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Drayton Manor Park

I think one of the main reasons they have taken it down so quickly is because the new owners don't want to leave rides left SBNO for years and years on end like the Bryan's used to. It looks bad on Drayton's behalf when rides are left closed, and I think the Looping Group know this.

They will probably look into using the empty space for something, whether that be a temporary HB Leisure attraction or some sort of market stall. Something will probably be done with the area, or it will be left fenced off, however I have higher hopes if I'm being honest.

I'm sure this empty land will also be utilized in the coming year or so with Looping's 5-year investment plan for Drayton. When Apocalypse eventually does go, probably at the end of 2022, there will be a lot of land available including the Test Track area.
 
JAperson said:
Not necessarily true though. The park might have wanted it down before the christmas event or perhaps so they could prepare the area for whatever they might put there, even if it is temporary, so it's not just an empty slab of land.
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It would be everything to do with that. Cranes and crews are expensive. You will.l want to hire them for as minimal time as possible..

I think another reason the ride has been taken down is because it is for sale. It can now be put in storage with refurbishments added without them perishing in the elements. This will make it more attractive for potential buyers. Assuming it has not already been sold that is.

Someone mentioned about contractors earlier, they use a few. Cannot remember the names of my head but they are local. Their main ram material supplier for things such as aggregates, timber, bricks ect is a company called Tippers. Drayton Manor purchase alot from these all year round.
 
DistortAMG said:
I think another reason the ride has been taken down is because it is for sale. It can now be put in storage with refurbishments added without them perishing in the elements. This will make it more attractive for potential buyers. Assuming it has not already been sold that is.
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Or it's been sold or going to another Looping park for next year and needs time to set up there too.
 
JAperson said:
Or it's been sold or going to another Looping park for next year and needs time to set up there too.
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That also yes. But the fact remains the reason why it has been taken down so quick is because crane crews are busy and expensive. Something that can be done in days will not be stretched over weeks.

This is not isolated to theme parks, you see it all the time in civil works such as bridges and large things that require cranes and other heavy equipment.
 
DistortAMG said:
the fact remains the reason why it has been taken down so quick is because crane crews are busy and expensive. Something that can be done in days will not be stretched over weeks.
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Yes but there's no saying why they starting doing it so early. They ordered the contractors in quick rather them waiting until later in the winter. Clearly they don't want it sat there SBNO even during there christmas event.
 
I don’t think the Bryan’s were as bad as Alton Towers were with SNBO attractions.
Last 20 years
2001 Robinson land added Jungle cruise closed after the summer season with the crypt and Popeye show closing at the end of the season.
2002 Maelstrom added with flying jumbos moved, Crypt building removed and just replaced with a shell of a building and a circus replacing the Popeye show.
2003 Excalibur opened and the Cine 180 was removed for the Cyclone sky flyer was removed.
2004 Pandemonium opened with the 1st retheme of the haunting with the pirate ship, Klondike coaster and the tea cups removed at the end of the season
2005 G-Force opened With Cyclone removed at end of the season
2006 Drunken Barrels opened on Cyclone site. The circus finished this year?
2007 The Bounty opened with Robinson land rides ( not the cars) all removed with the Jolly Roger as well. Catz show opened in the theatre
2008 Thomas land opened catz show ended
2009 4D cinema opened as well as the cafe and shop next door, Fish and chip shop, Chicken diner and the Burger Kitchen all opened
2010 Happy Feet opened in the 4D cinema and the Black Revolver and Sombrero were removed at the end of the season
2011 Ben 10 coaster, Blue Mountain engines and the hotel with Excalibur closing at the end of the season. I think this is then the park peaked under the former management.
2012 Knight before Christmas opened in the Excalibur building, a dive show added for the summer season
2013 Winston ride opened
2014 Air race opened
2015 Thomas land Expansion and Pirate Adventure closed Yogi bear opened in 4D cinema
2016 Haunting 2nd re-theme
2017 James and the red balloon opened with Splash Canyon SNBO, Chair lift and the Big Wheel getting removed at the end of the season.
2018 Golden Nuggets re-themed to Sheriff showdown and Ice age added to the 4D cinema with G-Force closing near the end of the season
2019 G-Force left SNBO but removed during the closed season
2020 they did have plans for a tea cup ride to go into Thomas Land but the flooding stopped construction and then the lockdown happened and then got taken over by the looping group. The Thomas 4D movie was also planned for this year.
 
DistortAMG said:
That also yes. But the fact remains the reason why it has been taken down so quick is because crane crews are busy and expensive. Something that can be done in days will not be stretched over weeks.

This is not isolated to theme parks, you see it all the time in civil works such as bridges and large things that require cranes and other heavy equipment.
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i can vouch for this - a friend of mine is a crane driver - earns a fortune
 
Presumably so. Hopefully they’ll hire someone good. I don’t think it necessarily needs to be an internal candidate, but I think someone from the industry would be good, rather than a general ‘business hotshot’. Some of these corporate parks have very high turnover in management. Drayton Manor has traditionally had a very stable team. I know you could argue that they went bankrupt, but I don’t think being one of those companies that reshuffles the management team every year will make them any stronger.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Just done a search and William Bryan is still at the park as the general manager of catering and retail. Hopefully he sort out the prices charged in the restaurants last season.
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Interesting, it is sort of sad however it does seem he is no longer a director of Drayton Manor resorts limited who are owned by Looping parks UK. So it seems that they may well be leaving the park slowly although it is a same as when Looping took over they stated that the William Bryan would continue to manage the park but understandable too. It's just a shame that only lasted one year.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12760453/officers
 
Looking into it further I don’t think he’s even General Manager now (looks like an old profile on LinkedIn) he seems to have fully left Drayton his new LinkedIn profile now reads ‘former managing director for Drayton Manor looking for new challenge’
 
I always wondered how long he would stay.

I am sure there could possibly have been some conflicts of interest somewhere, especially with you now managing a park that holds alot of sentimental value to yourself, but not to the people making decisions anymore. Has the potential to cause friction in decision making. I am not saying that is what has happened, but that can usually be a factor in things like this.

So for the first time in the park's history, no Bryan is in the top management. It is a shame, but it is better than us having no Drayton Manor I guess.
 
DistortAMG said:
I always wondered how long he would stay.

I am sure there could possibly have been some conflicts of interest somewhere, especially with you now managing a park that holds alot of sentimental value to yourself, but not to the people making decisions anymore. Has the potential to cause friction in decision making. I am not saying that is what has happened, but that can usually be a factor in things like this.

So for the first time in the park's history, no Bryan is in the top management. It is a shame, but it is better than us having no Drayton Manor I guess.
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Yes I suppose it was inevitable that he'd leave eventually and it is a shame that the family probably have very little to do with the park. It's just a shame to loose that family connection. We;re running out of family owned parks in this country and it is a real shame.
 
The food offering and prices have been the worst decision the park ever done.
I went to Drayton Manor for the fireworks (30th Oct) with my daughter and we ate lunch at home. For dinner as the chicken diner was closed we went to the burger kitchen OMG I ordered:
1 kids cheese burger £3.25
1 standard cheese burger £6.50
2 standard fries £4.80
1 ketchup 35p
Even with my discount of £1.49 I paid £13.41
On the 23rd Oct went to Alton Towers Burger kitchen. We ordered:
1 hot and spicy chicken burger
5 chicken nuggets
2 regular fries
2 regular soft drinks
Unlimited free sauce
No discount £13.50
Now my burger was better than the burger I had at Alton Towers last week but was no way worth £6.50 when you think the price to make it was maybe £1.50 to £2 max with the fries been no more than £1.
McDonald’s on the other hand my daughter had 5 chicken nuggets, small fries, small coke and my son got 3 fish fingers, small fries, fruit shoot and both got a mr men toy for £2.99 each (£5.98) so goes to show how much profit theme parks are making on food.
 
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