Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Who's Holly, out of interest?
-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion
- Thread starter John
- Start date
- Status
Benjsh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I definitely think there's other things they can do to attract more guests but the over analysis in here today has made me laugh.
The truth is the UK Theme Park Industry is on its backside. Every park is struggling really in relative terms. Even Towers who were getting higher attendances 10 years ago.
There's been a few high profile accidents in last few years too. That has definitely had an impact on UK parks. Social Media made those situations worse sadly too.
Only Legoland is getting the numbers and that place is awful and ran down and their feedback scores are awful.
I don't think Blackpool are doing a great deal wrong. They are just suffering same fate as a lot of places. Tighter purse strings with families, bad weather, accidents.....it's all having an impact.
I don't like saying it but there are quite a few younger people on here who still live at home and maybe have only just finished school. I don't think they realise how bad things are in certain places. I live in Manchester suburbs and the North West isn't that affluent as a whole. Times are tough so Blackpool are naturally going to feel the pinch a bit.
The truth is the UK Theme Park Industry is on its backside. Every park is struggling really in relative terms. Even Towers who were getting higher attendances 10 years ago.
There's been a few high profile accidents in last few years too. That has definitely had an impact on UK parks. Social Media made those situations worse sadly too.
Only Legoland is getting the numbers and that place is awful and ran down and their feedback scores are awful.
I don't think Blackpool are doing a great deal wrong. They are just suffering same fate as a lot of places. Tighter purse strings with families, bad weather, accidents.....it's all having an impact.
I don't like saying it but there are quite a few younger people on here who still live at home and maybe have only just finished school. I don't think they realise how bad things are in certain places. I live in Manchester suburbs and the North West isn't that affluent as a whole. Times are tough so Blackpool are naturally going to feel the pinch a bit.
So what is it?
Rojo
TS Member
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
BPB are entitled to do as they please, but its the stubbornness that bugs me. The fact that they are unwilling to hold up their hands and say "We got it wrong." Of course we keep going round in circles with all this, but lets face it Blackpool is totally different to places like Thorpe and Towers, where people go specifically to visit said theme parks and nothing else. People go to Blackpool for a myriad of reasons, but at certain times of year the place is heaving with people strolling down the promenade and walking the piers, etc. To me, having been there in the late 80's - late 90's heyday, staying til late at night, it still seems totally absurd that they close at the likes of 5 or 6pm during school hols, illuminations, etc, and make it prohibitively expensive for many people to just walk in and have a few rides.
Even the few midnight closures of a few years back were pulled back to 10pm, and now many of the rides close at 9 during these 'night riding' events due to the fireworks. In some ways they have nothing to lose, to trial say a Noon to 7/8pm (later at peaks times) opening, even for one season. As for walk-up trade, whilst I get that the entry charges keeps the riff-raff out (see 90's BBC TV series), but they have now all but eliminated the chances of anyone who just happens to be on the front, calling in for a few rides. Also, still selling Speedy Pass when the park is very quiet is somewhat ridiculous. But then if people are stupid enough to pay it. . .
Even the few midnight closures of a few years back were pulled back to 10pm, and now many of the rides close at 9 during these 'night riding' events due to the fireworks. In some ways they have nothing to lose, to trial say a Noon to 7/8pm (later at peaks times) opening, even for one season. As for walk-up trade, whilst I get that the entry charges keeps the riff-raff out (see 90's BBC TV series), but they have now all but eliminated the chances of anyone who just happens to be on the front, calling in for a few rides. Also, still selling Speedy Pass when the park is very quiet is somewhat ridiculous. But then if people are stupid enough to pay it. . .
Austin Towers
TS Member
Couldn't agree more. There's nothing about BPB that makes me want to return. However if I were in Blackpool for another reason I would certainly take advantage of a pay per ride system as long as there was no entry charge. Don't want to offend BPB fans but it's not a theme park, more a glorified seaside resort funfair and they're nuts charging a gate price.
For example little Tommy's grandparents take him to the seaside for a day. They walk past PB as there's no way they're paying the gate price for three. Free entry and they'll probably go in and pay for little Tommy to go on a couple of rides and possibly buy him an ice cream or a candy floss. Every £1 counts.
For example little Tommy's grandparents take him to the seaside for a day. They walk past PB as there's no way they're paying the gate price for three. Free entry and they'll probably go in and pay for little Tommy to go on a couple of rides and possibly buy him an ice cream or a candy floss. Every £1 counts.
On busy, sunny summer days before paid entry, it could take over an hour to walk once round the park, it was that crowded.
Queues mixed in with crowded walkways, and often, half the people on the park were proud of the fact that they hadn't spent a penny, with their butties wrapped in waxed bread wrappers and a bottle of diluted cordial.
The park lost money because people couldnt get about to spend their money.
Keep the paid entry on peak days, but give people vouchers for food and drink.
Regarding later opening, I think a big factor is simply the staff don't want to work evenings!
The pay is not great, and seasonal...office hours is one of the few staff perks.
They struggle with turnover of staff and there are often staffing issues...getting the staff back to work after a "Mad Monday" day off in the Velvet Coaster would be easier though with later opening.
Queues mixed in with crowded walkways, and often, half the people on the park were proud of the fact that they hadn't spent a penny, with their butties wrapped in waxed bread wrappers and a bottle of diluted cordial.
The park lost money because people couldnt get about to spend their money.
Keep the paid entry on peak days, but give people vouchers for food and drink.
Regarding later opening, I think a big factor is simply the staff don't want to work evenings!
The pay is not great, and seasonal...office hours is one of the few staff perks.
They struggle with turnover of staff and there are often staffing issues...getting the staff back to work after a "Mad Monday" day off in the Velvet Coaster would be easier though with later opening.
Marshal-B33J
TS Member
Always thought that they should make the pay per ride price more realistic and let you get free tickets to the value of the entry charge. So technically the admission would be free but at the same time would stop people just walking in to hang around.
BPB is a really frustrating park, it feels so close yet so far.
Over the past 10 years there has been vast improvements to the aesthetics of the park, the look of the place has improved massively. There's been a huge focus on staff training, all staff now undergo the 'world hosts' training scheme and there is a huge focus on regular mystery shoppers, bonus schemes for staff scoring 100% and the park genuinely action the outcome of the reports. The merch selection has come a million miles in the past few years, some fantastic unique lines. It's quite obvious they really care about the park, with them regularly making investments that will not directly impact revenue, however guest experience - something refreshing for a UK park given the current state of affairs..
That said, BPB are absolutely their own worst enemy. It truly is their way or the high way - people probably wouldn't be surprised to know the whole place is a dictatorship and incredibly unprofessional. It is worrying how many talented people don't last 2 seconds in that place. Closing at 6pm on an advertised 8pm on multiple occasions is an absolute insult to guests, but that won't change unless the management team do..
The park have started dipping their toe in the water with 10pm closes, the park is always rammed for these, there's loads of additional entertainment, the place feels alive. Even with a park that are so sure of themselves, surely they can see late opening times are the way forward!? Unfortunately to their own detriment they seem determined to stick by paying to get in, high prices on the gate, early closing, and the PPR system being a joke. Such a shame when there is so much potential!
Over the past 10 years there has been vast improvements to the aesthetics of the park, the look of the place has improved massively. There's been a huge focus on staff training, all staff now undergo the 'world hosts' training scheme and there is a huge focus on regular mystery shoppers, bonus schemes for staff scoring 100% and the park genuinely action the outcome of the reports. The merch selection has come a million miles in the past few years, some fantastic unique lines. It's quite obvious they really care about the park, with them regularly making investments that will not directly impact revenue, however guest experience - something refreshing for a UK park given the current state of affairs..
That said, BPB are absolutely their own worst enemy. It truly is their way or the high way - people probably wouldn't be surprised to know the whole place is a dictatorship and incredibly unprofessional. It is worrying how many talented people don't last 2 seconds in that place. Closing at 6pm on an advertised 8pm on multiple occasions is an absolute insult to guests, but that won't change unless the management team do..
The park have started dipping their toe in the water with 10pm closes, the park is always rammed for these, there's loads of additional entertainment, the place feels alive. Even with a park that are so sure of themselves, surely they can see late opening times are the way forward!? Unfortunately to their own detriment they seem determined to stick by paying to get in, high prices on the gate, early closing, and the PPR system being a joke. Such a shame when there is so much potential!
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
This is a bit off topic, but I was thinking about the other Steeplechase ride that Arrow built aside from The Steeplechase at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
The Cycle Chase at Knott's Berry Farm had four tracks compared to the three at Blackpool, but looking at the pictures there often seem to have been a lot of bikes crowded together. Does anyone know how it worked? Were there multiple bikes linked together, or is it that there weren't any block sections so bikes just got bunched up like that? Also according to RCDB the Cycle Chase at Knott's Berry Farm went at 40mph. Does anyone know how fast Blackpool's Steeplechase is to give a comparison?
The Cycle Chase at Knott's Berry Farm had four tracks compared to the three at Blackpool, but looking at the pictures there often seem to have been a lot of bikes crowded together. Does anyone know how it worked? Were there multiple bikes linked together, or is it that there weren't any block sections so bikes just got bunched up like that? Also according to RCDB the Cycle Chase at Knott's Berry Farm went at 40mph. Does anyone know how fast Blackpool's Steeplechase is to give a comparison?
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
That motorbike Steeplechase looks immense.
So, June is ‘always quiet’ hey @rob666 ? 25-30 coaches on North car park would say otherwise today. Still, nice few hours in the sun. Shutters down at ‘exclusive season pass holder’ East entrance though. Rare wheel seat on Nash for me. Row 7, rough as you like. I’m getting too old for this. Need to save some energy for The Ultimate
So, June is ‘always quiet’ hey @rob666 ? 25-30 coaches on North car park would say otherwise today. Still, nice few hours in the sun. Shutters down at ‘exclusive season pass holder’ East entrance though. Rare wheel seat on Nash for me. Row 7, rough as you like. I’m getting too old for this. Need to save some energy for The Ultimate
Jb85
TS Member
From red dwarf ?
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
It was today but 6 rows of one of them were sandbagged !
- Status