Redcoat on the skyline pavilion stage |
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| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Activity sectors | Entertainment, Event management, |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Singing, Dancing, and Acting |
Redcoat is the name given to frontline staff at Butlins holiday camps. A Redcoat may have many duties ranging from adult entertainer or children's entertainer to stewarding.
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The first Redcoat was Norman Bradford. When Sir Billy Butlin opened his first Butlins in Skegness he realised that the his guests were not engaging with activities in the way he had envisioned, most kept to themselves, and others look 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. From that point on, entertainment was the very heart of Butlins. 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.[1]
In order to make his new army to 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 famous 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).[1] 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. The current uniform, launched in January 2011 to mark Butlins 75th anniversary, is 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. Redcoats now have two uniforms, the traditional formal uniform (called their number 1's) and a new casual outfit (their number 2's) to match their additional role as children's entertainers.[2]
The Redcoats are viewed as the elite of the entertainment staff and have to undergo a tough selection process. Recruitment roadshows are held nationally and prospective redcoats have to show potential in a range of fields including dancing and singing. In recent years the process has been compared to auditioning for the X-Factor.[3][4]
In 1999 Butlins Introduced the now defunct Butlins ‘Academies of Excellence’ to train new Redcoats.[5] However, this has since been replaced with a 6 week training course.[3] There is also the option of a foundation degree in either musical theatre, or Technical Skills for the Arts and Leisure Industry[6][7] Training includes aspects of direction and production and time spent as a Butlins Redcoat counts toward membership of Equity.[8]
Redcoats work in three areas, General duties, the Kid's Club and the costume character team. General duties are similar to those of a tour rep in a resort - Butlins even describe the role as "The Original Holiday Rep"[4] In the evening the Redcoats form part of the live entertainment team, starring in Gangshows and X-Factor style game shows.[3] Throughout the years, Redcoats have been expected to lead ballroom dances, stage and judge competitions, and steward theatrical performances as well as meeting and greeting guests in public areas. Redcoats also run the various children's clubs which provide sporting activities, competitions and arts and crafts. Each redcoat will have many different roles to fulfil in any given week.[1]
Whilst Butlins remained the largest holiday camp chain in the UK, smaller camps eventually copied the redcoat style of staffing, in the 1960s Fred Pontin adopted the Bluecoat to represent at Pontins holiday camps[9] and at some point Harry Warner decided Warners' holiday camps should adopt the Greencoat.
The ITV series Redcoats (tv series) was a docusoap following the lives of Redcoats at Butlins Minehead and Bognor resorts. Over three series of 30minute episodes, it shows the selection process, the Redcoats entertaining the visitors and life behind the scenes. The series was made by Pilgrim Productions.[10]
The BBC television series Hi-de-Hi! was written by former Butlins employees Jimmy Perry (a Redcoat) and David Croft (summer show actor)[11] featured the Yellowcoats as a fictional analogy. The title of the show "Hi-de-Hi" originated with Norman Bradford who claimed to have taken it from an American Film, he began using this as a cheer to which the audience spontaneously responded "Ho-de-Ho".[12][13]
Another BBC television series Doctor Who, featured an episode titled Delta and the Bannermen set in the fictitious Shangri-La holiday camp (in reality the Butlins camp at Barry Island) as with the real camp Shangri-La was staffed with Redcoats played by extras.[14]
A number of entertainers have been Redcoats in the early stages of their careers. Becoming a Redcoat is seen as a way into show business, as it allows a performer to become established as a professional for the purposes of joining the Equity trade union which then allows the performer to work freely throughout the industry. In exceptional cases a Redcoat may even become notable whilst in the employment of Butlins Stephen Mulhern notably performed on the Royal Variety Performance in 1997 whilst still working as a Red coat,[15] and in the past notable singers have had chart hits Clinton Ford reached number 27 in 1959 with Old Shep just after completing his final summer season at Pwllheli, however prior to this in 1957 Russ Hamilton recorded a number 2 hit in the UK "We Will Make Love" (held off the top spot by Elvis Presley and All Shook Up) shortly after this he recorded a number 4 hit in the U.S. Billboard with the song "Rainbow", all the time Russ continued to entertain Butlins guests – and it was Billy Butlin himself who asked Russ to record "We Will Make Love" for the benefit of Butlins guests.[16]
Of course there have been many more artists who have gone on to find greater success building on the skills they learned as a Redcoat; Des O'Connor, Jimmy Tarbuck, and Michael Barrymore for instance.[17] The role is such an important part of the entertainment and tourism culture of the United Kingdom and even today former redcoats are regularly identified in the press and in books by this role even though it may only have been a small part of their overall career.
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