A well-loved theme park visited by millions since it opened 130 years ago is being forced to close rides and cut its opening hours.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach opened in 1896 and has been delighting crowds ever since, with features including the world famous Big Dipper, one of Britain’s oldest rollercoasters.
But the theme park has been forced to close rides, reduce its opening hours and cut staff after it made a pre-tax loss of £2.8million last year.
Bosses said the park had been struggling because visitor numbers hadn’t recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic.
They also blamed the cost of living crisis for ‘depressing non-essential spend’, and are bracing themselves for staff costs to go up when National Insurance contributions and the national minimum wage increase in April thanks to the latest Budget.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s most recent accounts for the latest financial year – the 12 months to March 24 of last year – showed the park had a turnover of £32.1million, up from £31.8million the year before.
However the documents also showed the park made a loss of £2.8million, significantly more than the £789,000 loss the year before.
Jonathan Gray, the amusement park’s director, said on behalf of the board: ‘The hospitality and leisure market remains highly competitive and is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.
‘The continuing cost of living crisis is depressing non-essential spending for a significant proportion of our core customer base and adds an additional layer of uncertainty regarding spending habits and patterns.
‘The company has instigated a head count and a review of the assets on park, as a result a number of rides will be closed for the forthcoming season.
‘We are also looking at how we profile the opening and closing times of both individual rides and the park itself with a view to maximising efficiency (and therefore cost) whilst balancing it with achieving great customer satisfaction.’
Rides confirmed as closing for the 2025 season include Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers, and Red Arrows Skyforce. Bosses say no other rides at the park will shut this season.
Some other rides will be opening later and closing earlier to reduce operating costs.
But it’s not all doom and gloom as the park has also unveiled plans for a new ride, costing £8.72million, set to open in 2026.
The new ride, currently called Project MMXXVI, is a giant spinning pendulum which reaches 138ft at its highest point – far higher than any existing pendulum rides in the UK.
The announcements have received mixed reviews from fans of the park, with some praising the park’s transparency over its planned changes.
But some are complaining about the park’s entry fees, rather than charging for individual rides, which they claim can make a day out prohibitively expensive for non-riders.
Harry Buckley said: ‘Gonna be an incredible season! Especially for your 130th birthday.’
Rehan Tariq commented he ‘couldn’t be more thrilled to hear this’, and Sarah Morris said she was ‘liking the updates and transparency’.
But Darien Hezelgrave suggested: ‘Make it better for parents, grandparents, and disabled people who like to watch and look after people who like to ride.
‘You need to change so they can enter the park without paying full ticket price. So many do not enter the park because of the price just to walk around.’
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has also introduced afternoon tickets to try and encourage more people through the doors. From 1.30pm, the cost of an eTicket will drop in price every hour until 3.30pm, where it reaches £34 compared to an adult full-day ticket of £50.
Previously tickets would cost the same regardless of what time of day guests arrive – so with the park open until 10pm on certain dates, visitors could still spend several hours enjoying rides for a discounted price.
A spokesperson from Pleasure Beach Resort said: ‘It has been a challenging few years of trading across the entire industry, and we have undertaken the necessary actions to continue to offer the same amazing experiences to our guests.
‘We have already undertaken a strategic review and implemented changes; this has now concluded.
‘The changes referenced in the accounts have all been actioned and completed, furthermore there are currently no plans to close any further rides.
‘We are confident there is lots to look forward to at Pleasure Beach Resort for the immediate and long-term future, beginning with the opening of Launch Pad this spring, and our announcement of an £8.72million Gyro Swing, opening in 2026.’
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