Drayton Manor Park

[Benjamino]

Oh please, it has been dead for the best part of a decade!
They have spent two whole years bringing back Valhalla, which was still functioning before closure.
You can't expect Pirates to reopen, especially next year.
Or you can, but expect disappointment!
Why would they spend a fortune resurrecting a long dead water ride in a shed, when they could have a shiny new coaster for less money?
More chance of the Beach rebuilding the Reel.

just to think though so much has happened in them 2 years with 2/3 lockdowns and construction pausing most likely so i imagine it wouldnt have taken that long to do it and it could have also had a budgetary issue witht it that could have paused construction too thats why that has taken so long i dont think anything like that will be an issue for looping or the park so i could see a summer opening june/july for pirates just a thought though

 

[rob666]

As we have been talking about the same thing for a decade now...betcha it doesn't open next year.
Someone with better knowledge said some years ago there was no cheap or quick fix for the ride, particularly regarding the repair or replacement of the pumps...or it would have been done years ago.
It's used as a storage warehouse, the doors open when they shift stuff.
There has been no mention of the rides return...unless that is the next major investment that has been spoken of...but I think that highly unlikely.
As always, time will tell.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I can see it coming back as another pirate themed attraction with a new name as the Looping group know they got 3 current pirate attractions with the dodgems, Jolly Buccaneer and the Bounty. It would cost so much more if they went for another theme as the building can we seen from every area of the theme park.
The looping group also have a good record of bringing back SBNO attractions. I didn’t think the rapids would be back after that was left for 4 years but they made it look even better than the original.

 

[Skyscraper]

.They had no plans whatsoever for the building they would have blocked off the door.

Not if it is being used for storage, as @rob666 said.

 

[BigShadowtinytree]

I guess it’s hard not to keep talking and speculating about the future of Pirate Adventure when the building isn’t hidden away, it’s right there in your face as a constant reminder. People bring it up on social media posts by Drayton all the time, so Looping must know people want to see something being done with it. I do hope they have future plans for it.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

The main entrance to the ride hasn’t been open since the start of the feb half term event 2020 as the boarding you see piled up is from the ice rink that was last used for the Christmas 2019 event. The queue line would only really need a minimum amount of work doing to it.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Sorry for the double post but I found out how much Drayton Manor made under the looping group from September 2020 to September 2021

DRAYTON MANOR RESORT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

DRAYTON MANOR RESORT LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

To make just over £4 million profit when they only open September, October 2020 then from April 2021 to end of August 2021 is fantastic.
On a sad note Drayton Manor park limited is no more

DRAYTON MANOR PARK LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

DRAYTON MANOR PARK LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

So can understand why they started the brand change over last month

 

[Trooper Looper]

The main entrance to the ride hasn’t been open since the start of the feb half term event 2020 as the boarding you see piled up is from the ice rink that was last used for the Christmas 2019 event. The queue line would only really need a minimum amount of work doing to it.

If you want to talk about what you'd like to see in Pirate Adventures building, I've already made a Thread related to this just down below. I've already done a concept and some quick sketch on what I'd do with Pirate Adventure.

Your Theme Park Ideas and Concepts

Hi there people. As many of us Theme Park Fanatics/Enthusiasts have an obvious passion for Theme Parks, that being obvious, I've always wondered if some of us out there have had an idea or 2 for Theme parks or specific attractions on what you would do with them, like rethemes or flat out new...

towersstreet.com

 

[rob666]

If you want to talk about what you'd like to see ehaolej in Pirate Adventures building, I've already made a Thread related to this just down below. I've already done a concept and some quick sketch on what I'd do with Pirate Adventure.

Your Theme Park Ideas and Concepts

Hi there people. As many of us Theme Park Fanatics/Enthusiasts have an obvious passion for Theme Parks, that being obvious, I've always wondered if some of us out there have had an idea or 2 for Theme parks or specific attractions on what you would do with them, like rethemes or flat out new...

towersstreet.com

ehaolej???
Magic mushroom season?

 

[Trooper Looper]

ehaolej???
Magic mushroom season?

My thumbs are too big for my phone XD

 

[Jb85]

Sorry for the double post but I found out how much Drayton Manor made under the looping group from September 2020 to September 2021

DRAYTON MANOR RESORT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

DRAYTON MANOR RESORT LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

To make just over £4 million profit when they only open September, October 2020 then from April 2021 to end of August 2021 is fantastic.
On a sad note Drayton Manor park limited is no more

DRAYTON MANOR PARK LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

DRAYTON MANOR PARK LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

So can understand why they started the brand change over last month

That’s an awful lot of money to make in that period of time - considering restrictions

I haven’t read the accounts - but is there any revaluation of assets after the takeover, realisation of government grants into income, etc that is driving the profit?
I only ask as you question how a profitable company went into administration

 

[Maelstrom]

That’s an awful lot of money to make in that period of time - considering restrictions

I haven’t read the accounts - but is there any revaluation of assets after the takeover, realisation of government grants into income, etc that is driving the profit?
I only ask as you question how a profitable company went into administration

The problem was huge amounts of debt, if they didn't have the debt and the large amounts of repayments the business was profitable, but unfortunately they got to the point where they could no longer service (pay) what they owed.

 

[DistortAMG]

The problem was huge amounts of debt, if they didn't have the debt and the large amounts of repayments the business was profitable, but unfortunately they got to the point where they could no longer service (pay) what they owed.

Indeed. Because the old limited (liability) company is now no more, all the debt owed would be owed to the old company. Not the new one......I think. Hence the profits.

 

[Jb85]

The problem was huge amounts of debt, if they didn't have the debt and the large amounts of repayments the business was profitable, but unfortunately they got to the point where they could no longer service (pay) what they owed.

I get that - I’m an accountant

It’s just seemed a lot of profit for a short period of time during restrictions. Seems the core business is clearly strong but was mismanaged. Good for the future. Nice cash balance as well.

 

[Ciaran]

I find it really interesting reading the accounts. £26 million generated in revenue from the theme park and just under £4 million from the hotel. I find all of these statistics and numbers fascinating. Quite a big difference between these accounts and the ones from Drayton Manor Park Limited back in the day!

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

The hotel suffered a lot as with the restrictions the government still had in place to July last year. I guess also with wedding that couldn’t go ahead in 2020 and half of 2021 so they honouring them as well as new booking. It be interesting to see how well both have done from sept 2021 to sept 2022.

 

[pjanvil]

From memory I think the deal with Looping for the park was just £15m to the Bryans and them agreeing to take on all of Drayton Manor's debt. So maybe Looping just paid all the debt off at the point they bought it. Hence why it's now so profitable compared to before?

Therefore it could just mean the debt has been transferred from the operating company to the holding company that acquired Drayton?

 

[Ciaran]

No, I don't think any debt was transferred. Due to the old company (DMP Limited) going into administration, all of the debts associated with the old company would be dealt with the liquidators. The new company was setup by Looping, with all of Drayton Manor's assets being acquired with no debt.

 

[Benjsh]

I find it really interesting reading the accounts. £26 million generated in revenue from the theme park and just under £4 million from the hotel. I find all of these statistics and numbers fascinating. Quite a big difference between these accounts and the ones from Drayton Manor Park Limited back in the day!

They should easily be able to improve on 26million too. The park has been known to get about 1m visitors a year so when you factor in admission, F&B and merch then I'd say they should and probably will be aiming for north of £30m from the park alone.

 

[AT86]

Looking through the latest accounts they also include a £1.3million government grant which will have helped them with covering their costs, flowing through into the improved profitability versus the previous owners.

It does also seem they have a better control over their costs versus the last set of accounts under the Byans term in charge. Perhaps helped by the economies of scale that an operator with multiple attractions can command.