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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Please tell me Butlins is better than Haven

90 replies

OlderMummy1 · 15/08/2014 10:50

We are staying with friends in Wales and went to a Haven park yesterday just for the day to use the swimming pool. As we walked into the swimming pool we were greeted by the sight of a bloke on his hands and knees, butt crack on display, shouting "I told you you'd fucking drop it" at his 3 year old child

The place was awash with these types of people, shouting profanities at their kids, swigging lager at 11am.

We then had a 6 year wee on the side of the pool, mum just looked on and then left the puddle there, didn't even tell anyone!

Finally we watched a little kiddy show while having something to eat and the whole thing was toilet humour, not just the odd thing which I know the kids like, but really really crass.

Now I am very worried. We are booked to go to Butlins for the Just for Tots break in a few weeks. Will it be 5 days of this??

OP posts:

Picklesauage · 15/08/2014 11:35

We did a just for tots Skegness in June and it was great. I am a bit of a closet judgypants myself and so was fully prepared for honking them up! We were pleasantly surprised, there were of course people of differing backgrounds and types, but because we all had young children things were kept civilised and swearing at a minimum. I was a but concerned because England was playing in the World Cup when we were there, and even with this element, things were fine.

I will say I probably wouldn't go unless it was just for tots, simply for fear of teens and older children not having the same restraint.

On the whole, just for tots was great! Booking again for next year!

Viviennemary · 15/08/2014 11:36

I don't think there's anywhere worse than Haven. Though I haven't been to either for decades.

jellybeans · 15/08/2014 11:41

We have been to loads of Havens and never had any problem. We tend to choose small parks in scenic places. The only one which was a bit 'rough' was Berwick. There was a police blue light run through the park twice and lots of free range streetwise kids and groups of teens. We still had a good time though. All the other parks we went to were quiet and people were fine and ordinary.

AmysTiara · 15/08/2014 11:47

Butlins is qorse than Haven but ive never seen that behaviour a

GinIceAndASlice · 15/08/2014 12:14

I think the just for tots break will be lower key anyway, as there's no school children, and less late night entertainment as its aimed at young families, so less rowdy then usual or say on an adults only weekend.

IamSlave · 15/08/2014 12:22

sillystring Fri 15-Aug-14 11:02:02

They are both owned by the same company and by going on threads on here. They are staffed by very young people on very very low wages who are there more for their own social life.
IF you have problems, dirty room fag butts, dangers in the room,un cleaned and so on, its seems again from threads on here no one will help you, not even management who have lied on here.

Therefore aside from all the other reasons I would never ever go to one of these places, see the above, if you have issues no one will sort them out.

IamSlave · 15/08/2014 12:23

Our budget would never dictate butlins, we always on a budget.

IamSlave · 15/08/2014 12:25

BTW simon calder was on this morning yesterday and he was asked would he still recommend travel agents to book holidays even if they are more expensive.

he said yes - travel agents are more expensive than booking it yourself but its worth paying for their expertise

simon is the expert on holdaiys

appealtakingovermylife · 15/08/2014 12:31

We're off to butlins next Friday, it will be our 7th trip in as many years, we love it and have never seen anything there like you experienced at haven:)

You can't really compare the two, having been to haven, butlins is a million miles apart.
Our dc are 3 and 11, girl and boy, it's very hard to find something that they both love but this ticks all the boxes.
Have fun!

ItWasMyOwnSilence · 15/08/2014 19:21

The same Type Of People who go to Haven go to Butlins.

I've been to both this year.

Tweasels · 15/08/2014 19:29

to those of you who've had the misfortune of Haggerston Castle. I went with a group of lasses for an 18th birthday and had a right laugh. Couldn't possibly imagine taking my family there. DH is in the Police and said there is constant bother there.

Original poster

OlderMummy1 · 15/08/2014 19:45

Thank you for all your replies. Hopefully it'll be ok

OP posts:

I8toys · 15/08/2014 19:52

It is better but my experience of the swimming pool has put me off for life - floating things and used tampons, nappies in the changing room - they have updated the facilities since then but I still shudder thinking about it.

My only experience of Haven was hiring a caravan at Blackpool - I know but we were moving house and needed a couple of weeks somewhere to stay. Someone stole my childs tractor from outside the caravan and there was a party of girls one of whom kept screaming to be let in the caravan all night. Never ever ever again.

Butlins Skegness we have been back a few times when kids were small. Get wristbands for the Skybar so you don't have to queue for seats.

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 15/08/2014 20:12

Pontins make Haven and Butlins seem posh.

thedevilinside · 15/08/2014 20:16

We've been to a few Havens and my only complaint is there is nowhere to escape the clubhouse,(far too loud for me and my asd son) the pub is dominated by football screens, Might try Butlins next year. Haven would be fine if there was a nice pub to relax in

rookiemater · 15/08/2014 20:25

It was Haggerston we went to once Tweasels - never again. I naively thought it would be like the South lakeland caravan sites we'd been to, and it has such lovely signage when you pass it from the road

hollie84 · 15/08/2014 20:28

I've not been to Haven but Minehead Butlins isn't like that.

x2boys · 15/08/2014 20:34

I have been to haven and butlins I would say butlins is better ,better pool, fairground etc therewas a recent thread on here where op had a bad time with accommodation at Butlins , ours was fine we had a silver self catering it was very clean had everything we needed we have been twice the first time there was a small extra fee for a lot of activities the fee wasn't that small at fifteen quid a pop but when we went again in June the fee was a fiver for most things we enjoyed it !

x2boys · 15/08/2014 20:40

I,m not all that keen on the entertainment at night very long ques but then I,m not that keen on any entertainment where you have to sit in a very,loud room and pay extortionate prices for drinks but all in all it was fine been to pontins too which is just awful!

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 15/08/2014 20:44

Haven at Primrose Valley in Filey is lovely. My kids loved it. However the one near Blackpool is horrendous. The caravan next to ours seemed to have the family from hell in it. They were sat on those plastic chairs smoking weed and making nasty comments about everyone that walked past. We complained at reception and found out that they had sneaked some people in. That's clever huh? Take the piss with your booking all you want but rather than keeping low key why not draw attention to yourself by abusing your fellow patrons? Dimwits.

Stampysladygarden · 15/08/2014 21:41

I go to Minehead Butlins twice a year. In all that time I only saw one family like you describe. It was a swimming pool incident too and the way the man spoke to the children was really abusive. Not just swearing but putting them down in the most awful way.

It was an exceptional incident not typical.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/08/2014 21:43

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2133131-to-be-incredibly-annoyed-with-Butlins-right-now

why would any one go there!

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/08/2014 21:44

And that op was gold or premium or something!

hollie84 · 15/08/2014 21:45

If I want to hear someone being horrible to their kids I have my next door neighbour...

Towanda · 15/08/2014 22:11

We're at haven primrose valley at the moment and have had a lovely holiday so far. Caravan and facilities spotless, plenty to do, hardly any oiks, dc have had a blast and we'll be sad to go home.

All sorts of people holiday with haven and/or butlins. Go with an open mind and don't let your judgy pants give you too big a wedgy.

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