Pwllheli Tornado

[BLUE B 12]

Tornado or whirlwind. Todays weather has got me thinking, What must of the tornado/whirlwind been like at Pwllheli, Does anyone have any memories of what damaged it caused, was anyone actually there?Or Has any other resort, centre, camps, worlds call them what you like been damaged by the weather?

[geraldene]

i wasnt there at pwhelli when it happened didnt the roofs all come off and one side of the camp or something, remember the last time we had a gust of wind minehead tent got damaged!

[swanning]

I was there! I was a redcoat at the time and I remember it well. It was my first season in 1989. I should have been on duty in what was then the Gaiety Theatre for the Stan Boardman show. But when I left my chalet, which at that point was on red camp, I discovered that all hell had broken loose!

There was lots of structural damage to some of the buildings on red camp and the staff chalets fondly known as "The Bronx" were practically brought to the ground. The hot dog stand at the bottom of the bridge had been flung into the air and went through the window of the indoor swimming pool straight into the pool. People were hit by flying boats off the boating lake and one of my friends was hit in the face by a piece of scenery from backstage at the old Empire where the door had flung open and tossed the scenery into the air. Fortunately there were no really serious injuries.

I was part of the evacuation party sent to red camp to ask folk to leave their chalets. Lots of guests had to sleep in the reception area, the French Ballroom and Gaiety. Many people went home that night. Like many other staff that night, I didn't go of duty for about 36 hours!!!!

For the rest of the week half the camp was closed while emergency repairs were made and there were only the brave few that stayed to see their holiday through. I have to say that it was one of the best weeks of that season. Everyone was determined to have a good time and they sure did.

On the Saturday of that week, it was my day off so I went back to Manchester for the day to see my parents. When I got back late in the evening, many of the venues had re-opened and it was like nothing had happened.

That experience will always stay with me as I'm sure you can imagine.

Swanning xxx

[BLUE B 12]

I was there! I was a redcoat at the time and I remember it well. It was my first season in 1989. I should have been on duty in what was then the Gaiety Theatre for the Stan Boardman show. But when I left my chalet, which at that point was on red camp, I discovered that all hell had broken loose!

There was lots of structural damage to some of the buildings on red camp and the staff chalets fondly known as "The Bronx" were practically brought to the ground. The hot dog stand at the bottom of the bridge had been flung into the air and went through the window of the indoor swimming pool straight into the pool. People were hit by flying boats off the boating lake and one of my friends was hit in the face by a piece of scenery from backstage at the old Empire where the door had flung open and tossed the scenery into the air. Fortunately there were no really serious injuries.

I was part of the evacuation party sent to red camp to ask folk to leave their chalets. Lots of guests had to sleep in the reception area, the French Ballroom and Gaiety. Many people went home that night. Like many other staff that night, I didn't go of duty for about 36 hours!!!!

For the rest of the week half the camp was closed while emergency repairs were made and there were only the brave few that stayed to see their holiday through. I have to say that it was one of the best weeks of that season. Everyone was determined to have a good time and they sure did.

On the Saturday of that week, it was my day off so I went back to Manchester for the day to see my parents. When I got back late in the evening, many of the venues had re-opened and it was like nothing had happened.

That experience will always stay with me as I'm sure you can imagine.

Swanning xxx

Thanks for that account,it made interesting reading,Really must have been an experience. Pity for all the 'happy campers who were on holiday at the time though. Nothing on the scale of the fire in 1973, thank god!

[Bognor Boy]

As far as i can remember Starcoast World followed a year or a season later...is this correct? Was this due anyway or just because of the damage??
It brought about many new facilities, Stars, Starsplash etc

I can still remember the Summer brochure breaking the news of all the great changes.

[swanning]

Yes, Pwllheli became Starcoast World the year after in 1990. I think it was already planned anyway as far as I can remember.

Swanning xxx

[Yorkshire lass]

Yes I was there too I worked in the french ballroom, I wasn't working that day, my brother and uncle had come to stay and I was ment to be meeting them, when they didnt turn up I went under the 'smelly tunnel' to the Bronx and couldnt believe my eyes, I took loads of photos and still have the paper cuttings, I will try and get my dad to scan the photos and put them on here a.s.a.p:) I remember going to the french ballroom to tell my mate and no one believed me what had happened because it had been okay on their side of the camp:confused: I remember queueing in the reception for hours to ring home to tell me mam and dad, life before mobiles oh:rolleyes: anyway I could go on forever about this but I'll stop now;)

[BLUE B 12]

I'll look forward to seeing the pics, thanks, anything to do with Pwllheli when it was BUTLINS, and i'm hooked, loved the place. My second home in my younger days. I was afraid at the time of the fire and the tornado it would change Pwllheli forever, glad that it didn't. Afraid to say though now it's had a worse fate. Acts of god didn't cause it. BL has for good. Much to mine and other dismay and horror.

[dancingdog777]

Wasn't there a serious flood at Minehead one year?

[BLUE B 12]

Wasn't there a serious flood at Minehead one year?

I seem to remember something on that line, Butlins seem to have had their fair share of distaters in the past. I think the Pwllheli fire was the worse one. Unless anyone knows different.:( :?:

[Bognor Boy]

Please post photos!!!

[Yorkshire lass]

I will try and put these photos on, fingers crossed, I dont have a scanner so I took a photo of them, most are of the bronx and the trees are inbetween the bronx and the boating lake.

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/9595/img1171od5.jpg

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/7387/img1176fu9.jpg

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/8387/but3gz7.jpg

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/7002/img1174gh2.jpg

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/4259/but5ch4.jpg

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/3340/img1172ua3.jpg

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/8572/but7yp8.jpg

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/2747/but8pt1.jpg

[Yorkshire lass]

I will try and add the newspaper clippings later on;)

[minehead forever]

what amazing photos,thanks for posting

[butlins steve]

yeah realy super photos thanks, ican remember reading it in the paper but it looks so much worse now.

[Yorkshire lass]

here are the paper clippings, I have not resized them so hopefully you should be able to save picture as, then open up and zoom in and read the print:confused: :p if you cant do this just let me know and I will type out the text when I have time;)

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6607/img1180sc6.jpg

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/4103/img1181cw3.jpg

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/3166/img1182lg7.jpg

[BLUE B 12]

Thanks so much for all the postings, hard to beleive so much damage was done, amazing no one was really badly hurt. Can remember it happining thats why i did the original post. But honestly didn't think it was on such a scale. Many many thanks

[Yorkshire lass]

No problems;)
I think no one got seriously hurt because it happened at tea-time, my uncle and brother were on half board and everyone was in the big dining rooms having their tea, one of the waiters got cut because the window smashed right beside him, a couple of people got took to hospital, but I think the worst injury was a broken arm.
My brother can remember seeing the hotdog stand flying past the windows of the dining hall he said it was like the wizard of oz:eek: They remember the boats just flying by too, the boomerang got twisted and the swimming pool roof was smashed to bits cos it was glass.
Most people were put up in the gaiety theatre and the french ballroom, Stan Boardman was on and was absolutly amazing with the kids etc....
I could go on forever here, oh the memories, remember if you want me to type out the newspaper articles just let me know and I will when I have time:D

[Bognor Boy]

Fantastic pics, thank you! Heres a challenge, does anyone have scans of the first Starcoast World brochure entry???

[jobbie8]

Thanks for the pics, looked really bad!

[sozy]

Great pics.I was there that year was there in August before the tornado happend.Went to see Stan in the gaeity then went to the adult showing in the Spanish.You worked in the French i used to love that place
Thanks for posting look forward to seeing any more pics of the once great camp

[CurlyTherms]

Please post photos!!!

those photos remind me of bognor in october 1987 after the hurricane. if i can get hold of the photos i will try and post them on here. cos that was a bit scary.