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The Crazy Horse Saloon was and still is my favorite club in Butlin' s Minehead as I have had so many great memories from my breaks at Butlin' Somerwest World. Sadly, as 2023, the club was demolished within to make way for the new Playxperience which will have many activities to enjoy. On this page is the history of this amazing location with my personal photos and videos.
From my postcard collection
In 1962, a new camp was opened in Somerset in Minehead and within that camp was a building named the Regency. It was the first entertainment building from the west entrance of the camp. From the entertainment guide that I have in my collection from 1967, the Regency building had the following within it;
Downstairs: Old Time Ballroom, Regency coffee bar, Regency bar and Neptune bar.
Upstairs: The heated indoor pool, Bingo lounge and Coffee bar.
1967 Entertainment guide showing the Regency Building
As I look into what was on offer in 1967, I can see that the Regency Bar would be open at specific times. They would be 10:30 am until 1:30 pm, then it would reopen at 5 pm until 6:30 pm and again would reopen at 7:30 pm until closing time. The coffee bar would also be open from 8 am until 9:15 am, then from 10 am until 12:30 pm, then 2:30 pm until 6 pm and lastly from 8:30 pm until 1 am. There was also a shop inside the building called the Regency Kiosk, which opened at 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and then from 2:30 p.m. until midnight. The Regency coffee bar was the location to go for their early morning tea or coffee which also included "inexpensive vacuum flasks" on sale to allow "campers wishing to take hot beverages to their chalets".
1967 Entertainment guide showing the Regency Building
Entertainment in the Regency would start at 11:15 on some days with "Dancing Instruction" in the Regency ballroom for half an hour. Further in the day, you would see the dancing theme continue with "Old time dancing". In the evening, the Regency would entertain the campers with Old-time dancing with Reg Howard. Competitions were also held in the Regency bar, however, they were separated for males and females.
1975 Entertainment guide showing the Regency Building
In 1975, the Regency building continued some minor changes to the names.
Downstairs is the Regency coffee bar, Regency Show Bar, Sundae bar and the Griddle bar.
Upstairs has the heated indoor swimming pool, coffee lounge, lounge bar and old-time ballroom.
Dancing in Butlin's Minehead had changed into two categories, Dancing instruction and Ballroom banding. Dancing instruction included Old-time, modern and Latin which was done in the Regency building. The ballroom dancing was in the Prince building for all types of modern dancing. From 10:30 am until midday, you could still do dancing instruction with Latin old time and modern dancing with Sally Bolt.
1982 Entertainment guide showing the Regency Building
Daning in the 1982 entertainment guide is still being advertised as a holiday highlight. In the Prince building is the beat, party and modern strict tempo dancing as the Regency Ballroom continues to have the old-time and modern sequence dancing. The entertainment guide still has the Sequence and old-time dancing from 11 a.m. until midday with the Regency lounge bar now being used for cash bingo from 2:15 until 5 p.m. The Regency lounge bar was used for evening family disco and dancing of rouge as the ballroom continued to have the old time and sequence dancing.
1988 Entertainment guide showing the Sunsplash building
In the 1988 entertainment guide, we see the building renamed only as "Sunsplash". This was the name of the new fun pool. The map has the following listed for this building;
Downstairs: Wessex bar, Candy bar, News shop, Fancy dress hire and Wessex coffee bar
Upstairs: Sunsplash swimming pool, coffee bar, Gino Ginelli ice cream bar and Busby's disco
1988 Entertainment guide showing the Sunsplash list
The new Sunsplash swimming pool opens from 10 am each day with sometimes operating a session control during busy times. From 12.30 pm, you could go to the Wessex room and meet the Redcoats to find out what is on for the week from Saturday. In the evening, the entertainment would change to Disco dance time with Dezign and the Redcoat disco. The Wessex coffee bar would advertise the "Wessex Special", prices were much lower this year with Mince and Onion Pie or chicken pie. Jacket potato and filling. Mushy peas and baked beans for £1.60. Hot roast beef roll was 99p with Cornish pasty or sausage roll. Jacket potato and butter. Mushy peas or baked beans for £1.60.
Butlins Holiday worlds entertainment guides
The building was renamed to the Wessex building where the Wessex room at a later stage was renamed to Sundance. The club was then redeveloped into the Crazy Horse as daytime entertainment and night time including being the entrance to and from the funfair. In 1999, the owners at the time, the Rank organisation had changed Butlins and with that, the Crazy Horse Saloon was no longer a part of the plans. It would be used for cash bingo and other areas until it was closed as a club. Arts and crafts were relocated here for a small period of time however, in 2023, plans showed that it was being redeveloped into the playxpereience. The new maps no longer show the names of the buildings.
This image is copyrighted to Butlins, I do not own this. Click on it to see more.
The former green baize would see some change as it was adapted into the Lazer tag for some time, however at a later date it was closed with the former Malones club (part of it) and was then used. The Trading post was closed down and converted into the Diner, which remained as of 2023). Around 2021/22 (not sure of the exact year), the Crazy Horse Saloon was converted into the Arts and Crafts Centre with a chance to exchange tokens for gifts. It was in 2023 that a decision was made to change the Wessex building to benefit the customer by making use of it once again. The old Crazy Horse Saloon, with a rich history, was demolished within the Green Baize and Sunsplash swimming pool. It's planned to reopen the building to offer the chance for customers to have fun with the Playxperience. To get an idea of what that is, click on the logo shown and you will see what is happening at Bognor Regis. A rich history as a building of wonder and to think that Sunsplash had been closed for 23 years with the Crazy Horse Saloon being as and when. It's great to see that they are going to use it once again and allow it to entertain us all. Please continue below to see my collection of photos and videos that might be of interest to you.
The Conga in Butlins Somerwest World Wessex room and what a great deal of fun that I had during this time. I certainly miss these days greatly and love watching the replays of a time no longer here. Click above or the button below to view this video on YouTube.
Another personal video showing the Wessex room entertainment.
This sign was on the wall on the right-hand side of the entrance both the swinging doors and main doors.
This area is at the end of the club, as you walk through the door, turn left and that is where this is located.
The little shop in the corner, walk around this and you will find the toilets.
Directly in front of me is the stage area where I had danced so many times with the Redcoats. Notice the light fitting from the ceiling,
The main entrance had changed in 2012
The light fittings were removed from the club with standard lighting in their place (the strip light. However, a couple still are there in the middle of this lane.
Looks strange with no chairs or tables, a great deal of memories. I have to admit that I was sad when I saw this and it felt that special was at an end. I guess I was in hopes when their chairs were still there.
The signs above the doors and Western-themed photos were removed.
That square whole there is where the DJ used to play music.
I was very lucky to be allowed access to the Crazy Horse Saloon and take these 360 video views. When you load the video, click on the pause button and use your mouse to move the camera around (fingers on tablet and mobile phone) and you will see all around the camera.
I was very lucky to be allowed access to the Crazy Horse Saloon and take these 360 video views. When you load the video, click on the pause button and use your mouse to move the camera around (fingers on tablet and mobile phone) and you will see all around the camera.
I was very lucky to be allowed access to the Crazy Horse Saloon and take these 360 video views. When you load the video, click on the pause button and use your mouse to move the camera around (fingers on tablet and mobile phone) and you will see all around the camera.
I was very lucky to be allowed access to the Crazy Horse Saloon and take these 360 video views. When you load the video, click on the pause button and use your mouse to move the camera around (fingers on tablet and mobile phone) and you will see all around the camera.
