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2026: General Discussion

AltonLover123 said:
“Free” refills (bottomless) of high fat, sugar, or salt content such as the ones previously available is now banned in restaurants and stuff as of October 2025.

I assume the ones they offer now are within government guidelines and as such they can be bottomless.
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That only applies to full sugar drinks

Merlin have been only serving the zero and diet sugar drinks for years and if it did apply to those, the freestyles won't be compliant

It is a bonkers decision to remove it but it's probably a way of selling more bottled drinks instead if they wanted the fizzy drinks...
 
AltonLover123 said:
“Free” refills (bottomless) of high fat, sugar, or salt content such as the ones previously available is now banned in restaurants and stuff as of October 2025.
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The previous options of Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero were all HFSS compliant for "bottomless" drink promotions.
AltonLover123 said:
I assume the ones they offer now are within government guidelines and as such they can be bottomless.
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Real fruit juices are exempt entirely from HFSS promotion curtailment.
AltonLover123 said:
I didn’t say they shouldn’t…

I was replying to a comment that suggested they got rid of the fizzy as a cost saving exercise. They got rid because they simply weren’t allowed to offer the same thing they did before.
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But they are allowed to offer the same as they did before, as previously highlighted by @JAperson.
 
rob666 said:
Could I just have a beer please.
But none of your fizzy flipping IPA's.
Anyone know what they have got in the Tavern this year?
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You're starting to sound like Bert Baxter.
"Tell your dad to get some brown ale in. I can't stand that foreign muck he drinks."
(Wonders who, and from what age group, will get that reference?)

Genuinely though, Juice has to be a better option than fizz all round, right? Or is this the cheep, gnarly OJ that tastes half fermented because it's been festering in a warm jug for days?
 
Because you tend to lose things from pockets.
One car key, one pass, and one twenty pound note in a zipped pocket has stood me in good stead for forty years.
Cards and the like get left in the car after the posh picnic lunch.

Of course, never a problem at Crevettes, cash.
 
AT86 said:
New planning application has gone in today for a ‘walk through attraction building’ - no supporting documents showing yet so no indication of location.

Could well be the final phase of moving the Scaremazes out of the Towers.

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Where could it go. To be honest why are they building a brand new building for this when they have existing buildings that could be used instead and less cost cough cough Nickelodeon Outta Control and 4D Cinema seems a little wasteful
 
Hid said:
Where could it go. To be honest why are they building a brand new building for this when they have existing buildings that could be used instead and less cost cough cough Nickelodeon Outta Control and 4D Cinema seems a little wasteful
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Crowd control, appropriate for the area, plans to redevelop that area and loads of reasons. Frankly having a Scarefeast building permenantly for that use is very sensible.
 
I hope it is an attraction and not a scaremaze, give something for everyone to enjoy (perhaps over in twodw for horizon)

However if it is one (probably) then I would like to see it being a replacment for amigos in the afterlife and open up the Dungeons building again for a new boat ride.

I could only see a few places (mutiny Bay could use the staff car park, arround the dungeons, enterprise / submission site??, arround the games bunker / spinball)

with the bluey coaster, I wonder if it could be a cebeebies attraction (wasn't their that walk through which closed?)
 
I personally don't mind the Towers ruins hosting one maze. I would prefer this to be a building that enables the Dungeons warehouse to stop being used for Scarefest and open it for future development.

Bowser said:
Status: invalid application

Very on brand for Merlin 2026
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I'm pretty certain all applications have that status until validated. Previous Towers applications have had the same status when first submitted.
 
I had heard that this year is possibility the last year they are using the old Charlie and chocolate factory building for the two family attractions. Could this application be a new building to house a future family addition. Also if it is correct and they are moving the family mazes does that mean they final have plans for a new ride for this location, which would due to location could easily tie in with project horizon when it eventually happens.
 
Towers are currently recruiting for two roles - Senior Capital Projects Manager and Capital Project Coordinator.

The description for the Senior role includes:

We’re looking for an experienced and driven Senior Capital Project Manager to lead the planning, development, and delivery of a diverse portfolio of capital, sustainability, and operational projects across our resort. This is a high-impact role where you’ll shape a 5-year capital plan, oversee major investments, and ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.
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No idea if these are new or replacement roles, but the fact they are both available at once suggests that they are perhaps new?

You could argue they wouldn’t need these roles if CapEx projects weren’t coming down the line…?


 
AT86 said:
Towers are currently recruiting for two roles - Senior Capital Projects Manager and Capital Project Coordinator.

The description for the Senior role includes:



No idea if these are new or replacement roles, but the fact they are both available at once suggests that they are perhaps new?

You could argue they wouldn’t need these roles if CapEx projects weren’t coming down the line…?


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This is good news, and I believe you are correct, with them centralising and cutting roles, there is absolutely no way they would be advertising these if they were not working on major projects. This suggests the existence of a five year plan, which honestly doesn't surprise me. I ge the impression the park was on a slgiht different track, and now it's been readjusted (hence the delay in horizon) with a new focus. Likely as a response to Universal, and what Merlin is doing at their other UK parks.
Although these roles are probably less focused on bringing major rides to the park, it does show that they are indeed planning to make investments into the park, and hopefully puts the bed the idea Merlin are literally about to sell the place.
 
I wonder what happened to Neil Walker (Wicker Man project manager) and Dave Taylor (Toxicator project manager)

Are they still at Alton Towers?

Are these new vacancies to replace them, or to assist them?
 
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