One hundred years after Billy Jackson founded Jackson’s of Mablethorpe, the BBC has paid a visit to the seafront amusement arcade to speak to his great-grandson and current owner Gareth Cammack on how the landmark venue has weathered storms, a world war, the pandemic, and a major upheaval in how Britons spend their holidays.

In honour of Jackson’s of Mablethorpe celebrating a century of trading this year, the great-grandson of founder Billy Jackson has spoken to the BBC of the “joy and struggle” that comes with running the landmark amusement venue.

Gareth Cammack, who has spearheaded a number of major investments during his own tenure as owner, first took over the running of the arcade in 2009 after the death of both his father Peter and mother Valerie within months of one another.

“The business has survived a world war, the flood of 1953, numerous recessions and Covid,” said Cammack. “But I think the closest we came to closing was when we lost my mum and dad. I had to grow up fast.”

“Looking back, I really don’t know how we carried on. But I was determined to keep the family business, the tradition, going.”

Cammack – who now runs the arcade alongside his own wife Kim – keeps a number of reminders of that tradition on display, including Jack, a coin-operated Laughing Sailor automaton.

“It was the first machine my family bought after losing the lot back in ‘53,” said Cammack, referencing the Great Storm of that winter which killed 300 people across the UK.

“My dad, Peter Cammack, told me how, aged eight, he was wrapped up in a blanket by my grandad Bill Cammack, and then popped on top of a wardrobe. The family lived on site and my dad remembered being petrified as the water kept on rising.”

“Grandad went off to sweep water out of the arcade. He tried to salvage some of the machines. But it was too late. Everything was lost. The family had to rebuild the business.”

Like his predecessors, Cammack has faced a series of challenges in keeping Jackson’s thriving under his stewardship, and in 2013 bought the Mablethorpe Land Train, adding the heritage Sand Train in 2021, and also building a toy shop to boost the company’s income.

However, with the rising cost of foreign travel, Cammack is hopeful of a new nostalgia for the British seaside, adding “a lot of people can’t afford foreign holidays so they’re holidaying at home, like they did as children.”