Adventure Island: General Discussion

[pluk]

Parking everywhere is going up, councils everywhere have suffered massive cuts from central government...
The money for essential basic services has to come from somewhere.

Undoubtedly true, but this feels like a false economy. A cynical cash grab on everyone visiting a tourist area, deterring the tourists and hurting the businesses that employ and pay vast sums into the council.

Mostly though, I completely understand the businesses fighting it in any way they think will work, and as a visitor I hope they succeed.

 

[rob666]

So where do you suggest the council cuts services, so they can reduce car park charges?
Social services?
Shut the last Library?
Theme park owners should stay out of politics.
We know the industry settles somewhere on the right wing, but I don't think it pays to isolate half of your punters...

 

[jon81uk]

So where do you suggest the council cuts services, so they can reduce car park charges?
Social services?
Shut the last Library?
Theme park owners should stay out of politics.
We know the industry settles somewhere on the right wing, but I don't think it pays to isolate half of your punters...

Or maybe Adventure Island could refund the parking charges with purchase of a ride wristband if they care that much about their customers.

 

[Bowser]

Or maybe Adventure Island could refund the parking charges with purchase of a ride wristband if they care that much about their customers.

The park is already incredibly cheap (an annual pass is £60 and they just had a sale for £30) so i can't imagine the economics of that would work out.

 

[jon81uk]

The park is already incredibly cheap (an annual pass is £60 and they just had a sale for £30) so i can't imagine the economics of that would work out.

Then (other than being political) why does the owner care, if he thinks the park is a good price surely a few quid to the council on parking won't stop people visiting

 

[Mick]

Technically councils can’t profit off hiking car park charges, as all income raised from it has to be reused in highways. But councils can get around it by diverting other non-earmarked funding from highways to plug gaps in funding on social care etc that the government just aren’t funding enough. It’s been a bit of a saga in Shropshire this spring too.

Even if I agreed with the political views that sort of social media would still put me off attending. Theme parks/amusement parks are supposed to be places of escapism and fun, this sort of political posturing is becoming inescapable in all walks of life.

 

[Bowser]

Then (other than being political) why does the owner care, if he thinks the park is a good price surely a few quid to the council on parking won't stop people visiting

If they cost as much as a day at the park then that's probably prohibitively expense for many people. Southend is not a wealthy area.

 

[rob666]

Southend, like many seaside towns, is economically poor.
Many wealthier people visit such towns for the day, with their picnic, and don't spend a single penny...apart from parking.
Increased charges for parking mean wealthier, car using non locals contribute to their own use of the local amenity.
Simple, and fair.
Other transport alternatives, less polluting ones often, are freely available.

 

[jon81uk]

If they cost as much as a day at the park then that's probably prohibitively expense for many people. Southend is not a wealthy area.

If people are coming from Southend they can take the bus. But given Alton Towers car parking is now £10, for tourists coming to the town those rates don't seem terrible. Blackpool Council is £12 for 12 hours

 

[Coaster]

It's bizarre that Adventure Island have omitted the Conservatives from their list in the post below, even though ULEZ was originally planned and announced by Boris Johnson.


From: https://x.com/Adv_Island/status/1775522292501495979

Pretty disgusting for the park to be promoting a party of hateful murderers, but I am not surprised at all. This is the same park owner who claimed that "inclusivity is not for them" in relation to Pride, as well as posting a mysognistic washing up joke in the context of the 2023 Women's World Cup.

 

[Plastic Person]

However you square the politics, this is a terrible campaign and aesthetic. Perfectly emblematic of the "suffice to say, I had the last laugh" pettiness amongst a certain (old, conservative) business mindset in the UK. Here's hoping they split a 'fifteen minute city' at either side of the pier.

 

[Martin]

If he isn't directly involved in *conveniently unnamed party* I'd imagine there's been some handshakes at the golf club where he's made this for them to get around election spending laws and things like that?

Of course they're entitled to act and advocate for whatever they feel is in their interests just like anyone else but could they not at least do it with a bit of dignity?

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

Southend, like many seaside towns, is economically poor.
Many wealthier people visit such towns for the day, with their picnic, and don't spend a single penny...apart from parking.
Increased charges for parking mean wealthier, car using non locals contribute to their own use of the local amenity.
Simple, and fair.
Other transport alternatives, less polluting ones often, are freely available.

Southend is a bit different from many of the typical seaside towns found up and down the country. It’s in quite close proximity to Greater London (only 35 miles away from Stratford International and perhaps even in the commuter belt) and it has what looks to be quite a healthy city centre. I’d imagine that many visitors to the park do spend money in the town, even if it’s just grabbing a Greggs or Maccy D’s before or after the park or stocking up on snacks at the supermarket or Poundland. And it’s also an extremely easy park to visit by public transport, having two different train stations that both serve London, plenty of buses to the towns around the south of Essex, and it’s just a short walk down the high street to the park and seafront.

 

[rob666]

The only time I ever spent there was on a genuine east end outing on a coach in the early eighties.
Full day, cases of beer on the coach with bacon butty breakfast at seven am.
Huge coach house pubs both ways, amazing places.
Like Margate, work darts and dominoes league trip...I have very little recollection whatsoever!

 

[pluk]

It's bizarre that Adventure Island have omitted the Conservatives from their list in the post below, even though ULEZ was originally planned and announced by Boris Johnson.

As it is nowhere near the ULEZ zone that has nothing to do with anything here?

As I understand it Southend is somehow controlled by a Conservative minority, so if the leaders of the council want to do or not do something then the other parties get together and do the opposite. This doesn't seem to be a workable way to run the place! Locally though, and for this specific purpose, it seems a valid point if someone wanted to vote on this issue alone.

So where do you suggest the council cuts services, so they can reduce car park charges?
Social services?
Shut the last Library?
Theme park owners should stay out of politics.
We know the industry settles somewhere on the right wing, but I don't think it pays to isolate half of your punters...

No one is after a reduction, this is against a change of free parking after 18:00 to heavy charges until 21:00. The carparks are not busy at that time, the demand does not need to be managed by the introduction of the charge so it isn't compliant with national guidance on when parking charges should be introduced.

Again, I hate the polotics of it too, but I hate the councils actions too and completely understand businesses (AI is not the only one) going on the offensive about it.

 

[Coaster]

As it is nowhere near the ULEZ zone that has nothing to do with anything here?

It's in Adventure Island's post.

 

[Bowser]

It's in Adventure Island's post.

That's different from what Boris Johnson announced as mayor, it's a replica scheme that was proposed (and so far rejected) for Southend.

 

[rob666]

As it is nowhere near the ULEZ zone that has nothing to do with anything here?

As I understand it Southend is somehow controlled by a Conservative minority, so if the leaders of the council want to do or not do something then the other parties get together and do the opposite. This doesn't seem to be a workable way to run the place! Locally though, and for this specific purpose, it seems a valid point if someone wanted to vote on this issue alone.



No one is after a reduction, this is against a change of free parking after 18:00 to heavy charges until 21:00. The carparks are not busy at that time, the demand does not need to be managed by the introduction of the charge so it isn't compliant with national guidance on when parking charges should be introduced.

Again, I hate the polotics of it too, but I hate the councils actions too and completely understand businesses (AI is not the only one) going on the offensive about it.

But it is nothing new!
All councils have increased parking charges everywhere!
Why should parking be free after 6pm?
Buses and trains aren't free after a certain time...why should personal vehicle charges suddenly vanish?
This is not just a Southend problem.
Go to Blackpool, where many of the car parks charge 24 hours per day!
Southend being free after 9pm...consider it a bonus.
You could always sign his petition.

 

[Coaster]

That's different from what Boris Johnson announced as mayor, it's a replica scheme that was proposed (and so far rejected) for Southend.

Yes, a replica of a scheme that was created and announced by Boris Johnson. He is literally responsible for it even existing.

 

[Bowser]

Yes, a replica of a scheme that was created and announced by Boris Johnson. He is literally responsible for it even existing.

Emission zones existed well before Boris Johnson was involved in the proposal of one for London (not to mention there was already one in place in London before he was mayor) and countless urban areas have also introduced other traffic exclusion measures prior to and unrelated to his term as Mayor.

Plenty of things you can berate him for but linking it to the proposals for Southend is tenuous at best, it’s part of a global trajectory of traffic and emission easing measures.