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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2025 Discussion

Lovely day on the park today despite the usual poor operations and rides opening late .

There were queues but not because the park was busy , because the ops are so bad. Just under an hour for dipper on one train after it opened around 1pm. And a large speedypass queue blocking the exit .

Most other coasters on one train apart from Icon on 2 and Steeplechase on 3 lanes, but guessing thats so they can sell the speedypass for lane one.

The chocolate prize game opposite w&g now has the usual cuddly toys for prizes instead of chocolate. Probably cost effective for them.

Not much else to report. Good company as always .
 
Poor OPs is a sure sign that things aren't going well - true in any business.

Would be very sad to lose the Grand National - I doubt they could get it de-listed, so just set it on fire like the Fun House and others. Too big just to demolish in the middle of the night like the Wild Mouse. Not sure they have the money to upkeep the GN to RMC it. But Iron Gwazi and Twisted Colossus are f*n awesome - perhaps an easier climate to maintain!
 
Smiley said:
Would be very sad to lose the Grand National - I doubt they could get it de-listed
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If they could demonstrate the ride is too costly to keep it operational and leaving it SBNO would be financially detrimental to the park, then I would have thought they have a very good chance of getting it demolished.
 
Yup, agreed alteration and demolition of listed structures happens all the time.
If there is no economic alternative, consent is usually agreed.

Just imagine the money they would make selling lumps.
 
Leigh said:
If they didn’t get two bit companies like KumbaK in to work on it then it probably wouldn’t have all the downtime.

I sincerely hope it doesn’t go but if they’re so hellbent on neglecting it in the way they have then it’s a matter of time before the thing falls apart of its own accord. So sad.
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While it's a popular narrative, Kumbak were desperate to put kicker wheels in the station, because they knew exactly what would happen. Plesh refused the extra costs (around the £50k mark I believe) so we got the silliness we still have today.
 
flyingguitar said:
If it is grade 2 they would have to get it de-listed first, which will probably be a pain as according to historical England you have to have new evidence to show that the building is not historically significant or architecturally important which given BPB history I doubt they could properly get.

there is also this, but not sure how applicable it is to people not in blackpool
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I emailed the council after seeing the article and they stated no application had been submitted for demolition.
 

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Ares said:
I emailed the council after seeing the article and they stated no application had been submitted for demolition.
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The thing is, if BPB were installing new rides to replace the old ones I would not mind it too much, if they replaced the mouse, or any of the other rides they replaced with a ride it would be fine (no a water fountain dosn't matter) but instead they just tear it all down, we all know that what will happen is it will be torn down then a new worlds largest water fountain would be put in its place.
 
venny said:
They’ve got history in this. The Star was listed. They got planning permission to demolish it.
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The Star was only locally listed I believe. Blackpool Council will always bend to accommodate the beach, and for good reason.

Historic England do not have the same imperative to cater to Mandy's whims.
 
Since when has she ever cared about getting permission to demolish something? The first anyone hears about it is when the staff turn up to find the bulldozers crashing though the ride they were supposed to be opperating that day.
 
Ares said:
I emailed the council after seeing the article and they stated no application had been submitted for demolition.
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Such planning matters are usually discussed high up, with a number of agencies, before any actual application is submitted.
The source is a good one, the 20th Century Society has been solid in its previous reports.
 
If this queue time is accurate, it's so poor to be running 1 train.

Very much hope they get the 2nd on soon.
 

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venny said:
It probably is. Down the ramp, into the switchbacks.

One train ops continue on most stuff. If they’re open at all.
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Got a feeling the one train ops are deliberate to try increase speedy pass and speedy one sales. Not sure if less staff are required in stations or if it reduces running costs from an electricity point of view? Problem is it may make a small term gain but it affects everyone’s day as even with a speedy pass you wait longer than normal. So it has a negative effect on people’s perceptions of the park and makes them not want to come back. As least having 2 trains on shows effort, ideally avalanche should be on 3 and icon should be on 3 in kids holidays and Saturday and if still queues people would be more forgiving. They need to be building loyalty and repeat visits to make money which they don’t seem to get. Still totally baffled by the 2 day ticket situation. Still £72 when bought on a Friday when Friday and Saturday ticket separately comes to £68 when the ticket first goes on sale. Should be a flat rate of x amount extra for a second day like merlin do that way they could even generate sales on the day with bit posters saying come back tomorrow for say £15/£20 pp. Over a season this would add up to so much more than trying to con people with tickets that’s cost more for 2 days than one and by making people slate the park for bad ops cos of poor management decisions. Things are getting better in many areas but they need to start thinking about things from a more business sense longterm perspective as the general publics forgiving phase during their evolution won’t last long if decisions like these. Next week will be the busiest week of the Easter holidays and with twilight thrills next Saturday which even with multi train ops last year queues got to over 2 hours they need to have more trains on from Monday or it could seal them having another bad season with bad reviews preventing people from booking. Having 2 rides closed in Nick land( Order up and Dora last few days) and closing the Pb express early isn’t doing anything for promoting the nick land ticket either.
 
A very rare sighting today as the Geoffrey Thompson loco came out to play. Unfortunately it was very short lived and was evac'd on its second lap, but I did manage to enjoy a complete journey.

Mary Louise has been sentenced to the bay platform after refusing to play along for the engineers.
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Big One is indeed still on one train. I'm pretty sure the other one isn't even there to be lifted in yet. I waited around an hour and a half earlier, the extended queue is open.
 
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