Britain's first purpose-built holiday camp still operates on the original site at Ingoldmells, about four kilometres north of Skegness town centre. The chalets, the dining hall, the parade ground and the Redcoats of the postwar era are gone, but the principle is the same: a self-contained resort where most of what a family wants for a week is on site. Three large indoor pools, a fairground, a Splash Waterworld, and several themed restaurants now sit where the original tin huts stood.
Butlins shapes the rhythm of the whole town. Most weekends in season — and many off-season "music breaks" themed around 90s or 60s acts — sell out completely. You can buy a day pass to the entertainment areas without staying. Even if you have no interest in going in, drive past on a Saturday changeover day to see the scale of the operation.