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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion
Poopoohead
TS Member
Closed at 6 yesterday down from a previously advertised 7. Weather was good too. Wouldn’t have said park was that quiet plenty of people still hanging around about 6:45 as we left the velvet coaster
Poopoohead
TS Member
It’s time they stopped changing the operation hours last minute!
shakey
TS Member
Forecast was, and still is for sun all day today. It is also a decent forecast for thursday , clouds and sun.
Friday is the only really bad day.
Let's face it, the weather isn't the reason they are closing early. Its simply to save money and because the park isn't as busy as it should be.
Shall we have another debate on the wrong business model for a seaside park !!
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Dipper_Dave
TS Member
A sweeping generalisation if ever I saw one. I presume you won’t be renewing your season pass then (if you still currently have one)? Personally it is worth my time and money. If it isn’t for you, then vote with your wallet and stop giving them money !
I agree that the chopping and changing of closing times is poor, but as usual the park do what they please. Everything is subject to change and always will be. As the saying goes: ‘Constant change is here to stay.’
Coaster
TS Member
It was a bit naughty, granted. But then again, if people keep accepting the park doing things like this then it'll only get worse.
They haven't had a penny off me since April.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
So the alternative to putting up with some of their questionable antics is to make a stand, not accept it, and stop visiting? Great, in no time at all the place will cease to exist.
Or you can simply choose to accept things that are beyond your control and enjoy the day as best you can. I’d rather put up with a few closing time amendments then take my ball and go home, and stop enjoying the rides I love. I’m afraid a very small handful of enthusiasts refusing to attend the park is not going to bring down the establishment and cause a sudden change of heart amongst park management
Poopoohead
TS Member
That’s the situation as I see it too. We all enjoy the rides and the day out in general and the £80 season pass is great value for us, the way the place is ran is rubbish and frustrating as hell but I think I’d just be spiting my kids to prove a point if we didn’t go.
Coaster
TS Member
I'm not suggesting everyone should suddenly stop visiting, it's not really a case of me "refusing" to visit, I just haven't had the enthusiasm to want to.
With that said, it's absolutely right to call the park out when they treat their guests with such apathy, IMO.
Rick
TS Member
@Coaster Jamie, if you didn't live five hours away, I suspect you'd be there much more often, irrespective of how it was run...
If it's busy as hell and they change the hours, that's one thing for me. If it's hoofing it down and the place is empty I think that's slightly different. That said, their approach to opening and closing should be reflected in the wording they use.
If it's busy as hell and they change the hours, that's one thing for me. If it's hoofing it down and the place is empty I think that's slightly different. That said, their approach to opening and closing should be reflected in the wording they use.
Coaster
TS Member
I do live five hours away, though. You're right, the distance and mileage/accommodation involved in visiting means it isn't financially worth the expenditure for a lacklustre offering. If I lived nearer I would be more inclined to visit on an ad hoc basis and it wouldn't be quite such a big deal because I'd be able to visit on a whim.
The thing is though, going back a few years, it used to be worth the hassle and cost of travelling there. My first visit was in 2004 (we used to go once a year) but we've had season passes and visited more often since 2014 and used to prefer BPB because the rides were more unique, the service was better, and the opening hours were generally better than other UK parks. Even just going back to 2014/15 you were guaranteed 8pm closing every day during the summer and October holidays.
Gradually over the years it's gotten progressively worse, from my own personal experiences at the park, to the point where it is now not worth us making the investment into visiting.
ScottishChris
TS Member
I think the problem we are actually seeing is that two main UK parks (Thope and BPB) have both responded to te demands of their customers and offered extended opening hours... the problem is, people haven't been going in the numbers that make it viable. This may be down to the rain, weather of just people not wanting to go.
The parks have tried something, and it hasn't worked. They haven't exactly dealt with it well, but they have dealt with it. Can you imagine the cost of staying open an hour or two late a week. Basic staff costs must be pushing £50k alone.
The parks have tried something, and it hasn't worked. They haven't exactly dealt with it well, but they have dealt with it. Can you imagine the cost of staying open an hour or two late a week. Basic staff costs must be pushing £50k alone.
The messing about with the hours is one reason people don’t return visit. It’s one of the reasons I haven’t visited since last year and won’t return for a year or two.
Thorpe reducing hours is pretty much an unprecedented move, Merlin parks haven’t reduced hours after the calendar has been published in the past and points to bigger issues at the park (once again).
Thorpe reducing hours is pretty much an unprecedented move, Merlin parks haven’t reduced hours after the calendar has been published in the past and points to bigger issues at the park (once again).