Warners Dovercourt Bay Holiday Camp

Captain Harry Warner moved to Hayling Island in 1928 and established the successful Grotto Cafe which was located on the seafront just east of the Grand Hotel. In 1931 he opened Northney holiday camp in the north end of the island.

Billy Butlin had become interested in the holiday camp business and paid a visit to the island where he struck up a friendship with Warner. The two decided to go into business together and built three camps under a 50/50 partnership – Seaton (1934), Dovercourt (1937) and Puckpool (1939). In addition, Butlin also opened his own camps at Skegness (1936) and Clacton (1938).

The Warners company went public in 1939 with Butlin acting as Chairman. After the war Butlin decided to step away so he could focus more on his own growing empire. Over the years Butlins sold off most of their Warner shares but retained a 10% stake right up until the company was sold.

Warners Dovercourt Bay Holiday Camp

This 40-acre camp opened on 7th July 1937, just 16 weeks after construction began. Costing 50,000 it was opened by the mayor of Harwich with both Butlin and Warner in attendance. It was described as “The ultra modern conception of a seaside hotel. Here is the perfect change of holiday for which you are looking. Beautifully appointed brick chalets overlooking the sea. Hot baths and all the comforts. All the bathing, sports, tennis etc. A lovely sandy beach. Your meals, your bathing, your dancing everything included from just 45s a week”. Other facilities included a large outdoor swimming pool, dance hall, bowling green and miniature golf. Over 4000 rose bushes were planted.

The Camp was full board with all meals included and taken in the large communal dining hall. Breakfast was at 8am, lunch at 1pm, tea at 4pm and supper at 7pm. The brick chalets consisted of nothing more than a bedroom with a sink. Communal bath/toilet blocks were dotted around the site. It could accommodate 550 people at a weekly rate of 45s to 55s per person.

In December 1938 200 Jewish child refugees arrived from Germany and were temporarily housed at the camp until more permanent accommodation could be arranged.

The camp was requisitioned during World War 2 by the military and reopened in June 1946.

During the 1960s the camp was expanded with more chalets which increased the total capacity by 300 people. Some of the chalets were later enlarged to accommodate a toilet.

By the 1970s the camp had become a little rundown with one customer complaining in 1973 of the “appalling service and conditions”. This included “filthy and unusable toilets, waiters working in jeans and without shirts, damp bed linen and a fly in the trifle”.

By the 1980s the camp was really showing its age with most chalets still lacking en suite bathrooms. There were no self catering options and all meals were still included, although by then it was just breakfast and dinner. It still had most of its original chalets and for this reason it was chosen by the BBC to be used for exterior scenes in the hit comedy show ‘Hi-de-Hi’. The camp appeared regularly in the show from 1981 to 1987. Most filming was done in the winter when the camp was closed to the public.

It finally closed at the end of the 1990 season and by August 1992 everything had been demolished to make way for housing. Where was it located? Search out Louvain Road.