Southport Pleasureland Closes
September 6th, 2006Pleasureland unexpectedly closed its doors at 5 pm yesterday. The Southport theme park, owned by Blackpool Pleasure Beach, blamed competition from publicly-funded attractions and competition from Sunday shopping and sporting events.
September 14th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
So sad that this has happened. Pleasureland has been part of our lives for the last 70 years. Three generations are now in mourning for the Cyclone - will it be saved?(PLEASE!!!)And what about the Caterpillar and all the other ancient but much loved rides?
It’s only 3 weeks since we were whizzing around the Cyclone, and King solomon’s Mines. Now we can’t do this, and we are very upset.
Now that the Southport seafront is being sorted, and the pier has been saved, will someone step in to save Pleasureland? We hope so.
Hughes Family, Chorley.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
It’s very sad that this has happened but perhaps part of the reason but part of the reason for the drop in numbers recently has been the decision to charge people just to enter the park? In the past myself and my family and friends would visit and maybe go on a ride or two or sometimes just wander around soaking up the atmoshpere. This year when we walked down to the entrance we were dismayed to discover that we would have to pay and decide up-front if we were going to go on a ride or not. Needless to say we turned around and went back to the beach…
Rice Family, Widnes.
September 18th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
I am disgusted that this ride has ended it’s life this way - under the chain saw. This ride has survived since 1937, in this time bringing pleasure and joy to thousands. It is an historic icon for southport - A landmark. It is a classic design being a figure of eight coaster. It was designed by CHarles (Charlie) paige of USA. He was responsible for several classic roller coaster designs. There are very few examples of his work remaining.
this destruction should not be allowed to happen, it is an important structure, it is currently spot listed at English Heritage.
Blackpool Pleasure beach must surely be aware of this and must surely know the outrage they have caused in cutting it up. I am aware they have struggled to make a profit - but that was their own choice - they wanted to loose money and sell the park, so they ran it into the ground (after geoff Thompson passed away, the then owner of the park).
In order to save it, it is necassary to put pressure upon English Heritage and speed up the process of the spot listing, or stop the chainsaws by putting pressure on the Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
I decided to take direct action and chain myself to the top of the coaster becuase i felt that i had exhausted the communication channels in the few days warnign i had. I felt it necassary to take the drastic action I did.
I felt that i acted for the majority of Southport when i did this. I urge others to engage in peaceful and lawful demonstrations outside the grounds and to contact the pleasur ebeach at blackpool making opionions known on this tragic affair.
we have very little time.
Pete Crompton, Southport
September 21st, 2006 at 9:18 am
i think this is appaling that it has shut down and buy blackpool pleasure beach of all people. this just seems like there way of trying to get people to go to blackpool pleasure land, yes i thought it was discusting that you had to pay £2 each to walk around the fair but i prefered to take my child to southport than blackpool now my child wont be going anywhere during holidays.
September 21st, 2006 at 2:41 pm
DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC ROLLERCOASTER MUST STOP
Demolition work has started on the unlisted 1937 Cyclone rollercoaster in Southport’sPleasure Land amusement park. Pleasureland was closed earlier this year by its owners, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The Cyclone rollercoaster is one of only five remaining pre-war timber rollercoasters in the UK, and one of nine built before 1960. (In total, 127 were built before 1960, the majority demolished in the ‘60s and ‘70s). It is a classic figure-of-eight with a maximum height of 60ft and a top speed of 42mph SAVE is calling for this wonderful structure, by Charles Page of the Pennsylvania Roller Company to be preserved and re-use, and for the owners of the park to cease their scorched earth policy.
SAVE’s Secretary, Adam Wilkinson, said “We are horrified at the mindless vandalism of the historic Cyclone rollercoaster. The rollercoaster is an importantsurvival of an increasingly rare type of historic structure”
“The chainsaws must stop and English Heritage must be allowed on site to inspect thestructure for listing. It is in our view eminently worth preserving and has plenty more thrills to give willing punters. It is a beautiful and intricate structure, like a cat’s cradle, made from 100,000 ft of timber.”
“Structures such as this are of great interest in their own right, as well as holding great meaning for the many people they have given thrills and scares to.” ENDS
Contact Adam Wilkinson, SAVE Britain’s Heritage 0207 253 3500
Peter Crompton, Save the Cyclone campaign
http://www.savebritainsheritage.org
September 21st, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Sad. So sad.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:37 am
can u not put cyclone at blackpool. please do not knock cyclone down it is realy good,please can u take it to blackpool
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:59 pm
I actually applied for a job as a marketing assistant at Pleasureland last year and didn’t even get an interview despite having all the qualifications for the job.
Not suggesting I could have saved it for one minute but I’d have taken damn good adavantage of the publicity
Visit North West could have offered, that’s for sure.
September 24th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
just to say i am very saddened by the way this park is being treated nothing more than disgusting. every year from london we go for a long weekend to blackpool and always go to pleasureland for the day but instaed we have cancelled our weekend end and have given £100.00 to charity rather than line the thompson families pockets any further. we were always proud that BPB was still a private venture and we thought they cared etc. WRONG. and to top it all to send in the chainsaws only after several says its sick.
September 27th, 2006 at 1:28 am
I saw news of this tragic event on a local news programme and can’t believe this is happening. In my youth I work at Pleasureland for the better part of 10 year and much of that time was spent working the Cyclone. I spent hours ‘Walking the track’ carrying out repairs. I was there in 1987 when the Cyclone celebrated it’s 50th birthday and I had the dubious honour of asking Geoff Thompson to leave the platform because he was smoking. (How I kept my job god only knows)
Over the years I worked with a great team on the ride including Micheal Jackson (No not that one). Jake the other Micheal Jackson who went on to be a member of the management team.
I haven’t been down to the park for a few years as I no longer live in Southport but this ride needs to be saved.
With Lottery funding bing given to such dubious things as the Millenium Dome surely the money can be found to save this ride.
If anyone thinks I can help contact me at garyh236@hotmail.com Not only is this ride part of our heritage it is a big part of my life.
September 30th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
It’s absolutely disgraceful that this is coming about. Southport was a real breath of fresh air in the sixties, with the open air lido. Peter Pan’s pool, airplane rides on the beach, ’sandocross racing’ and the rest. To think 10 million pounds was wasted on the grade 1 listed Brighton West pier before it burnt down while the authorities dithered. It’s time for the big guns of national heritage to step in and save the ride.
October 8th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
very sad that its all come to this a sighn of the changing times were money and profit seem to outrule everything these days . The next generation may only see pictures etc of what was part of southports main appeal ( even featured on the program ‘coast ‘ …..shame on the lot of them !
October 8th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
How sad that Sefton Council do not seem to care one jot that the place has closed. The Chief Executive seemed glad in fact.
Sefton Council says they were only told of the closure on same day it closed.
So I asked Lord Ronnie Fearn, the Tourism Cabinet member on Sefton Council, why, if that were true, a leaflet produced by the Council 2 months previously, extolling the attractions of Southport, failed to mention the existence of Pleasureland.
His 1st reply was that they were unable to REMOVE the item from the leaflet as they did not know Pleasureland was about to close. Make of that what you will. It makes no sense to me at all except that he was not listening.
His second answer (which at least made SOME sort of sense) was that Pleasurland had not paid to have their name menioned!
BUT, and a BIG BUT at that, the leaflet did not include ANY paid advertising at all. It mentioned virtually every other attraction the town has, but nowhere was Pleasureland mentioned.
Pleasureland got a 150 year lease from Sefton Council in 2003 for £2.5 million with NO RENT. Lord Fearn was at that time the Cabinet member overseeing the grant of the lease.
A member of the public has expressed the view in the local paper that this site is worth much, much more than £2.5 million, perhaps £10million.
The covenant on the land restricting its use to tourism could easily be bought out - £550k perhaps.
So how much will the Thomsons make on the deal over the next 147 years.
These are the undisputable facts of the case.
Anything more than that I would not like to say.
October 14th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
I think its disgusting that it has come to this, its part of our heritage and as a avid theme park rider feel very upset and let down that this has happened. My husband and I used to go regular to Southport just for the rides and spent many happy hours there. Surely something could have been done to prevent this?
October 15th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
It is terrible that it is closing i went there in the summer and it was great i had so much fun i went on every ride. I hope someone will save pleasure land so i can go back again.
October 18th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Disgusting that the Cyclone rollercoaster was not even given a chance by Pleasure Beach!!
To quote Andy Millman’s character in BBC comedy Extra’s; Amanda Thompson…
“Are u havin’ a laugh? ….Is she havin’ a laugh?”
Here are MY reasons for keeping the Cyclone standing!…
Not only is it a fantastic ride experience, its is designed by Charlie Paige, the man who designed world famous Pleasure Beach coaster The Grand National
Did Amanda or the crew even bother to recognize that this rollercoaster was voted the A.C.E or the American Coaster Enthusiasts as the Number 3 classic wooden roller coaster in Europe?
Also the Cyclone was voted number One wooden rollercoaster by Jim Futrell - historian of the National Amusement Park Historical Association of America.
Keep the Cyclone!! Its the only one of its kind in this country and a true classic!!
October 20th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
How saddened we all were to here this sad news. This August bank holiday we, that is, our community group, arranged a trip to southport pleasureland. Ages ranged from young children to pensioners, and we all had a brilliant time, so much so that everyone wanted to go back again next year. We were all gutted to hear that it had closed down. The size of pleasureland helped to make it so special, small enough to feel safe to let our kids out of our sight, unlike BPB, and yet had treasures like the Cyclone (loved since my childhood, and now by my own children) and the thrill of the Traumatizer. So sad.
October 23rd, 2006 at 8:05 am
This is so sad, and I have to agree with those that have mentioned the recent charging just for entering the park. I went 6 months ago and turned around when I saw I had to pay just to enter. We never tended to go on the rides much but easily spent £20 or so on all the stalls (even though we never won much!) and would also get food and drink. What a shame, let’s hope someone else buys the park as happened 10-15 years ago. Dave
October 23rd, 2006 at 8:58 pm
this is very sad i really hope the cyclone and many more of the rides can be saved. i only went on the cyclone the once and it was a brillient experience and one that should be saved from the chainsaw. i hope it isn’t to late
October 26th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
I well did not want southport pleasure beach to shut down. There was nothing wrong with it . I went there every summer and would enjoy the thrilling rides. I hope the space shot and the cylone is saves because i absolutely love them two rides. I f they cant open up the fair again please!!!!!!!!!
by Holly aged 11…………….
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:57 am
so what is happening to king solemans mines and the funhouse, these are to things i greatly loved when i made my trip over from the usa, cyclone is a good coaster but the mines are one of 3 in the whole world, i really hope some one can save them.
November 10th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
I am gutted its closed through out my childhood me n my family would always go to southport fair during the spring and summer months. Its the only fairground i believe was a good price and you wouldnt have to wait long in the queues im am so sad to see it has closed
November 12th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Have to admit was saddened when i was last in southport (for the air show) and heard the park was to close. have since heard in conversations with people a number of things which make it all a bit clearer. Sadly the sale of the park to blackpool pleasure beach could never be a good thing, hence getting charged just to go in. Sure it comes as no surprise that the location was where the pleasure beach had thought of placing one of the new casino’s if they had got the contract. They have tried to demolish the old rollercoaster, though that is now protected, so as a source said, the end of the season does tend to have the odd fire. The recently added coaster is moving to the pleasure beach for next year. But even if blackpool pleasure beach own pleasureland they dont own the land, it is only rented from council (all be it a 100yr lease). All we can hope is that the wonderfull old coaster is saved somehow, even if it means its moved, better than being destroyed.
November 16th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
I’m afraid that Cyclone is not protected - and demolition is still planned.
November 20th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
to Dave’s post just a view above mine, i went past there the other day, and i didnt see the king solemans mine, the cyclone as far as i know looks intact, the truamtizer, well thats gone, but i remember having all my young birthdays in the fun house, and crying everytime i got hurt =) but i also remember going on the cyclone 34 times in a row, the cyclone must be saved, and to peter who chained himself to the top of the coaster, who at least says he did, well, that put a smile on my face, i truly hope the cyclone remains intact,
yours truly, C.W
November 21st, 2006 at 2:22 am
Too Late the bulldozers have moved in half of it has already been demolished. Southport as a Seaside resort has had it. Sefton Council is a disgrace for letting this happen! RIP Southport.
November 21st, 2006 at 3:54 pm
but what happens to the tourism, surely southport will decrease dramtically in tourism?
November 23rd, 2006 at 3:38 am
I can’t believe it! i come from Yorkshire and used to visit Blackpool and Southport as a child and through my teenage yrs all my memories are from southport and the pleasure beach there i don’t understand why they had to close, and the cyclone well that is the best rollercoaster ever, i remember been able to get off and run onto it again me and my cousins used to do it all the time. I’m really gutted now i wanted to take my family there because i recently moved down south to somerset but now i guess its just blackpool they will see although that seems to have gone right down hill. Ash. A.
November 23rd, 2006 at 3:55 pm
peter crompton, i read in the newspaper today about the cyclone has been dismantled, and also found you mentioned, talking about the newts? and how to continue to save the cyclone, is there anyway to save it?
November 28th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
Sad news - my kids loved this place.
Luckily though, their favourite ride - the Space Shot is going up to Loudoun Castle in Scotland (which is near where my mother stays) so they can still ride it there.
Jim
November 29th, 2006 at 11:46 am
Amanda Thompson should be ashamed of herself. Her father must be turning in his grave. Even he being a business man would not have allowed this to happen!! She was a piece of theme park history, Geoffrey Thompson knew that, and the way she has been ‘dismantled’ is so brutal. The Bitch of the Beach obviously saw this as a threat if anyone took over, hence the parks total demolition. Look at the way she’s smashed up Blackpools Log Flume too…
November 29th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
It’s not surprising Southport’s PLeasureland has closed. It’s saddening to me as I used to spend every summer there as a resident of the town. Daytime and evenings but there are so many idiots in the town now, not politicians, not council workers but plain old people on the streets who have bad attitudes and cause problems for others I’m surprised the tourism industry in Southport holds up as well as it does.
Only so much can be done for a town though and if Amanda Thompson and her group had to let it go for economic reasons or for safety and public health reasons (recall parts of the hospital were closed down a few years ago and kids could face a run out to Ormskirk for treatment)thenI for one can’t blame her. As for the charges, the site was very small and although maybe a gamble there may have been issues not yet made clear that had a part to play. My sentiments lie with the mechanics who would check every nut and bolt on the rides, working at speed and with accuracy to try to keep the place safe for the people from other towns around who had worked hard and saved to visit the pretty little town of Southport on Sea, with it’s little motto ‘Solus Populii’ - ‘people’s welfare’.
Yes I agree with some of what has been said for the neglects and parts of maladministration by Seftyon Council but some of the families in and around the town could have exercised a bit more discretion and helped rather than hindered progress.
There remains a lot to do for light relief in Southport, more than most towns around. It is sad Pleasureland went so fast, without time for plans to be put in place to counter the wasteland the site will become for a while.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
P.S. that guy ‘Will’ above is not me. That’s a coincidence. He sounds like an alcoholic, he probably smashed a few windows at a Pleasureland mechanic’s home sometime…
December 4th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
Gutted! I will never be able to show my children where I spent 1/2 of my childhood! They might as well drain the marine lake aswell!! Southport is definately going down the pan now….and as for the cyclone, granted, you could see hundreds of malnourished cats feeding on sh*t when you reached a certain point of it but it was a classic. i reckon the site has been bought my some super rich company who wants to use it for something else. SOUTHPORT COUNCIL IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHPORT.
p.s.Will H’s p.s is pretty funny isn’t it?
December 17th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
i am gutted pleasure island has closed down that had been going for years,why close something down that has been apart of so many people’s lives for many years. well all i’m saying is expect a fall in tourists next year as there is nothing else to do they will go esle where.
December 17th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
i really do hope they don’t buid yet another hotel whats the point when you all know there will be a down fall in tourists. iv spend many happy days over at pleasure island please please find it in your hearts to save it and don’t go and build sonething which is of no use what so ever to tourists.
December 30th, 2006 at 12:03 am
i never used to like rides but when i was 11 i got rid of my fear there, but when i wanted to go again nobody would ake me, then when i found out when i was 13 i was appauled, it was great there, now if i want to go to a fair i have too go blackpool, but i hate it there, cant they close that one down instead?
January 6th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
another wonderfull seaside park gone all the rides were classic in there own rights the cyclone very sadly missed …..loved the comment earlier by will, BITCH of the beach …but what next will BPB itself be raped by this woman … i cant imagine what geoffrey and his dear mum Doris would make of all this they after all had a passion for the parks . rip, pleasureland….
January 12th, 2007 at 2:23 am
sorry to hear about the park closing, i fear that the town will die a death now as my home town of scarborough has since the closure of marvels,kinderland and atlantis.Seems the seaside councils are only interested in quick profits and not sustaining tourism, selfish greedy a~~holes.
January 14th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Southport was brill but when i heard it was closing down i was very upset, i loved the trauma tizer, space shot and sandstorm now i’ll have to go to blackpool which is brill as well but alot more expensive than southport. u have to pay just to walk around the park.
January 30th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I’m 44 now and remember some good times at the fair. I did quite a bit of courting on the Caterpillar but in earlier years went every year with school. Even though we were warned not to eat too much before we got there, there was always someone spewing up in the bin at the entrance to the big dipper. Marvelous and happy times. I got many a frying from the sun, and wasted so much money. Oooh the thrill of finding 10p on the floor. I had several nightmares about that funhouse and those steps that could easily disclocate a hip. Those greasy tanned overall-clad funfair workers with their tins of bright red paint and an eye for the very very young pretty girls. Oh what a pity I will never come away from the place with no money, a splitting headache and vomit in my hair. Goodbye and RIP Southport funfair.
February 2nd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
i think its gone shit without southport park
now its bear nothing left i feel sorry for the people who worked there
February 4th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Ive heard that it was a really goood park and they would have loved 2 save it ive only been there 1 and it was brill SAVE PLEASURE LAND
February 8th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Only found out about this today and couldn’t believe it.
I was born in southport and go back regularly, in fact last year was the first for a long time that I didnt make it, Pleasureland was a part of Southport and the destruction of the Cyclone is a disgrace, promised my daughters that when they were big enough would take them on it, the council should be ashamed–so sad.
February 13th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Oh My God!! only just found out about the park being destroyed by a money grabbing b**ch!! in my opinion it is a very selfish thing that has been done, southport is a brill place and now without pleasure land what excitment is there for families on a seaside break? Big mistake amanda thompson you have closed down a great attraction to southport which appealed to many many people!!!!
March 13th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
We have taken our kids to Southport Pleasure Beach over the last couple of years and they loved it. Blackpool was closer for us, but was full of stag/hen nights and the drunkenness behaviour that goes with them. We found Southport far more child friendly, a lot cheaper, and the rides were brilliant. We will miss the pleasure beach a lot…though it is not a surprise…Blackpool did this to Morecambe a few years ago and left Morecambe with a mound of earth and rubble!!!
March 16th, 2007 at 11:37 am
you nasty set of b**terds how can you close pleasureland! although they may of been losing business i would of thought blackpool pleasure beach (with it bieng its twin/sister park and owned by them) would of helped the park for example adding new rides and doing more advertising. i dont beleive they have done this! the traumatizer has now been re-built in blackpool - they destroyed another ride to make space for it…. cant someone buy it and re-open our much loved pleasureland. please
March 18th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
this is very sad news, though have only just found out, was planning to take the kids there at easter and thought ide check on internet for prices ect…., i always visited southport every easter and summer wen i was young girl,its a great place but wen you have little kiddies wats the point with no pleasure beach,blackpool is to far , so have to settle for new brighton this year,shame on you emma thompson
March 29th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Its very sad that the theme park has been shut down its one place that you could take your kids now where will the kids go, hanging around street corners. I’m discusted soulthport will loose the majority of there tourism they sould of thought of that shouldn’t they…!!!!
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:23 am
I’m so disappointed that pleasureland has closed. I had many happy times there as a child. We would park the car on the beach, have a picnic there and go across the road to the rides. I suppose Southport will now become a ghost town just like Morecambe.
April 4th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Just found out today. My daughter has booked in for a couple of days to take her daughter to the place where we all have had so much fun for years.Nothing is in the tourism brochure to indicate that Pleasureland has closed. WHAT A CON SEFTON COUNCIL. SHAME ON YOU.
April 6th, 2007 at 11:17 am
I cant belive that Pleasureland has closed!!
It is so dissapointing because over these say like 22 years I have been born I have a lot of memories there.I am glad the beach is still there though because there was a lot of happy memories there to!
I remember my happiest memory.It was the first time my mum said we are going to pleasureland.I said to her What is pleasureland.She said it is a theme park!.
So we went and when we got there it was really good.When we got home I asked her can we come again.She replied back we’ll see.
It was very hard to remember knowing it was 16 years ago!
April 6th, 2007 at 11:52 am
what a shame this had to shut i loved coming to southport there was so much to do reopen it asap you morons
April 9th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
you stupid morons you will never get tourism in southport even with the rides and park it hardly had many people there you should be ashamed of you stupidity of closing SOUTHPORT PLEASURE BEACH!!!!!!! when im older ill never be able to bring my kids to where i spent my life……
April 25th, 2007 at 9:07 am
This is disgraceful. I have been in southport for the whole of my life and the only exiting thing was the funfair. It is silly that they have to close it and selfish too. They dont care about the people’s feelings its just about money. Shame on you southport!!!!!!!!
April 26th, 2007 at 6:59 am
We are so disappointed, we really enjoy going to Southport and the highlight for our children was Pleasureland. We like Southport as it is less hectic than some other resorts and feels safer to take children to. Please someone bring it back!
April 28th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Does anyone know what sefton council are planning to build on the site now?
April 29th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
whats going on we never hered that the pleasure beach was closed we got ready our charl was so upset when we arrived every thing was gone she only stoped crying when we got to macdonnalds the food was great thats the only good thing that southport has to offer we use to have some good times there on the rides and enjoing the good food on sale what a shame it will be sadly missed
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:55 am
I’ve just found out, by accident, that Southport Pleasureland has closed. I thought the ‘new’! Infusion ride looks at lot like the TraumaTizer ride, then found out IT IS the TraumaTizer ride and PleasureLand had closed.
This is such a bad news. I was planning to go there Sat 28th April but had an accident and was unable to drive. I take my son there every year because Blackpool is so seedy and rough.
What a shock that would have been if I had gone on Sat.
Where will I take my son now!!!
What a set of selfish ba**ards.
May 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
we have planed to goto southport on the 28 may, sad the pleasureland has gone,this will be our last visit i expect, shame on the owners.p.s we visit most years.
May 15th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
just found out about the closure of pleasure land I am saddened as are my daughters and wife ..we loved the park and much preffered it to blackpool.. it will be missed by a great number of people..tradition gone it should of been a listed site … only hope it is not replaced by private housing or hotels .. such a sad loss
May 31st, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Comming from Stafford in the Midlands, I have only heard today of the fate of Pleasureland after talking to a colleague who hails from Southport. I remember so many day trips in the 60’s and 70’s and what seemed like hours spent in Pleasureland when I was a child, and not so long ago in the 90’s and later with my own kids. Southport was, everything Blackpool wasn’t. It was calm, not in your face, respectable. You parked on the beach, went to Pleasureland, back to the beach, and down to the sea, (if you were lucky), and back to Pleasureland. There is now no reason whatsoever to visit Southport. All that is left are the memories and the photo’s.
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:02 pm
it was not very good anyway
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:08 am
Through the 50’s & 60’s all my holidays were spent at my
Granny’s in Widnes, and what made that bearable? Getting up in the morning, seeing a bit of blue sky and knowing that we’d be packing up the car for a day out at Southport. There was nowhere else I wanted to go - New Brighton (it was only the trip on the ferry) or West Kirby (the horse cart and the walk to the rock). Blackpool? NO THANK YOU. We’d drive onto the sand at Ainsdale to eat our picnic, watch someone get stuck and be rescued by the amphibious vehicle, then on to SOUTHPORT. It didn’t matter how many times we went, or that we did the same things - IT WAS MAGIC. Find some cornet shells and see the sea (maybe), take a walk on the pier, spend an hour in that round open-air swimming pool with the gold ball on the top and then - GO TO THE FAIR. The Noah’s Ark (who wanted to go past the “snake”?), River Caves, Helter Skelter, Fun House, Cyclone, the Gallopers on the carousel and all the rest.
Old fashioned, nostalgic? Yes, but those happiest of times have given me the most wonderful memories and why not for every child? It doesn’t have to be the size of Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. Just free to get in and well kept. Sometimes there can be room for things from another age. I live in the South, very close to a well run and highly successful steam fair - organs and rides from the Victorian/Edwardian era. Southport has given me a lifelong love of the fair and I collect what I can from plaster prizes to penny slot machines. Over the years, I have come back with my own family and was looking forward to bringing my grandson this year, but we won’t be coming now. I was totally devastated when I learnt that Pleasureland had closed and absolutely disgusted that so little effort had been put into preserving such an important part of our heritage. Acts of vandalism like that should be punished. The developers knocked down the Art Deco Firestone factory in West London one Bank Holiday Monday, but they were made to replace the facade, exactly as it was. Perhaps the Thompson family should be made to replace Southport Fair.
June 8th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
i havent been to southport for about 16 years, but what upset me is for the fact the i went to blackpool the weekend of the 9th of october 06, i had heard about traumitiser got myself a bit excited, i checked the pleasureland website for the opening times, got them!
took an hour to drive there from where we were staying, and then as we approached i said it looked derolicked, got there and half of the traumitiser track was laying next to a big crain on the floor!!!
So we basically turned around drove back to blackpool, i went in the pleasurebeach that evening, and had a go on one of the stalls, i won a big cuddly toy, when i looked it said “PLEasure Land Southport” on it.
June 18th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I think it’s disgusting that Southport Pleasureland was closed.
I went there a couple of years ago and was disappointed at having to pay to enter the park.
Apart from the cyclone we loved the fun house, caterpillar etc.
Last year we went on a visit to Blackpool and found that you now have to pay to enter this fairground as well.
I can sum up the Thompson family in 2 words
SHEER GREED!!
July 6th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I am absolutely devastated about this. I only found out last week! My grandparents have lived in southport all my life, and going to the pleasure beach with my grandad (former lib dem councillor Allan Williams) was one of the best experiences of my childhood. My grandad died last year, and now it seems all my memories of the good times i had with him are being taken away too. I dont live near southport, so when i get the chance to go there, its a real treat. I was crushed when they closed the zoo, and now pleasureland. What next, the botanical gardens? just wipe out my happy childhood days altogether?
I’m only 20 now, but i always planned to bring my children (when i had them) to southport to experience the same happiness i did as a child. it’s totally wrong and unneccesary.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
southport pleasure land is re-opening, mid july. accros from the sea front near the rear toilets of the dino ride theres a big sign saying new pleasure land opens mid July,
but at the moment the place is a building site so i dnt personally think it will be opening mid july haha.
the rides like tramatizer, cycolone, playstation thing have all gone as far as you can see driving past
July 20th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
the new pleasure land is just a fun fair :[
July 21st, 2007 at 10:34 am
yeah its opening today as far as i know lots of fairground rides on site. Credit to them for resurecting the fair in Southport. I will be popping down to.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:29 am
the cyclone was not saved but southport fair is reopening its doors in mid july 07 with an invester in the fair i went it is quiet crap with no atmosphere but its climbing its way back up my list visit there to help raise money for new rides to be put in thats how it started
July 28th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
its a shame that thave closed plesureland and thared down the cyclone that was a brilliant ride its good that thay are reopening it thow
July 28th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I am very sad to hear the Theme Park had closed. I would just like to let people know that in our WHSmith shop in The Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle, Liverpool we had found on one of the fronts of the papers that the Theme Park might be opening again, I would just like know if that is true?
July 28th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I could not believe it when I found out that Southport Pleasure Beach was being knocked down. My grandparents have been taking me there since I was 13 monthes old! I loved it there. The rides, the atmosphere, and most of all, the smell of the fresh cotton candy! That was where I conquered my fear of water rides, ate my first dohnut and, that is where my auntie used to go on holiday, she would visit Southport every Summer, and me and my family would go to Pleasure Beach. And the sadest part, my late grandma lived very close to Pleasure Beach, and she would go there when ever she had the time and money, but just around the time she died, Pleasure Beach shut down, the last time I went was with her, and now, those memories are ruined. I did here it was re-opening, but when me and my parents went to Southport Beach, many rides were knocked down (including the Traumatiser, Pepzi Max, and the Catepillar) and the only one I distinctly remember that was still standing, was The Log Flume. Hopefully, Blackpool P.B and The Sharehoulders will raise enough money to build bigger and better rides, with still enough for the small children. (PS, rebuild the fun house with the spinning wheel!) Thank you for reading my comments!
August 12th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
ok guys give it a chance ,the southport pleasureland was levelled to the ground less than 6 months ago and a lot of things were done to the infrastructure of the site to prevent an entertainment park ever being on this site again ,so it is not going to be the old ‘pleasureland’ overnight ,it will take time , this year at very short notice over 40 exciting rides and attractions have been assembled there , they all have their relevant safety certificates and the park itself has been passed after several stringent inspections by sefton council and all the health and safety certificates are in place ,so safety is not really an issue ,the first permanent ‘roller coaster’ is being assembled on the site of the old traumatiser as i am writing this, so i think the only way is onward and upward for pleasureland ,i think you will find that when the park closes for the winter break this year a few more permanent exciting rides will be added ,so please you guys give it a chance , it took over 80 years for the old pleasureland to take shape so you can hardly expect to see the same park rise from the ashes in less than 6 months
August 20th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
southport pleasureland was a brill fair me n my mom travelled to southport from birmingham jus to go to the fair.It was absoulutly fantastic,all the rides was sutible for all ages and you could have the “time of your life ” there!Blackpool should be digusted for closing down a perfectly good fair,if they wanted more publicity then they should of advertised it more!!My mom was gutted that they got rid of the funhouse, she enjoyed being a 35yr old teenager lol! I hope southport fair will always be remembered as it will always be remembered by my family and co.
August 25th, 2007 at 11:21 am
i can’t beleive its shut down im gutted i was well good it was daft that you had to pay to walk around but that was the only downside of it!!!
IVE HEARD A ROUMER ITS REOPENING I HOPE ITS TRUE!!!
August 25th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
What a shame it has closed ,got fond memories of when my Dad used to drive coachloads of people on day trips and the time i went on the Waltzer when i was on a cubscout trip and came off and was sick everywhere yuk ahh happy times ,im just glad my young kids will have good memories also of Pleasureland ,Southport will never be the same and i wont visit as much in the future .
August 27th, 2007 at 8:36 am
oh well amanda thompson the hardstanding will do for another car park but who wants to go to southport mow there must be plenty of empty car parks in southport and just after they have opened up that great new bridge southport was always a place for pensioners and even more so now they can have it all now lots of peace and quiet even more so now no kids
August 30th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Southports New Pleasureland is very Much open and has been since late July,and will continue to be so,until the end of the season.
There is around 40 rides onsite,adult rides and kids rides,arcades,bingo,ice rink,game stalls,and a childrens circus show.
Its a great day out,and it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be.
In 2008,the Park opens again from Easter,and many permanent rides will be added, including Rollercoasters.
September 11th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
i feel sad for all you guys at southport i work at blackpool pleasure beach i have been there for 3 years i have riden infusion many times now i love it ! i also rode cyclone it was a loveley woody sorry you all feel bitter its out of our hands but blackpool is dying it needs alot more than a ride to bring it back to life
September 24th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I love southport fair we go every year with my dad and this year my little sister was born and she never got a chance to go to the fair. I must admit the cyclone was the best ride there. I wish the fair would come back.
December 12th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Sefton Council seem to want to turn the site now into some sort of retail/leisure attraction.
Many think Sefton,worked together with Blackpool Pleasure beach to close Pleasureland for good.Afterall Pleasureland was not featured in a brochure printed by the council,Just before pleasureland closed.WHY? IT LISTED ALL OF SOUTHPORTS OTHER ATTRACTIONS?
Well the council says it because they didnt pay for a advert,but nor did any of the other attractions listed.They are liers.
Now ,they pulled the rug from under the operator who took over,even though he wanted to build a new theme park ,aquarium and more.It seems 2008 will be the last time this place is used as a fun fair,just so the council can sell the land to some developer.
If you want to see the return of Pleasureland nows the time to contact Grayam Hayward and his corrupt Council at sefton gov.And show him we dont want a developemt,we want Pleasureland back
December 18th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I think its a disgrace that they shut pleasureland it was somewere for everyone for all ages and it went down the pan when they started charging you to get in thats more likely how they lost al the money i have been have been going there since a child and even tho they have opened a new one it will never be thje same without the older rides like the cycolone or the catapillar or even the traumatizer
February 6th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
it is so sad that it has closed i was planning on going there me and my boyfriend first met there and ever since we are still together it has been 3 years now and we wanted to go and spend some time together at the place that bought us together we will miss it alot x
February 17th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Just been browsing on web, seems like pleasureland are installing a new fixed coaster seems to be very similiar to camelots gauntlet and rhyls pepsi cola loop. Good luck to the new owners i hope they can get the park up to some sort of decent standard.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
i have been working on the new pleasure land site this week and the new owner is a great fella and is working on the site him self he has put alot of money and hard work into getting the site ready for 2008 season new rides great garden areas for a lazy day so dont despair lets go the fair it looks quiet at the moment but over the next few weeks some big rides will be set up with all sorts of kids rides and all the usual food and coffee shops should be good ready for easter and all summer
March 9th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
like anyone will miss much it wasnt even good blackpool is some much better i mean southport is not even worth going to…..
March 9th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Southports New Pleasureland will re-open on 15th March 2008 for the entire season.
Rollercoasters,Log Flume -Adult thrill rides,Kids Rides,Merry go rounds,Ghost Trains,Bouncy Castles etc..
All Rides from £1 FREE ENTRY TO THE PARK.
Also on site
3d cinema
Arcades
Restaurants
Indoor Fun House
Childrens Circus Show-30 min show with Juggling Clowns Ilussions fire eaters and more Adults Free Children £1.50
Park open every day throughout the Easter Holidays!
March 29th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
i was so unhappy when i heard it was getting shut down and i felt so confused since it was so popular and i wonder why and i cant seem to find pictures of the new southport and could someone please tell me where to find some and did the cyclone end up getting saved as it was my favourite ride there and i hope for my sake is isnt. thanks a lot if anyone can help me
April 20th, 2008 at 7:50 am
HELLO, I AM SO UNHAPPY IT GOT CLOSED AS I LOVED IT AND I HOPEWHO DECIDED ON IT WILL BE UNHAPPY WITH THEM SELVES
BYE
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
the reason to me was ovious..with all the talk of the super casino going to blackpool i suppose the idea was to close all the comptition (morcambe also went)so with nowere else to go EVERY ONE GOES TO BLACKPOOL AND THEIR NEW SUPER CASINO..
but it fell flat and the fairground i grew up with has ceased to exist..
as we know a lot of it has gone to blackpool..
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I was in Blackpool in at begin of may. Was visiting family had a few hours on the rides went on the infusion thought I’d been on it before was there again this weekend but I went to southport to go on the rides didnt know it had close was dissappointed with what was there now. Blackpool is still as rubbish as it was 7years ago before I moved away to scotland was Unset that they have close southport pleasureland went there as a child. When I was there thats when I remembered that infusion was really like traumatizer when we got back to Blackpool we were talking to the owner of the hotel we were staying at and he confirmed that infusion was traumatizer. Southport was very dissappointing the new pleasureland is just a traveling fair ground now no good rides at all and a just a rip off like Blackpool now. Shame it had to close used to enjoy a few hours there when u was a kid.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Blackpool have done what they did years before to morecambe which as nothing now southport wiki be the same in a few year as morecambe is now a ghost town