The story of Butlins would continue when Billy Butlin announced that his third camp would be situated in Filey. After making all the necessary arrangements, Billy Butlin would oversee the construction of Butlin's Filey, getting ready to welcome its first campers. As the construction advanced, news of a war reached Britain, which is now known as World War Two. When the war began, Billy Butlin was approached by the war ministry to use his Butlins Skegness, Butlins Clacton, and Butlins Filey locations for troop training purposes. Billy Butlin consented to this arrangement with the understanding that the sites would revert to him after the war. The challenge they faced was that Butlins Filey was still under construction when an agreement was reached between Billy Butlin and the War Ministry, with the ministry agreeing to finance the completion of the site.
Butlins Filey was to be first named as RAF Filey however, it would then be renamed to RAF Hunmanby Moor. Here is what the RAF Hunmanby Moor was used for to support the war;
Reports from the BBC indicated that RAF Hunmanby Moor had trained over 4,000 personnel in military exercises to support the war effort. As the conflict drew to a close, the final RAF unit to depart was the RAF Regiment's LAA Gunnery School, which signified the return to Billy Butlin in 1945. RAF Hunmanby Moor was reverted to its original name, Butlins Filey, as repairs commenced immediately, with the gates reopening to welcome campers once more. The camp's success was further enhanced when the London and North Eastern Railway constructed an extension to a new station called 'Filey Holiday Camp' railway station.
Lord Middleton officially opened the Filey Railway camp railway station on the 10th of May, 1947, as campers began arriving for their Butlins adventure at Filey. Those coming and going from the station accessed the camp via a private subway, with Butlins offering a road train service. The Butlins Filey camp flourished, reaching a record attendance of 175,000 visitors in 1975. It became a beloved spot for many customers who appreciated its design and the memories it represented.
However, the increasing popularity of cars rendered train travel less attractive, and on September 17, 1977, the last train left the station, marking its closure and a significant moment in history. The Butlins Filey camp persisted in operation, adjusting to the evolving demands, yet struggled with the competition from cheaper holiday options, which made it challenging to attract visitors. The Rank Organisation, the owners at that time, concluded that Butlins Filey would no longer be part of their future strategy, and with a decrease in campers, they decided to close Butlins Filey. On that sorrowful date, the Butlins Filey camp closed its gates for the final time, showcasing the Butlins logo, and the year 1983 is fondly remembered by numerous campers and staff members.
The camp remained unoccupied until 1985, when a businessman named Trevor Guy acquired the site in October of that year. The intention for the old Butlins site was to demolish everything and rebuild it with bungalows, which would include a conference center and a helipad for workers from the offshore oil industry. After reviewing the plans, Trevor and his management team concluded that reopening the site as a holiday camp was the best option, while selling a 40-acre section to the Primrose Valley Caravan Park. This sale to Primrose Valley Caravan Park would result in the removal of the yellow and white camp chalets, along with the demolition of the Windsor and Regency Ballroom from the former Butlins Filey site.
Unlike Butlin's security, the fencing around the camp would be dismantled to enable campers to come and go freely without the necessity of access checks. The Red, Green, and Blue camp chalets were reopened for occupancy, with several chalets being listed for sale with twenty-year lease options. The announcement of this sale resulted in thirteen chalets being sold on the first day, demonstrating that the site continued to attract interest from others. In an effort to maximise the site's functionality, Trevor and the management team planned to franchise the shops, bars, and restaurants to local businesses. With these changes in place, the decision was made to avoid offering free amenities while preserving the layout; for example, the funfair, swimming pool, ballrooms, and outdoor pool would now require an admission fee for entry. Once you made the purchase, you would receive an admission pass to access the facilities whenever you desired.
Butlins Filey underwent another name change and is now called "Trevor Guy's Amtree Park - Filey". It opened its gates for the first time on May 24, 1986, with Ernie Wise serving as the special guest. Sadly, the plans were not faring well, as the number of customers remained low due to competition from international holidays. The new management started to seek out cost-saving measures and closed down several areas that were not frequently used, including the well-known chairlifts. The closures escalated until only the Kent and French buildings were operational, hoping that an uptick in visitors would help keep this new park afloat.
On July 7, 1986, Amtree Park shut its doors after only six weeks of operation, primarily because of insufficient visitor numbers and financial issues. The old Butlins site, unfortunately, witnessed the demolition of its buildings starting in 1988, with the last of them being removed by 2003. However, the story of the site persists, as a portion of the former Butlins Filey is now called Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park, and another section is known as the Bay Filey (links further down)
Click on this image to load the official website of Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park, formerly known as Butlins Filey. Visit their website to see what is on offer (click for information about this link)
Click on this image to load the official website of the Away Resorts - The Bay Filey Holiday Village, formerly known as Butlins Filey. Visit their website to see what is on offer (click for information about this link)