England's lost theme parks...
Discussion
Jazoli said:
There used to be one in Morecambe to we used to go to a lot as kids, Frontierland, all that remains is the Polo tower now.
Remember going there in about 1985/6 on a half-term with a mate when I was about 12/13. It was dead & we spent the day on the dodgems and a roller coaster with mice as the carriages. I remember the bloke operating the dodgems kept making us get off when the time was up, run round, get in the queue (despite it being empty) and then he'd check our wristbands (even though 30 seconds previously he'd seen us get off). Weird.I only found out last year Camelot had shut down (we wanted to take my son & I remember it from the 80s as being ok!) and was quite sad so we ended up going to Southport (Pleasureland?) which was ok but bloody expensive (had to keep buying tokens) and Gulliver's World (pretty good value & rides).
Some of the pics on 28DL etc are bloody spooky. I hate empty places & theme parks just seem really sad when you see them like that. As a grown up, you can look back on places as being a bit s
t, but when you're 9 years old & having a sugar overdose, these places are magical.ETA - what's shut down in Southport?
bazza white said:
Amazed to see pleasure wood hill still going in Yarmouth.
Is that paramount theme park going to be built. I can't see it being a huge success tbh.
Went to Pleasurewood Hills last year for the first time since about 1999. Shame it's lost the American theme but it's a good little park.Is that paramount theme park going to be built. I can't see it being a huge success tbh.
Steamer said:
I never even knew 'The American Adventure' closed down!
I just stopped hearing the advert on the telly.
I only went once and the concept of the The Wild West during a raining day in the midlands just didnt seem to gel, even as a kid. Its all pirates and Frozen now.. I guess you just couldnt diversify a place like that once you've set your stall out as 'Wild West / frontier times'. Cowboys and Pirates just doesnt have the same ring about it.
From what I just read on 28Days it sounds like the novelty soon wore off and it went down hill fast (no pun intended)
Myself, the other 'arf and a mate went here not long before it closed.I just stopped hearing the advert on the telly.
I only went once and the concept of the The Wild West during a raining day in the midlands just didnt seem to gel, even as a kid. Its all pirates and Frozen now.. I guess you just couldnt diversify a place like that once you've set your stall out as 'Wild West / frontier times'. Cowboys and Pirates just doesnt have the same ring about it.
From what I just read on 28Days it sounds like the novelty soon wore off and it went down hill fast (no pun intended)
Edited by Steamer on Sunday 25th January 12:32
In all there was about 6 of us visitors in the park and we spent the vast majority of the day not seeing anyone else apart from the park's staff. There was still a few good rides operating but many had fallen into disrepair. As we left we were given handfuls of discount vouchers to give to all our friends. It was all very sad really and I really felt for the people working there.
Oakey said:
Is that Paramount place going to have rides?
'A core ‘resort’ c. 45ha in area, featuring a range of events spaces, rides, studioattractions, cinemas, theatres, a water park, an open‐air arena, night clubs, catering,
retail and amenity facilities themed around the films and television programmes of
Paramount Studios and UK producers'
Similar to Universal Studios in Florida by the sounds of it...but this is the UK, so it will be over priced and probably rubbish.
DrDoofenshmirtz said:
'A core ‘resort’ c. 45ha in area, featuring a range of events spaces, rides, studio
attractions, cinemas, theatres, a water park, an open-air arena, night clubs, catering,
retail and amenity facilities themed around the films and television programmes of
Paramount Studios and UK producers'
Similar to Universal Studios in Florida by the sounds of it...but this is the UK, so it will be over priced and probably rubbish.
I'm sure the London England Paramount Entertainment Resort (or LEPER for short) will be hugely popularattractions, cinemas, theatres, a water park, an open-air arena, night clubs, catering,
retail and amenity facilities themed around the films and television programmes of
Paramount Studios and UK producers'
Similar to Universal Studios in Florida by the sounds of it...but this is the UK, so it will be over priced and probably rubbish.
Wacky Racer said:
EFA.
When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
People who don't steal are 'mugs'? When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
Steamer said:
I never even knew 'The American Adventure' closed down!
I just stopped hearing the advert on the telly.
I only went once and the concept of the The Wild West during a raining day in the midlands just didnt seem to gel, even as a kid. Its all pirates and Frozen now.. I guess you just couldnt diversify a place like that once you've set your stall out as 'Wild West / frontier times'. Cowboys and Pirates just doesnt have the same ring about it.
From what I just read on 28Days it sounds like the novelty soon wore off and it went down hill fast (no pun intended)
Wow, now that takes me back... Loved this place as a youngster in the early nineties. I recall 'The Missile' being quite an advanced coaster at the time (for the UK anyway). I just stopped hearing the advert on the telly.
I only went once and the concept of the The Wild West during a raining day in the midlands just didnt seem to gel, even as a kid. Its all pirates and Frozen now.. I guess you just couldnt diversify a place like that once you've set your stall out as 'Wild West / frontier times'. Cowboys and Pirates just doesnt have the same ring about it.
From what I just read on 28Days it sounds like the novelty soon wore off and it went down hill fast (no pun intended)
Edited by Steamer on Sunday 25th January 12:32
Ari said:
Wacky Racer said:
EFA.
When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
People who don't steal are 'mugs'? When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
andy-xr said:
The tower has or had a wireless point point link on it which I think links the NHS across the Bay and had a 10 year lease signed a few years before the park closed
It can't be knocked down is the short version
There's a redevelopment plan being kicked around for what was the park to turn it into a shopping centre. The problem is none goes there anyway so it might all just get left
Its also got an Orange/T-Mobile/EE(i think) cell on it, so thats stopped it being pulled down as well.It can't be knocked down is the short version
There's a redevelopment plan being kicked around for what was the park to turn it into a shopping centre. The problem is none goes there anyway so it might all just get left
I remember the mad stuntman motorcyclist who rode along a wire from top of the tower to the Empire Cinema.
Used to spend whole saturdays in Frontierland, good knows why?
Mutts said:
Its also got an Orange/T-Mobile/EE(i think) cell on it, so thats stopped it being pulled down as well.
I remember the mad stuntman motorcyclist who rode along a wire from top of the tower to the Empire Cinema.
Used to spend whole saturdays in Frontierland, good knows why?
Log flume for me, so addictive! I remember the mad stuntman motorcyclist who rode along a wire from top of the tower to the Empire Cinema.
Used to spend whole saturdays in Frontierland, good knows why?
northwest monkey said:
Ari said:
Wacky Racer said:
EFA.
When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
People who don't steal are 'mugs'? When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
Not proud of it, it has given me nightmares ever since.
Wacky Racer said:
northwest monkey said:
Ari said:
Wacky Racer said:
EFA.
When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
People who don't steal are 'mugs'? When was a teenager in the good old days, seven of us used to cram in a Vauxhall Victor and go to Alton Towers. (Long before it was a massive theme park like it is nowadays)...three of us used to cram in the boot, pay for four at the gate, and when we parked up, three of us used to climb out and split the saving.
The look on the faces of the other people (mugs) in the car park was priceless....
Not proud of it, it has given me nightmares ever since.
Nightmares eh, how about suing Alton Towers for compensation. 
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