Thanet Times, Tuesday 29 December, 1964.

He is the genial host at 11 Butlins Bars.

Mrs. Betty good, head barmaid at the St. George's, is pictured with her "governor" Mr. Sidney Shipman, licensee of "Butlins Margate Hotels."

Butlins - a household word synonymous with holidays and carefree atmosphere - have 5 hotels and 11 bars on their Cliftonville site. And the man responsible for their upkeep and high standard is a World War II Military Medal veteran Mr. Sydney Shipman, who has been in the licensing trade with the organisation since 1937.

Only a year before, Sir Billy Butlin opened the first of his holiday camps at Skegness, and it was here that the genial Mr. Shipman, for the last 7 years Shops and Bars Superintendent at Cliftonville, began his career with the holiday camp king.

He has been at the Cliftonville site since 1957, after serving at the Skegness and Clacton camps, following war service with the Royal Devonshire Regiment in both North Africa and Italy.

Perhaps the best-known bar under his control is the cosy "Ship's" at the St. George's hotel, which is one of several open to the public.

"The development of Cliftonville seafront by Butlins has been a fine thing for the town, for I am sure that the hotels would otherwise have stayed empty for many years," says Mr. Shipman.

A resident at Millmead Gardens, Margate, he has been told to "stand by" when the new camp at Barry Island opens to take up a similar position.

"Even if I do have to move from the area in the near future, I will definitely retired to Margate," he says. "Besides the golf at North Foreland and the football at Hartsdown Park, I have a host of friends here.

One of his daughters, Carol is a staff nurse at Guy's Hospital, London, and the other, Jennifer, is a pupil at Clarendon House Girls Grammar School, Ramsgate.

One of his most trusted "lieutenants" among the hotel personnel is the senior bar supervisor Mrs. Betty Good. She has been at the St. George's since 1950, when Nicholson's Ltd. were the owners, and has had a lifetime's experience in the licensing trade.

Known simply as "Betty" to hundreds of local residents who daily call at the "Ship's" bar for their constitutional, she has noticed little change in drinking habits over the years, but is thankful for the switch from cask to canister beer in recent times, the latter saving work and effort.

An extensive reader, particularly of biographies, Betty came to Margate from London in 1944 and has stayed - and loved - the town ever since.

"Mind you, the "Ships Bar" has played a big part in my life since moving to Margate, and I have always enjoyed working it," she says.