2025: General Discussion

[Islander]

Would you stay on if you thought your position was vulnerable.

No, but your jumps in logic as to why her position may be vulnerable are creative… or farcical

 

[Bert2theSpark]

I hope they find someone with the same leadership philosophy and a heavyweight within Merlin. I’ve been amazed with how much the park has changed under her leadership, there’s a generation of talent that’s been curated so hopefully that momentum can continue.

Really hope this doesn’t represent a return to formula for Towers. I was shocked when Crabbe/Varney weren’t replaced with continuity candidates, it represented that a change of leadership was a statement.

Shame that now more than ever we don’t know what the vision and direction the park is taking: Will they build Horizon, are they still aiming for 365 operations, do they want to be a premium product or a budget day out? These will be the questions that the next VP will have to decide, and will they be able to make the right calls when Merlin as an organisation is rapidly changing.

 

[Danny]

Given her background and drive, there's every chance she's been offered a position too good to turn down elsewhere.

 

[spotweld]

Does feel rather bleak for Alton Towers. I wouldn't be surprised if more staff followed behind Bianca rather rapidly.

 

[Quantum]

Does feel rather bleak for Alton Towers. I wouldn't be surprised if more staff followed behind Bianca rather rapidly.

Is be more worried about the highly trained ride engineers who will be eyeing up those Universal jobs in a few years

 

[QTXAdsy]

Is be more worried about the highly trained ride engineers who will be eyeing up those Universal jobs in a few years

Funny how on social media that is what many are suggesting as to why she left.

This is honestly going to be what kills Merlin unless they realise this. Universal hasn't planted a shovel in the ground and Merlin are falling apart like no tomorrow.

 

[Squiggs]

Is be more worried about the highly trained ride engineers who will be eyeing up those Universal jobs in a few years

Funny how on social media that is what many are suggesting as to why she left.

She's leaving to become a highly trained ride engineer?

Never too late for a career change, I suppose

 

[BarryZola]

Funny how on social media that is what many are suggesting as to why she left.

This is honestly going to be what kills Merlin unless they realise this. Universal hasn't planted a shovel in the ground and Merlin are falling apart like no tomorrow.

Staff going to Universal won't kill Merlin. Bad decision making will kill Merlin, if anything does. Universal won't be opening for 3-4 years or more, will it? So what would people leaving Towers today do for the next several years? Sign on the dole?

Even if Universal opened tomorrow, most workers at parks like Towers wouldn't quit and move half way across the country as most aren't on good enough wages to simply want to leave family and go through the disruption of a house move etc. There may be a few exceptions like a couple of ride engineers and management, but otherwise it won't be an issue. Even then, these people can be replaced given a little bit of time and money. Managers and media people can even be replaced much easier than the techies. So yeah, the techies would probably be the hardest thing to replace.

But even then, Alton is only a small part of their portfolio, so it's not exactly going to kill Merlin when they're a worldwide company.

 

[Dave]

I think people are overthinking the reason she is going.

Fact is she is not native to the UK and is well traveled, she is well respected in her industry and can certainly command competitive salaries.

Based on the fact she isn’t going on gardening leave I very much doubt Merlin are pushing her out.

As for tech staff leaving, Towers bigger problem is JCB not Universal.

 

[spotweld]

Sorry for not adding much to the discussion, but I'm sensing shades of 2000-2006 MG Rover more and more with Alton within each development. I just can't see a way out for the park especially with Universal around the corner.

 

[Alsty]

Funny how on social media that is what many are suggesting as to why she left.

This is honestly going to be what kills Merlin unless they realise this. Universal hasn't planted a shovel in the ground and Merlin are falling apart like no tomorrow.

At the risk of going off topic, I could image some of the current Merlin management applying for jobs and being told to do one. I can't imagine Universal would want to import any of the Merlin culture into their organisation.

 

[Dave]

At the risk of going off topic, I could image some of the current Merlin management applying for jobs and being told to do one. I can't imagine Universal would want to import any of the Merlin culture into their organisation.

Universals shop floor management style isn’t that different, they are hardly known to be a model employer.

Comcast sets the tone for investment at Universal, Blackstone set the tone for investment at Merlin. That’s where culture is developed, not the middle management. I would not be surprised if lots of Merlin managers end up at Universal.

From all I have heard Bianca actually improved the team functioning at Towers, and started to turn around some of its issues when it comes to staff retention but that’s just hearsay.

 

[Blackrock]

Bianca Sammut to step down in September 2025

Full statement:

After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the difficult decision to leave Alton Towers Resort at the end of September 2025 to take up a new opportunity overseas. This decision hasn’t been easy, but it’s one that my family and I have made together, thinking carefully about what’s best for us both personally and professionally.

Over the past two and a half years, it’s been a genuine privilege to lead the Resort through some truly unforgettable chapters, from the legendary return of Nemesis Reborn, to unveiling the Curse at Alton Manor, launching Toxicator, re-imagining Hex and reinvestment into Skyride for future generations.

There has also been hundreds of smaller projects and everyday initiatives that have been introduced or re-introduced with fans and guests at the heart. Some of my personal favourites include Nemesis VIP Experiences, behind the scenes tours and track walk opportunities, weather-proofed queue lines, increased pre-season cosmetic work, enhanced theming for deeper immersion, and even small but meaningful touches, all with fans and guests at the heart.

Each of these projects and milestones has been driven by the same thing that fuels you, a love for the Resort and everything it represents.

As we head into an exciting summer and with Scarefest already coming to life, I’ll be staying on through to September to support teams and ensure a smooth handover. The search for the next Vice President will begin shortly, and I’m confident that the right person will step in to help lead the Resort into its next chapter.

Though I’ll be stepping away, Alton Towers (and particularly the people who make it the place it is) will always hold a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to see what unforgettable developments come next for the park and its fans.

Source https://www.towerstimes.co.uk/news/...ptJjepRHv8GYKO3ild_aem_gGcuzMQ9eULJjLLOl0kVAw

Leaving a sinking ship.

Probably expected to do more but was constrained by budget/upper management

 

[BarryZola]

Leaving a sinking ship.

Probably expected to do more but was constrained by budget/upper management

Not being argumentative, just having a discussion. What more do you think they could have expected of her, considering the budget constraints?

Edit - Oh, actually, re-reading what you said, you probably meant that 'she expected to be able to do more'. Disregard my sentence above

 

[Blackrock]

Not being argumentative, just having a discussion. What more do you think they could have expected of her, considering the budget constraints?

Oh, actually, re-reading what you said, you probably meant that 'she expected to be able to do more'. Disregard my sentence above

No, I think she expected more of them and was disappointed.

 

[Jordan]

Somewhere in Australia, Francis Jackson’s phone rings…

 

[BarryZola]

No, I think she expected more of them and was disappointed.

Yeah, I understand you now. See my edit above. Mods, feel free to delete my above reply or whatever (and this one)

 

[Blackrock]

I think people are overthinking the reason she is going.

Fact is she is not native to the UK and is well traveled, she is well respected in her industry and can certainly command competitive salaries.

Based on the fact she isn’t going on gardening leave I very much doubt Merlin are pushing her out.

As for tech staff leaving, Towers bigger problem is JCB not Universal.

I think that’s a bit naive really and I’d suggest a slight hint of wishful thinking.

She hasn’t gone into this job not wanting to achieve anything, she’s gone in with clear goals, a cracking CV and she’d expect to be provided with the things she’s needs to do her job successfully.

If she feels like her employer isn’t meeting their side of the bargain and they’re not giving her what she need to excel, do what she needs to not only improve the park but her employability she’s going to leave.

We’ve all been in situations where potential employers have promised the world and then under delivered, I have anyway. It’s a two way street and if they didn’t meet their side of the bargain I’d be leaving because I quite frankly wouldn’t want my name attached to it any longer than necessary.

I don’t see anything positive in this at all. She left because she knows ideas only matter when she has the £££ backing them up.

 

[Dave]

I think that’s a bit naive really and I’d suggest a slight hint of wishful thinking.

She hasn’t gone into this job not wanting to achieve anything, she’s gone in with clear goals, a cracking CV and she’d expect to be provided with the things she’s needs to do her job successfully.

If she feels like her employer isn’t meeting their side of the bargain and they’re not giving her what she need to excel, do what she needs to not only improve the park but her employability she’s going to leave.

We’ve all been in situations where potential employers have promised the world and then under delivered, I have anyway. It’s a two way street and if they didn’t meet their side of the bargain I’d be leaving because I quite frankly wouldn’t want my name attached to it any longer than necessary.

I don’t see anything positive in this at all. She left because she knows ideas only matter when she has the £££ backing them up.

You didn’t read my post whilst also being rude

I never said some of her motivation for looking for a job wasn’t Merlin’s culture, I said it didn’t look like she was actively pushed out, if she had had an active falling out with Merlin they would have almost certainly put her on gardening leave.

No one will ever know whether she disliked working for the company but it doesn’t look like a massive falling out has occurred.

 

[Blackrock]

You didn’t read my post whilst also being rude

I never said some of her motivation for looking for a job wasn’t Merlin’s culture, I said it didn’t look like she was actively pushed out, if she had had an active falling out with Merlin they would have almost certainly put her on gardening leave.

No one will ever know whether she disliked working for the company but it doesn’t look like a massive falling out has occurred.

I wasn’t being rude so apologies if it came across that way.

She wasn’t pushed out. She left because they’re quite frankly shit employers. They always have been.

They used to have mass culls of management staff every few years at Towers, they have no loyalty to staff whatsoever.