Redcoats are the beating heart of Butlin’s, and their role is to entertain families and help create our famous fun-fuelled atmosphere.

From singing and dancing to presenting and DJing, our beloved Redcoats have a variety of different skills and talents. You’ll most likely see them performing on stage, interacting with guests, or escorting Billy and Bonnie Bear around the resort. Head to our legendary venue, Reds, for a jam-packed evening of live music, gameshows, party dances, Bingo Bango and sing-along discos, all hosted by our Redcoats.

The Redcoats are such an important part of the Butlin’s experience, that we even have an in-house training academy. The Redcoat Academy provides high-spirited, fun-loving, and entertaining individuals the opportunity to gain industry coaching in different entertainment disciplines. TV presenter and magician, Stephen Mulhern, started his career in showbiz as a Redcoat, stating that “Butlin’s is a gateway into the industry, it’s better than any drama school”.

Fancy becoming a Redcoat? Then check out the Butlin’s careers website and join our team of people who like people!

When Sir Billy Butlin opened his first resort in Skegness in 1936, he realised his guests weren’t engaging with activities in the way he intended, with many just mixing with their own families.

Billy approached Norman Bradford, the resort’s senior engineer. Norman was a cheerful and friendly character and Billy hoped he could help liven things up. That evening, Norman got up on stage, told a few jokes and explained a little more about the facilities. By the end of the night, the place was buzzing, and the Butlin’s atmosphere was born.

Billy soon realised that ‘a few more people around like Norman would work wonders’, and, if these people were to be friendly focal points, they would need to be easily identifiable. Enter the Redcoat…

Billy asked Norman to go into the local town and buy a distinctive blazer. Norman returned with a choice of jackets – one in blue, one in yellow and one in white to match the colour scheme – but Billy didn’t think these were quite right. He wanted something more vibrant. He eventually settled on a bright red blazer inspired by the Mounties he'd seen during his childhood in Canada. And the rest is history…

Over the years, the uniform has changed several times – even famous designers such as Jeff Banks and Zandra Rhodes have designed versions of it – but it’s always retained the core red blazer. To celebrate our 75th anniversary, the uniform reverted to its original look, consisting of the iconic jacket with dark braiding and a badge embroidered with the letters ‘BHC’ (standing for ‘Butlins Holiday Camps’), paired with white trousers or a pleated skirt. And now we have a fresh new look for 2024!