Tourists ‘ran in terror’ after a 90mph tornado flattened a popular Butlin’s resort, uprooting trees from the ground and ripping roofs from chalets. Now, the site looks completely different
Roofs were ‘ripped like paper’ from this once-thriving Butlin’s resort that has now taken on a completely new breath of life.
Back in 1947, a 150-acre stretch of rolling farmland – sandwiched in between mountains and sea – was transformed into a Red Coat holiday camp, after previously being used as a training centre for the Admiralty and Merchant Navy during World War Two. Located in Pwllheli, in Wales, it had the capacity to welcome a whopping 8,000 visitors at any one time, and even boasted its own miniature railway that whizzed holidaymakers from the centre of the complex over to the beach.
Like any classic Butlin’s site, the resort boasted a huge outdoor swimming pool with a five-tier water feature, along with a boating lake, ballroom, tennis courts, cosy cabins, and thrilling fun fair rides. In 1987, it is believed the camp bought the Vekoma Boomerang, a stomach-churning roller coaster that consisted of six loops (three of which went backward).
When it came to entertainment, the Pwllheli site also did not disappoint. “Ringo Starr appeared at the camp during his pre-Beatles era,” reports Butlin’s Memories. “His group, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, appeared for a 13-week engagement in 1960. The booking was due to start on June 4, but Ringo declined due to his impending marriage. In the end, the marriage was cancelled so he could go to Butlin’s.”
However, on August 14, 1989, the site was wrecked by a freak tornado that sparked carnage in the seaside town. According to North Wales Live, tourists ‘ran in terror’ as 90mph winds ripped roofs from lodges, chucked boats into the air, and uprooted trees from the ground.
“I remember I’d just come back in from having tea. It had been a gorgeous day, the sun had been shining all day long,” Ian Bond, who was at the camp when the tornado hit, said. “We went back into our chalets, then all of a sudden there was this huge bang and a crash. Then it went really quiet.”
Ian explained how when he looked outside, all he could see was ‘grey dust everywhere’ before the terrifying twister became visible. “It came up over the headland near where the cable cars used to be, and up over the boating lake. It literally split all the trees and you could see the path where it had been,” he added.
“Then it came towards the chalets. We ran back inside and then it hit us. It ripped everything to pieces. When it passed, we looked up and the roof of the chalets were just gone, ripped off.”
With the majority of the camp flattened, and more than 35,000 forced to cut their holiday short, the tornado caused an estimated damage of £2 million. A £30 million investment scheme was announced a year later, and the site rebranded as Starcoast World – boasting a new subtropical water-world known as StarSplash.
But by the end of 1997, the Pwllheli camp was transferred to Haven Holidays – and the survivIng Butlin’s features were bulldozed. Chalets were replaced with static caravans, and the funfair and miniature railway were removed.
Now, the area is home to the Hafan-y-Mor Holiday Park, which was given an AA 5 Platinum Star award last year. The popular Haven site features an adventure village, water park and pool, as well as four-lane slide and flume. Visitors can now opt to stay in Caravans, Lodges, or Apartments – with three-night stays costing as little as £49.
*Prices based on Haven listings at the time of writing.
Which UK seaside town should get a new Butlin’s site? Have your say in the comments section below