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2022: General Discussion

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Benjsh said:
Yeah because everyone who attends the park does so in a even numbered group......oh wait.
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The internet exists nowadays, the odd numbered group can check the price to book online, discover that is better value for them than than a 2for1 and book one person online at regular online price and the others using the 2for1. Or find a half price voucher instead.

20 years ago, yes a majority bought tickets on the gate, but now the pandemic has changed things further as pre-book was compulsory for a while and it’s quite easy to find out the £36/38/42 online price is better than the £65 gate price.
 
This happens often with Enterprise, so I wouldn't be too concerned. Obviously Hex isn't COVID related as it was being suggested, or it wouldn't be removed from the app. We know it was closed at the end of last season, hasn't made this season either except for about 2 days.
 
Anyone know why they're seemingly closing more and more of the Towers ruins off as time goes by? This is in direct contradiction to those measures put in place a year or two ago that ruled that more of the ruins should be opened up and for longer periods of the year. Popped in on opening day and only the drawing room and long gallery were accessible. Everything else was boarded up. Are they having an actual laugh?
 
BarryZola said:
Anyone know why they're seemingly closing more and more of the Towers ruins off as time goes by? This is in direct contradiction to those measures put in place a year or two ago that ruled that more of the ruins should be opened up and for longer periods of the year. Popped in on opening day and only the drawing room and long gallery were accessible. Everything else was boarded up. Are they having an actual laugh?
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Maybe other areas have issues that could pose a health and safety risk? We just don't know. I wouldn't have thought they would close them unless absolutely necessary, given the measures you mention.
 
BarryZola said:
Anyone know why they're seemingly closing more and more of the Towers ruins off as time goes by? This is in direct contradiction to those measures put in place a year or two ago that ruled that more of the ruins should be opened up and for longer periods of the year. Popped in on opening day and only the drawing room and long gallery were accessible. Everything else was boarded up. Are they having an actual laugh?
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I tried Tuesday and all of the Towers were blocked off. A great, practically free to host experience right in the middle of the park from which the whole place takes its name and you can't ever get in them.
 
It's an absolute joke. Might have to check out these regulations again and see what Towers are supposed to be doing and when. It doesn't look like they're complying in all honesty.
 
Had a look back at the proposals on the Staffs Moorlands planning portal. If you go to the last link on this page it seems that the senior conservation officer wasn't too pleased about the lack of info in the application and maybe how they may be trying fit the application around what they'd already been doing with the scare mazes. She said she couldn't go any further with the application in its current form. Seems there's no further updates since then, so I expect Towers will just continue to wing it and hopefully get away with what they've been doing for the past several years. They need fining really for what they've been upto, in my opinion only. Link: http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=140644
 
I think its a shame given the importance of the towers, that they are not used commercially by merlin in any shape or form. It would be a lovely setting for a sit down meal/ eatery. Paid tours, fine dining experience alongside hotel restaurants. Im not for a second suggesting we redecorate it or anything, even if the kitchen was setup similarly to hex external build hidden from view to a degree.

But it just sits there empty apart from scarefest.

As others have said so much is sealed off its a shame, the towers really need a lot of money spent to prevent collapse and preserve what is a lovely building. It pains me to look out over-the derelict parts.

Not so practical but would also be a great premium accommodation option of merlin fully restored the towers. But would require more infrastructure work to prevent the whole park being accessed out of park hours.
 
I'm surprised there isn't more usage as well. Make the rooms watertight and they're perfect for prop storage as has been seen before. Opening weekend this year the only bits open were the chapel, the stairs up from the chapel, the dining room and the conservatory
 
I think people are forgetting that due to the historical nature of the Towers there are limitations as to what can be done with them, and any building work or changes have to be applied for.
 
Of course, they don't actually need to do anything with the Towers. The Ruins don't need to have a commercial purpose, they could simply have them open for guests to look around... like they did for the previous 30 years. They are an attraction on their own and could simply exist as such.

Ironically, it does seem a little like the park have backed themselves into a corner where, through a series of mistakes of Merlin's own making, the council could actually force them to remove the Scaremazes from the Towers altogether if they are not careful. It sounds like there's quite a few things that the park have been taking for granted in the ruins, which maybe the authorities aren't so sure about.
 
Funny enough yesterday because everything was closed in the morning we did think of going in to the towers for a look around!
 
Squiggs said:
Of course, they don't actually need to do anything with the Towers. The Ruins don't need to have a commercial purpose, they could simply have them open for guests to look around... like they did for the previous 30 years. They are an attraction on their own and could simply exist as such.

Ironically, it does seem a little like the park have backed themselves into a corner where, through a series of mistakes of Merlin's own making, the council could actually force them to remove the Scaremazes from the Towers altogether if they are not careful. It sounds like there's quite a few things that the park have been taking for granted in the ruins, which maybe the authorities aren't so sure about.
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I believe Hex is part of the heritage agreement, could it be affected if the council were to force changes (like not allowing scare mazes in the Towers like you said)?
 
Don't get me wrong I'm fully aware of the restrictions for planning with old buildings, but provided the restoration meets the criteria and standards there is no reason the towers couldn't be restored fully to be here for decades to come.
 
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