Seawick Holiday Lido bottle opener

Terry O’Dell acquired the land on Beach Road, St Osyth that was to become Seawick Holiday Lido in 1948. It started with a very basic setup - initially just providing plots for camping and the siting of touring-type caravans for summer use.

Slowly the site began to evolve (like others in the area). One such improvement was the setting up of a garage, which offered fuel, and also mechanical work, as car ownership for leisure purposes was on the rise. The caravans also evolved - from the touring type (which their owners didn’t really want to move from the camp anyway), to a permanently sited one - to use as a holiday home, and importantly, let out to friends and family.

The facilities slowly increased to meet the needs of the holidaymakers… A large wooden hut at Seawick, initially a storage building, became ‘The Stores’: which initially sold sterilised milk, bread, newspapers and other basic commodities.

There was also a need for entertainment and the early camps realised they needed to provide holidaymakers with a place to socialise, The Club at Seawick had simple tables and chairs, an upright piano, and a tea urn. Caravan owners and guests were encouraged to get up and ‘do a turn’ on the microphone, singing, telling jokes, playing instruments, or doing impressions. Later on, as well as adding light snacks, these clubs would also become licenced premises - serving alcoholic beverages too.

In 1954, William (Billy) Ball Senior, approached Terry O’Dell about operating some small-scale amusements such as ‘swing boats’, coin-operated machines (‘one-armed bandits’), bingo games and dodgem cars. These remained on-site under the management of two generations of the family, well into the twenty-first century.

The 60s saw newer, larger, and more modern caravan models being added to the site - an open-air swimming pool, and children’s facilities. Larger entertainment venues and bars were added such as Club El Toro, and The Seagull - providing live music from a house band and cabaret.

In the 70s and 80s the bars were upgraded, the main ballroom now had a three tier stage, and a rotation of well-known entertainers from stage and screen would also headline, supported by the house bands.

A new leisure centre was constructed on the site of its open-air swimming pool, which included a heated indoor pool plus gym, sauna, and steam room. There were also sun beds and a beauty salon, situated close to the restaurant.

Park Holidays (founded in 1989) currently operates Seawick Holiday Lido and Bel-Air Parks at Saint Osyth Beach.

What are your favourite memories of this caravan park?

Presented on an Oh My Naze! backing card.

Designed by Oh My Naze!

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