Butlins Redcoats
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| Occupation | |
|---|---|
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Occupation type
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Employment, performing arts |
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Activity sectors
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Entertainment, event management, |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Singing, dancing, acting |
Redcoat is the name given to frontline staff at Butlins holiday camps in the UK. A Redcoat has duties ranging from adult entertainer or children's entertainer to stewarding.
The first Redcoat was Norman Bradford. When Sir Billy Butlin opened his first Butlins in Skegness he realised that his guests were not engaging with activities in the way he had envisioned, most kept to themselves, and others looked bored. He asked Norman (who was engaged as an engineer constructing the camp) to take on the duty of entertaining the guests which he did with a series of ice breakers and jokes. By the end of the night the camp was buzzing and the Butlins atmosphere was born.
The same night Butlin decided that for his camp to work he would require an army of people to carry out the same job as Norman, and the role of Redcoat was formed.
To make his new army stand out, Butlin asked Norman to purchase a uniform. Norman later returned with a jacket in the camp colours of, blue, primrose yellow and white; however, Butlin found the look to be too authoritarian and decided they should wear red blazers with white lapels and the Redcoat uniform was born. The first uniforms were made by Billie Ditchfield who became one of the first two female Redcoats (the other was Kay Berry).
Over the years the uniform has changed several times, but has always retained the core component of a red blazer (despite a proposal to replace them with red jumpsuits in the 1970s). In the 1960s and 1970s, braid and badges were added to the blazers. Famous designers such as Jeff Banks and Zandra Rhodes have redesigned the uniforms. To mark Butlins' 75th anniversary, the uniform was re-designed very similar to the original design consisting of Red Blazer with dark braiding and a badge with the letters "BHC" on (standing for "Butlins Holiday Camps") and white trousers or skirt. This uniform was only worn throughout 2011 for the anniversary celebration, before a new uniform, designed by Hannah Clayton, was selected and is currently worn by the Reds today. Redcoats have two uniforms, the traditional formal uniform (called their number one) and a new casual outfit (their number twos to match their additional role as children's entertainers).
The Redcoats undergo a tough selection process. Despite this they are still paid only minimum wage and members of the 'triple threat' cast team (such as the skyline gang) are paid more. Recruitment roadshows are held nationally on a yearly basis. In these Roadshows Prospective Redcoats have to show customer service and guest facing skills (contrary to the popular belief that they need to be able to sing and dance, which is no longer the case).
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