Doubts are being expressed in the UK financial press about the viability of Butlin’s, the holiday camp company and venue for many park rides and arcades.
Around 1,000 Butlin staff were furloughed during the pandemic lockdown and with the UK government’s wage subsidy scheme ending next month, questions are being asked about their future.
The BBC reports that it has seen a document circulated among Butlin staff suggesting that they take paid holidays – if they have any entitlement remaining – or unpaid leave.
The holiday camps are operating at 50 per cent capacity as it gets into the autumn and winter period when its income drops dramatically. It is part of the major operator Bourne Leisure.
The Butlin’s camps are seaside-based and the chain has a history going back to 1936. At one time it had ten camps and some hotels, but had in recent times been reduced to three, at Bognor Regis, Minehead and the original camp in Skegness, run by Butlin’s Skyline, a subsidiary of Bourne Leisure.
