Clacton-on-Sea, once a thriving seaside destination home to a famous Butlin's resort, has fallen from grace to become one of the UK's worst-rated coastal towns. The Essex town came third from bottom in Which?'s annual ranking last year, scoring just 42 per cent, a far cry from its heyday when holidaymakers flocked from across Britain.
In 1936, Billy Butlin bought the West Clacton Estate and transformed it into an iconic Red Coat resort. After being used by the Army during the war, it reopened in 1946 and expanded, becoming a national institution. The camp boasted chalets, a huge outdoor pool, fairground rides, a ballroom, and entertainment from stars like the Beverley Sisters.
However, the rise of cheap package holidays to Spain and rowdy teenage visitors led to Butlin's closure in 1983. The site was sold for £2 million and briefly reopened as Atlas Park, but financial troubles saw it demolished by 1987. Today, the land is a housing estate near the seafront, with no trace of the former resort.
Despite being only 60 miles from London, Clacton and nearby Jaywick suffer from low wages and poor perception. Yet there is hope: the district council secured £20 million in government funding for regeneration, including repurposing a Martello Tower, creating a BMX track, and redeveloping Clacton Library into a multi-story building with community facilities.
