jon81uk
TS Member
Although I don't think Merlin is that centralised.
I know for London the attractions are clustered and there is a central office in County Hall.
But I think Alton Towers runs most of its own HR etc.
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Drayton Manor Park
- Thread starter Matty
- Start date
Although I don't think Merlin is that centralised.
I know for London the attractions are clustered and there is a central office in County Hall.
But I think Alton Towers runs most of its own HR etc.
Looking on Linked In quite a few of the UK parks have been doing redundancies. Losing your job is tough, and it’s not an easy time for finding another. Because of the current situation, it’s harder to know how much of a re-structuring is to do with a new owner and how much it’s down to the pandemic.
To an extent the Looping Group bought Drayton Manor knowing about the current climate. Nonetheless, they must be worried about the way things are heading. Christmas has become a big time for the park. From their point of the view, the worst-case scenario is that they spend lots of money preparing for it, and then have to cancel at the last minute.
To an extent the Looping Group bought Drayton Manor knowing about the current climate. Nonetheless, they must be worried about the way things are heading. Christmas has become a big time for the park. From their point of the view, the worst-case scenario is that they spend lots of money preparing for it, and then have to cancel at the last minute.
Pleasure Beach Valhalla
TS Member
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- Nemesis
I just saw this now https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/drayton-manor-theme-park-prosecuted-22891542 been a brilliant year for the park hasn't it just!
Skyscraper
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- Nemesis
Oh dear.
At least Drayton is owned by a big company that should be able to pay a substantial fine without issue.
It was tragic but if she hadn't stood up to change seats it would never have happened and she'd still be here, likewise if she had stayed put where she fell and not tried to climb the hill.
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Not surprised at all, at least the park managed to get their affairs in order so they are in a better position now for whatever the prosecution outcome is.
@skyscraper I was at Thorpe last Saturday and the amount of announcements the operator had to do on rapids telling people to sit down, close the gate etc was unbelievable and you can hear the PA from other rides so the offenders can’t claim they didn’t hear it!
so despite all the signage and announcements there’s still a lot of people who ignore them anyway. I could understand why parks might just permanently close them because shy of having security at the exit and actually escorting them off the park people just won’t listen.
Skyscraper
TS Member
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- Nemesis
I'm surprised the gates weren't built with actual locks, which would be opened with a key held by the hosts. Would prevent riders from being able to open them during the ride. 
Could even have a wristband lock system, like the one used on Hagrid's at UIOA.
Could even have a wristband lock system, like the one used on Hagrid's at UIOA.
AT86
TS Member
Remember folks that the inquest unearthed lots of failings from the parks perspective including lack of staff, poor monitoring, no first aid training, slow/inadequate responses.
These are likely to be the reasons for the prosecution, not the fact a guest fell in the water in itself.
These are likely to be the reasons for the prosecution, not the fact a guest fell in the water in itself.
jon81uk
TS Member
Yes, the incident happened due to guest actions, but the parks response, and the speed of the response due to poor CCTV monitoring is the issue.
As above, if multiple announcements are being made about sitting down it shows CCTV is being monitored.
Pleasure Beach Valhalla
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It's sad to see this happening after everything, i bet they can't wait for 2021 already! I'm going on Monday anyway so i might get a few photos of the G-Force site (though i don't anything will have changed) and anything else i deem necessary to post on this forum.
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Benjsh
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- Steel Vengeance
Probably explains why Loopings got the business for as little as £15m too. They probably factored in this incoming fine with the buyout as it's been obvious they were never going to get away without a hefty fine since the evidence came out.
Let's hope the park can put it all behind them next year and move on.
Let's hope the park can put it all behind them next year and move on.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Wouldn’t the fine go to the former owners. I do wonder if the girl stood up on any other rapids in the uk would all members of staff know what to do if the same happened there. Can’t understand why people go on rapids rides but don’t want to get wet.
The business will be prosecuted, not the owners.
Potentially individuals can also be prosecuted if personal negligence can be proven, I've heard no indication that might be the case though.
Sauron97
TS Member
If you notice, the prosecution is for Drayton Manor ltd, which has not been dissolved (for numerous reasons, the investigation being one of them) rather than Drayton Manor resort ltd, which is what the majority of the park now is as a registered company with Looping as the parent. The fine will be issued for Drayton Manor ltd and the liabilities will pass on when Looping buy the rest of the assets for Drayton which as you say was part of the deal when the takeover happened. From what I hear, this area (marked under DM ltd) includes areas of land not previously used before.
Sam
TS Member
She was eleven years old.
DistortAMG
TS Member
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- POTC Disneyland Paris
Tragic indeed. Also if the park had proper procedures in place and got her out the water quickly. She will
She would have also survived had Drayton Manor responded better than they did.
jon81uk
TS Member
Is that your personal opinion, or that of the HSE or similar investigation?
I agree the park should have watched the CCTV better and responded quicker/better, as well as putting more announcements etc out when observing the CCTV. But her choice to climb the lift hill likely did not help matters.
Then a responsible adult should have been riding with her and told her to sit down.
The park did not respond well enough or monitor CCTV adequately, but there should also have been adequate supervision from parents/teachers etc.
pluk
TS Member
That is 100% not the finding. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death. A prevention of future death notice was issued to all opperaters, that is absolutely not the same thing as saying this death was preventable.
https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/evha-jannath/
Skyscraper
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Second-to-last bullet point explains why the Waterfalls are still off for Towers rapids;
"any theming or participatory items such as water cannons or similar items whether on the boat or the bank, should not encourage riders to adopt unsafe positions"
You cannot guarantee that all riders will obey safety instructions.
DistortAMG
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Sorry, what I ment to say is she would have had a much better chance of survival had the park responded better.
Of course the death is going to be ruled as accidentally. She did not follow advice and fell into the water as a result. However had the proceeding moments afterwards been handled better by Drayton Manor, due to whatever factors, she would have had a much better chance of survival. We know this is the case, because if it wasnt, there wouldn't be a prosecution.
Of course the death is going to be ruled as accidentally. She did not follow advice and fell into the water as a result. However had the proceeding moments afterwards been handled better by Drayton Manor, due to whatever factors, she would have had a much better chance of survival. We know this is the case, because if it wasnt, there wouldn't be a prosecution.
O
Orange Ribena
Children should not be left on rides where they are unsupervised. Kids don't act in a safe manner especially when they are in a big group trying to show off to each other. Even if you child is sensible there will always be one mucking about.
The rapids at Towers are now boring since they are so tame. The current rules just rending having a rapids rides in the UK a waste of time. Replace it with something where they kids are bolted in place with a three point harness so they can't get up to mucking around.
The rapids at Towers are now boring since they are so tame. The current rules just rending having a rapids rides in the UK a waste of time. Replace it with something where they kids are bolted in place with a three point harness so they can't get up to mucking around.