Theme park reassures visitors after £2.7m losses

Blackpool's Pleasure Beach theme park is reassuring staff and visitors after accounts revealed it had closed some rides and jobs had been lost because of difficult financial conditions.

Bosses at the attraction said a review was carried out and action taken to mitigate for the 2023-24 season when the park made a pre-tax loss of £2.7m.

A report on its recently published accounts said trading had been difficult because of the cost of living crisis and that had led to a "head count review" and the closure of some smaller rides.

Last month the park said it was closing five less popular rides to allow it to reinvest and later revealed plans for a new £8.72m pendulum ride.

The Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers and Red Arrows Skyforce will all be closed during the 2025 season, the theme park has said.

It did not reveal how many jobs have gone in the "head count review" but the attraction, which has been open in some form since 1896, said none of the measures taken had been a "knee-jerk" reaction but rather part of a strategic review where all factors have been considered.

The attraction also said it would be open for more days this year, no more rides would be closed and, as it stands, the same level of seasonal staff will be recruited.

Part of the reinvestment includes the new spinning pendulum ride due to open next year that swings as 40 riders face outwards with their legs dangling.

Claire Smith, of Stay Blackpool, a trade association for holiday accommodation in the area, also moved to reassure people.

"New rides - even refurbishing rides - cost millions and you are not going to have £20m in your petty cash tin, are you?," she said.

"So I would imagine that this loss is purely in the accounts."

She said it was expected to be a challenging season "purely because the economy is so tough at the moment".

Ms Smith said the theme park had, like many businesses, been hit with a "double whammy" of the national insurance and minimum wage increases.

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