2023: General Discussion

[Dave]

How did they endanger their guests exactly. I am sorry but Alton Towers are stretching a bit there.

Not only is the park closed from guests right now. You would hope (especially after the Smiler incident) they have rigorous inspection routines on all their rides. So that if the idiots did cause any damage that could endanger guests, it would be found and corrected well within time.

I do not condone what they did at all, but i also refuse to look at it with rose tinted glasses and I am sorry, but Alton Towers suggesting guests were endangered annoys me. Totally untrue.

I think that they are pushing the argument with guest safety but as others have pointed out it is possible. Not all rides are inspected in the morning before opening, some checks are done the previous evening after ride close (there isn’t enough resource to check everything in the 4hrs tech services have pre-opening).

It’s unlikely though mostly because the rides themselves will likely identify any safety critical faults.

 

[BarryZola]

Has this been mentioned elsewhere, that the company behind Lightopia has gone into administration? Apologies if I've missed it being discussed already.

Festive light installations left stuck in south London park after firm’s collapse

Unicorns, nutcrackers and candy canes have been left stuck in Crystal Palace Park

www.standard.co.uk

 

[MattyH]

Oh dear. That's not gone well

 

[tayspru]

Hopefully Merlin will purchase the assets and continue running a light event under their own brand

 

[Danny]

That could be why all the props are still left in the car park. Well, that is unless they've been pinched by people trying to fondle the Nemesis track by now.

 

[rob666]

Nemesis track fondling...why does that thought make me smile?

 

[djtruefitt]

Probably explains why it felt a bit budget and lacking, as well as some of the lights looking tired and old.

 

[jon81uk]

Hopefully Merlin will purchase the assets and continue running a light event under their own brand

Given the reported poor quality and maintenance of the lanterns, do you think the park would do a better job running it themselves?

 

[Tom]

Is Warwick's an external company?

 

[Ethan]

Looks like fastrack packages will cost the same this year, despite Nemesis obviously not being included. £50 for 5 big rides compared to what used to be 6. This indicates that we'll see a price increase for single shots. Most likely £10 per ride and maybe £12 for Smiler and Wicker

 

[Alsty]

Has this been mentioned elsewhere, that the company behind Lightopia has gone into administration? Apologies if I've missed it being discussed already.

Festive light installations left stuck in south London park after firm’s collapse

Unicorns, nutcrackers and candy canes have been left stuck in Crystal Palace Park

www.standard.co.uk

Somewhat suspicious that Outreach Creative Ltd has gone into administration while a new company called Outreach Creative Events Ltd was incorporated in August 2022 by the same director... looks like a phoenix company to me.

 

[AT86]

We already knew spelling wasn’t Towers specialist skill. Seems we can add counting to that list too.

 

[Danscott22]

How incredibly generous that Battle Galleons and Marauder’s Mayhem are included still. I’m sure fast track will definitely be needed for both!

 

[Dave]

To be honest the more expensive fast track is the better.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

Worth pointing out also, both Gold and Platinum fasttrack have 11 rides on them (Gold says 12). Presumably they took Nemesis out but forgot to update the count for Gold.

 

[Archermav]

Or a certain haunted house/egg museum is waiting to replace Nemesis, therefore keeping the count up...?

 

[Skyscraper]

Has this been mentioned elsewhere, that the company behind Lightopia has gone into administration? Apologies if I've missed it being discussed already.

Festive light installations left stuck in south London park after firm’s collapse

Unicorns, nutcrackers and candy canes have been left stuck in Crystal Palace Park

www.standard.co.uk

On companies house the original company has gone into administration, however a new company with a very similar name was created back in august... the director is the same person. That seems very dodgy.

 

[BarryZola]

Yes, and for some reason our glorious leaders allow this practice to continue. Start a business and pay yourself very well whilst getting the company into debt. Then get the company folded and leave other companies struggling because you didn't pay your debts to them. Then start an almost identical company and rinse and repeat. Successive governments seem happy with this arrangement.

 

[AT86]

Looking at these two companies, it seems Outreach Creative Events Ltd (the one set up in August) was set up as a subsidiary of the original, who hold all the shares in the new company.

Generally if you are going to set up a phoenix company in order to pick up all the assets of the failed one without any of the debt this isn’t the way to do it. You don’t want any link financially between the two entities. Therefore I am not sure if that was the plan here. It might have been set up for different reasons.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[John_P]

A usual practice is to set up different companies for different arms of the business. That way in theory if one of them goes to the wall the other companies aren't effected and can continue to trade.