Editing Clacton-on-Sea (section)

==Seaside resort==
[[File:Clacton-on-Sea West-Beach.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|West Beach]]
[[File:Garden of Remembrance, Clacton-on Sea2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Garden of Remembrance]]
The modern day Clacton-on-Sea was founded by [[Peter Bruff]] in 1871 as a seaside resort. Originally the main means of access was by sea; [[Steamships]] operated by the [[Woolwich Steam Packet Company]] docked from 1871 at [[Clacton Pier]] which opened the same year. The pier now offers an amusement arcade and many other forms of entertainment.

People who wanted to come by road had to go through Great Clacton. In the 1920s, London Road was built to cope with the influx of holidaymakers. Later, in the 1970s, the eastern section of the A120 was opened, obviating the need for Clacton visitors to go through Colchester. Today the [[PS Waverley|Paddle Steamer ''Waverley'']] operates from Clacton Pier, offering pleasure boat excursions.

Clacton has a [[Blue Flag beach]] at Martello Bay (two more are locally at [[Dovercourt]] Bay and [[Brightlingsea]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Blue Flag beaches in the UK |url=https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/blue-flag-beaches-uk-full-list-england-wales-scotland-northern-ireland-how-explained/ |website=inews |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> Clacton Seafront Gardens which run along the top of the seafront west of Clacton Pier has also been awarded a Green Flag, and includes various sections with formal gardens, memorials and places to sit.

===Former Butlins===
{{main|Clacton (holiday camp)}}
In 1936, [[Billy Butlin]] bought and refurbished the West Clacton Estate, an amusement park to the west of the town. He opened a new amusement park on the site in 1937 and then, a year later on 11 June 1938, opened the second of his holiday camps. This location remained open until 1983 when, due to changing holiday tastes, Butlins decided to close the facility. It was then purchased by former managers of the camp who reopened it as a short-lived theme park, called Atlas Park. The land was then sold and redeveloped with housing.<ref name="EL0608">{{cite news|url=http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&pnum=&refresh=3Ex0Hy14j5C1&EID=52357006-6cf2-46b7-874f-a85febe6a2c6&skip=true|title=Morning campers|last=Adams|first=Nicky|date=June 2008|work=Essex Life|publisher=Archant|pages=18–20|access-date=5 February 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725170452/http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&pnum=&refresh=3Ex0Hy14j5C1&EID=52357006-6cf2-46b7-874f-a85febe6a2c6&skip=true|archive-date=25 July 2011|df=dmy-all}} (Registration required.)</ref>