Wild Mouse was still displayed on the official BPB website throughout December as closed for "maintenance", even into January after it had been demolished. If the decision had not been made when the website was originally updated, I would suggest that an organisation on the scale of BPB should (and would) have the means to update their website.
It is clear that BPB spent money on Wild Mouse throughout the early half of 2017, I don't think anyone is debating that as the evidence is there for us to see; new magnetic brakes, re-tracking, new evacuation walkways installed and other changes. With that said, I do not believe the decision to demolish it was made
after staff left for their Christmas break considering it came down during that time!
I would like to reiterate at this point, that this was the condition of the ride's track in October;
I do not believe it would have been allowed to deteriorate that much if there were plans to reopen it.
It is of course the park's decision to announce the removal of a ride both when, and how, they see fit. However, it has to be understood that the decision a park makes on how to announce such an event will have an impact on how they are perceived by both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts. Customers who spend their money on the park can ultimately decide on how they feel about the way a ride closure is announced. In addition, when a ride has provided thrills for as many generations as Wild Mouse had, I feel that those people deserved better than the way BPB went about things. It displays a cold corporate attitude, a lack of care, if that's how they choose to come across then so be it.
Addressing the statements made by CPBE, RCCGB and ECC, it's all well and good for the park to utilise coaster clubs to speak through, but these things should come from the park itself. The (lack of) communication and subsequent statement released by BPB is the park's
official choice of making the information available, and therefore my opinions are based on this.
"Our current winter work programme has seen the permanent closure and dismantling of the Wild Mouse and the removal of the facade of the former Trauma Towers attractions. This will create an area for future exciting developments.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a constantly evolving amusement park and has been for the past 122 years. The changes it has seen over the years are what has made it the great park it is today. This, coupled with a relatively small amount of space, means that in order to progress and look to the future we occasionally alter the landscape of the park to make way for future developments."
In response to various comments regarding when it was released, the higher-ups within BPB will have planned and organised the demolition, therefore I would suggest that they could (and perhaps should) have taken the relevant steps to make the relevant people aware so that a statement could have been put out as a matter of priority. I haven't claimed that I think the staff knew before they left for Christmas, in this case I think those at the very top are to blame for failing to act fast enough on releasing a statement, and in addition whoever approved the appalling statement which was (hurriedly) released last Saturday.
