former Gaiety Building, I noticed that the second entrance is now obscured by bushes, with no indications that this large space was once part of an entertainment venue. The area is enclosed by dense bushes and remains unused a great deal. It's intriguing to consider that the car park below and the upper section were once a single large building, which is fascinating to observe.

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

From this view, you are looking at the former bottom part of the Gaiety building, which is now a main car park.

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This photo shows you the top end of the former Gaiety Theatre, with the far top left-hand side being used for storage and a small carpark.

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This image illustrates the upper part of the former Gaiety building and the site of the secondary entrance to the upper car park. As noted in the 2018 Google Earth Pro image, bushes would block this entrance. Google Maps expands on this history, showing the height restriction that was enforced for this entrance and how it was no longer used as an entry point. 

Google Maps 2019

Image capture: July 2019, Map data Google, © 2025 Google - Link

This is the farthest extent of Google Maps; however, if you were to stand here when Butlins and the Barry Island Resort were still operational, you would find yourself inside the Gaiety building. The view presented here is from within the former building, looking towards the upper end.

Butlins Barry Island 2025

Map data: Google, Airbus - Link

2025 Image

The latest photograph from Google Earth Pro shows the car park situated at the bottom of the former Butlins Gaiety Building, while the upper portion has not been used a great deal since its demolition. The fascinating aspect of this image is that the car park appears similar to the old layout of the Butlins chalets, which it is not, but it certainly makes one wonder about the design choices behind it.

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

The Rope Railway (Cable cars), Skating Rink and Medical centre/offices

Butlins Era

  • The yellow circle shows a building that is not named on the Butlins maps. 
  • The white area is where the rope railway (also known as the cable cars) was located
  • The red circled area is where the skating rink was based in the early 1970s, but was removed by 1979.
  • The teal circle was where the railway office was based in the early days of Barry Island Butlin, but removed quite some time ago.
  • The green circled area is what was called the Reception Carpark

Barry Island Resort Era

  • The yellow circled area is called the Medical Centre
  • The white and red circles were removed by the time the Barry Island Resort had started
  • The green area was renamed to the Blue Camp Carpark.
Butlins Barry Island 2006

Map data: Google, Bluesky, Infoterra Ltd & COWI A/S - Link

2006 Image

By 2006, only the road layout remained the same, as the small grass patch above in the red circle was removed, and the medical building is demolished.

Butlins Barry Island 2013

Map data: Google, Google Earth - Link

2013 Image

There was not a great deal of work done in this area until 2013, when we the area was converted into a car park. All the locations highlighted above have been affected as the layout starts to change.

Butlins Barry Island 2025

Map data: Google, Airbus - Link

2025 Image

This area was converted into a car park and has continued to serve that purpose since 2013. The old medical building, skating rink, and railway office markings were fully taken away, with this photo showing no evidence of their previous existence. However, a small note is that the Butlins reception car park remained but changed to the new design. 

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

Sport Field, Children's playground, Boating Lake, Blue Camp and Self-Catering Suites - 2001 Image

Butlins Era

  • The blue circle is where the Blue camp chalets were located
  • The white circle area was named Self-catering suites but was later renamed to the Red Chalets
  • The red circle area is the sports field
  • The yellow circle area is where the boating lake and children's playground were found

Barry Island Resort Era

  • The blue circle area was still called the Blue Chalets. 
  • The red circle area was still called the sports field
  • The white circle area was still called the Red chalets
  • The yellow circle area is no longer featured on Barry Island Resort
Butlins Barry Island 2006

Map data: Google, Bluesky, Infoterra Ltd & COWI A/S  - Link

Image 2006

Not much has changed over the years for this location except for a new pathway that leads to the National Coast Institution at Nells Point. Not much really changes for this area of the former Butlins Barry Island.

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

Princess Building, Amusement Park, Red and Blue chalets, amusement park and Rope railway (Cable cars)

Butlins Era

  • The pink circle is the original location for the amusement park in 1966; it was later relocated.
  • The yellow circle is where the Prince building was located
  • The Blue area is another part of the Red Chalets
  • The Green area is the amusement park that was relocated to, part of the sports field and where the rope railway turned back around.
  • The white area is another part of the self-catering suites, later known as the Blue chalets

Barry Island Resort Era

  • The yellow circle area was still called the Prince's building
  • The blue circle was still called the Blue chalets
  • The white circle area was still called the Red chalets
  • The green circle area was just called the sports field; nothing is shown to call it the amusement park.
Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

Princess Building

Butlins Era

  • Indoor Kent and Gloucester dining rooms (Just Gloucester by 1979)
  • Grosvenor Restaurant (renamed to Grosvenor Dining Room by 1979)
  • Sports arena, 
  • Children's theater
  • Launderette and ironing room, 
  • Hair dressing salon, 
  • Crazy Golf and putting equipment, 
  • Shopping centre and TV rooms for BBC and ITV
  • Quite lounge and Discotheque
  • Old Time ballroom and Princes Ballroom

Barry Island Resort Era

  • Supermarket, 
  • Hire shop,
  • Gamesworld including bowlingo, junior funfair, sports room such as snooker, 5-a-side football, satellite lounge, turf accountant and burger bar and Prince Ballroom
  • Beauty Salon and train set
  • Launderette and Reception
  • Dodgems and Teen Machine/Dylans Den
Google Maps 2008

Image capture: July 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google

This roundabout seems to be one of the areas that remained from both the Butlins Barry Island and Barry Island Resort, a small area but an interesting one to note. Just to think that this would have seen guest arriving and leaving from their accommodation.  I am unsure if it grew or decreased in size over the years; however, the 1945 shows it has a junction for two different routes.

Google Maps 2008

Image capture: July 2008, Map data Google, © 2025 Google

This is where the road from the roundabout would join "The Arcade" path, which leads towards the main entrance. If you were to travel back in time and look at this exact location, you would be looking at the Gaiety Building with the Prince building just behind this view (which I am not going to show, as that is someone's house)

Butlins Barry Island 2025

Map data: Google, Google Earth - Link

2025 Image

The photo from 2013 until 2025 shows that the area was developed into housing, which remains to very date. It's worth noting that the original roundabout and the road connecting to the pathway known as "the Arcade" remain on the site, showing a small part of Butlins.

No further photos can be found showing the former locations beside houses, which I am not going to show on here, as all evidence of the former Butlins and Barry Island resort is not shown. The carpark area next to the roundabout remained as a grass area up to 2025. 

Butlins Barry Island 2001

Map data: Google, The GeoInformation Group  - Link

Yellow Camp chalets, First Aid Building and Railway

Butlins Era

  • The yellow camp chalets, later renamed to Yellow Chalets
  • First Aid Room

Barry Island Resort Era

  • The yellow chalets
  • The first aid building was not shown on the Barry Island Resort map.

There was no other photo to share with you that shows the former design. The railway station was highlighted above as it was a part of the Butlins map. 

Do you have any memories of the former Butlins Barry Island that you would like to share?

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Who and What is Butlin's Memorabilia Website
The Butlins Memorabilia website was originally established as a place on the internet where people could view Mark Banks' Butlins collections. As a passionate enthusiast of the brand, Mark took the initiative to explore the extensive history that led to the website's transformation. Now, the Butlins Memorabilia site has matured into a historical education platform, demonstrating to visitors the meaningful ways in which Butlins has fostered joy and created unforgettable memories.

Are you the official Butlins Archive?
There exists only ONE official website that represents Butlins and that is located at www.butlins.com. The Butlins Memorabilia website is NOT the official archive of Butlins, nor does it serve as the authentic historical record of this extraordinary company. Butlins and their respective parent company have no role in the development of this site and have not participated in its creation. The singular official source for all Butlins information is the one indicated above. This site is strictly a fan-created platform, and any material presented here should be viewed as unofficial. Butlins and their esteemed parent company have NOT reached out to me to create this site, nor have they requested me to promote them. I undertake this effort solely to demonstrate my appreciation for their remarkable name and brand.

If you want to know more about this website
If you would like to read more about this website, you are more than welcome to click on these words. This special page will show you more about this site, how my Butlins collections started, how to get in touch with Mark, Social media links, our Facebook experts and the friends of this website. 

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The Untold Stories of Butlin's
An exciting addition to the website is the section titled "Untold Stories of Butlin's," which includes a range of personal stories. These narratives have been contributed by members of the Butlins Memorabilia social media groups, who have shared their individual experiences at Butlin's. It is important to understand that these stories are not sanctioned by the official company but are personal recollections from the individuals, as indicated on the page. The accounts shared reflect the magical atmosphere of Butlin's and the memorable moments it has inspired.

Can I get in touch with you about my situation at Butlins for some help?
For any issues related to bookings, inquiries on how to use the app, or to file a complaint, it is essential to follow the official procedure by contacting Butlins directly. Unfortunately, the Butlins Memorabilia website is not equipped to handle these matters, and no assistance can be provided through this platform. Complaints must be directed to Butlins, as they are the only ones capable of addressing them; this site lacks the direct control or involvement necessary to assist. The sole website that can provide help is the Butlin's official site, www.butlins.com. Everything you need can be found there, including their contact page, which is available on this link, and assistance with the Butlins app can be found on this link.

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