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Next theme park to close in the UK

Tom

Tom

TS Member
Following the sad closure of Loudon Castle a couple of years back, I offer the following odds on the next major victim of the British industry.

M&Ds - 1.30
Oakwood - 7.00
Pleasurewood Hills - 7.00
Lightwater Valley - 13.00
Fantasy Island - 15.00
Pleasure Island - 15.00
Flamingo Land - 17.00
Blackpool Pleasure Beach - 17.00
Adventure Island - 21.00
Drayton Manor 34.00
Chessington World of Adventures - 301.00
Legoland Windsor - 401.00
Alton Towers - 1,001.00
Thorpe Park - 1,001.00

It would be sad to see another park close, but I think it is inevitable given this recession.
 
Odds on the Pleasure Beach are a bit short? It's probably the third most popular in the country after Alton and Thorpe - especially given its location it is very unlikely to close.
 
No major ride investment for years and recently applying for loans!

I don't think a 1-in-16 chance is short really, but I guess it is compared to some of the others.
 
Tom said:
No major ride investment for years and recently applying for loans!

I don't think a 1-in-16 chance is short really, but I guess it is compared to some of the others.
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It would certainly be the biggest disaster of all of those if it were to close. Blackpool would suffer severely - the impact on the South side would be horrendous.
 
As much as its small, I don't see Pleasurewood at risk... The owners have pumped money in this season and are supposedly doing the same next year. Had you made this thread 1 or 2 seasons ago I would have put the odds even shorter - but I think they're fine now.
 
I'd put Pleasureland near the top of the list, but I'd agree with Camelot being at the pinnacle.

Not sure on your odds for the Pleasure Beach though - even if the park went bankrupt, I'm sure the borough council would fork out for it seeing as they already own a few attractions themselves. (Saying that though, you do seem to have a sly talent for predicting deaths...)
 
I'd say Camelot, I don't think it can hold on any longer. I would be interesting if Camelot and Pleasure Island actually did closed. The rides would be relocated to other theme parks, but where? Would personally love to see Boomerang and Knightmare get relocated to another UK theme park so I can ride them! ;D
 
The odds are for it to close due to owners deciding to shut it/pull out. It doesn't have to mean the complete demolision of a park, but a seamless transfer to someone else would not count as the park has remained in operation.

Pleasure Island closed a couple of years ago and re-opened a month or two later under different ownership.

If the Thompson's pulled out of Pleasure Beach, it was sat closed for a few weeks and then re-opened under someone else/the council, I'd pay out :p
 
I'm surprised to see Flamingo Land be higher than Lightwater Valley in this case (Out of disliking the park) but I completely agree with Camelot; The place is essentially lying flat on the ground waiting for some sort of inevitable death considering the 'temporary' closures it's been given before.
 
Rowe said:
I'm surprised to see Flamingo Land be higher than Lightwater Valley in this case (Out of disliking the park) but I completely agree with Camelot; The place is essentially lying flat on the ground waiting for some sort of inevitable death considering the 'temporary' closures it's been given before.
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Lightwater's attendance fell slightly last year, despite the major investment of Skeleton Cove.

Their kneejerk reaction was to pull the funding of a small-scale tractor ride and make no other ride additions this season. But let's keep it in perspective, 7/1 is not particularly likely.
 
I definitely think Camelot will be closing first, I am going to try and visit the park this summer just in case this is the last year the park is open.
 
I really hope that Pleasure Island doesn't close - I haven't visited there for a few years, and I have such fantastic memories of the place! Last time I went, Gravitron was still there! Their Boomerang is (was) the smoothest I'd ridden, and I loved their shot n drop tower! Shame I can't say anything good about Alakazam... pain!

Camelot is such a lovely little park, but its been extremely quiet every time I've visited, and there's not been much investment at all. I'd be sad to see it go purely because of its connection to American Adventure.

In all honesty I don't want anything to close!
 
Pleasure Island will be the next to go. You can't keep an attraction like that open on the numbers they're doing.
 
I notice you haven't included Oakwood on your list? I'd put them pretty high up the list, though not as high as Camelot. I think Camelot or Pleasure Island will be the next to go, definitely.
 
Oakwood's just a really strange one, yes it's out of the way and it isn't pitted amongst Alton Towers or Blackpool yet it seems to do completely fine with the hours given. Though where would it be placed on the chance board anyway?
 
I also think Flamingo Land's odds are way too short.

Investment has dried up over the last couple of years, but they still make a very healthy profit. £3.4m in 2011 (£2.6m post-tax). They're in no danger of closing at all.
 
I've added Oakwood as I forgot about it. I also forgot about Drayton Manor, although I added that before anyone pointed it out.
 
I don't see Pleasure Island closing anytime soon really, they do seem interested in development and the park was packed last time I went (thanks to Bear and Dar). Boomerang is awesome, Shrieksville is a good quality dark ride and the park has some themeing.

I don't fancy Camelot's chances however.
 
I do think Camelot will be next to head off to the great theme park world in the sky, but personally I'd like M&D's to bite the bullet. Now I know some of you on here will remember me back on TTF going on how M&D's is terrible, but the thing is when I went last time, it was rather busy, so it looks like that's staying for a few years at least, unless someone decides to buy the place over.

And on the topic of Camelot, they have cheated death a few times before, but will their luck run out soon?
 
I think Camelot will be next to go. No investments in a while. Though I do hope Kinighmare would get relocated.

I don't think that Pleasure Island will get closed soon, even if it's having a bad year at the momemt as the new owners invested in a dark ride a few seasons ago thats quite good. And there Boomerangs one of the best kept rides in the country.
 
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