Butlin's to be sold to Bourne Leisure co-founder under £300m deal

Private equity firm Blackstone has entered into a arrangement with the Harris family by which they jointly set up Bourne Leisure, the parent of Butlin's, Haven Holidays and Warner Leisure Hotels, in 1964.

The family seaside resort group which was established in Skagness in 1936 by Billy Butlin consists of the towns of Minehead and Bognor Regis, which has housed generations of entertainers.

In May, Blackstone embarked on an auction to take Butlin's out of business, which owns three resorts in Minehead, Skegness and Bognor Regis.

This grandiose branded tale claims, during a visit to Barry Island, Dr Butlin had 'felt sorry for the families living in the drab guest-houses', and wanted to create a 'space of color and joy' providing quality activities and fun.

Bourne Leisure employs more than 16.000 people and each year draws 4.5 million visitors to 56 locations in the UK.

The brand also had a campground in Ireland, and a chain of hotels in The Bahamas and Spain, and a revolving restaurant at BT Tower in London.

Butlin's, founded in 1936 by Billy Butlin, who opened its first location in Skegness, aims to revolutionise British seaside holidays and offer vacationers "place of colour and happiness"

In 2000, Rank Butlin joined forces with the owners of Haven Caravan Park and Warner Hotels to sell to a group called Bourne Leisure, backed by caravan park operators Peter Harris and John Cook.