Plenty of theme parks have needed to shut their doorways within the South West and now lots of them have been left deserted, with eerie pictures displaying their present state
As soon as crammed with the sounds of merriment and laughter, these once-loved points of interest now stand eerily abandoned.
The South West has been dwelling to some outstanding theme parks, however confronted with nationwide competitors from the likes of Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, many have needed to shut their doorways. The newest casualty has been Dingles Enjoyable Park, which managed to outlive solely two months earlier than closing its doorways on account of rising lease.
Heartbreakingly, park supervisor Tom Ellis, an skilled showman who has helped run two amusement parks, instructed DevonLive earlier than its closure: “It is good to convey one thing again to the realm after the lack of Flambards and Dairyland Farm Park in Cornwall”.
Pictures have revealed the haunting sight of a few of these forgotten parks that now stand vacant and unused after years of offering pleasure and happiness.
Spirit Of The West, Cornwall
The Spirit Of The West theme park that was primarily based in St Columb Main in Cornwall was as soon as a preferred vacation spot. The theme park was closed in 2009 and redeveloped into vacation lodges which use the identify Retallack Resort and Spa.
Retallack Resort and Spa is a 5 star luxurious self-catering vacation vacation spot with vacation Lodges, watersports, spa, and leisure.
The Spirit Of The West theme park obtained numerous consideration a number of years again when photos emerged of the deserted theme park in publications such because the Mail On-line, nevertheless the previous theme park has now been utterly demolished.
Blobbyland, Somerset
Based mostly on the favored Saturday evening TV present Noel’s Home Occasion, which was set within the fictional village of Crinkley Backside, Blobbyland was opened at Cricket St Thomas in Somerset.
In the course of the peak of Blobbymania, when the pink spotty sidekick was a star of the present, it featured an array of Mr Blobby themed points of interest.
Points of interest included the Animals of Farthing Wooden, a safari experience, a deer park and Dubblobbin, Mr Blobby’s home which was painted shiny pink with yellow spots and a blue roof.
The park shut its doorways in 1998 on account of declining customer numbers however within the years that adopted many tried to trespass onto the vacant website.
The homeowners made makes an attempt to stop individuals from breaking in, together with blocking up an entry tunnel, however the website was finally razed in 2014.
Tivoli Park, Cornwall
Nestled deep within the woods subsequent to a picturesque Cornish river, lie the overgrown remnants of a century-old pleasure backyard, impressed by one of many world’s oldest and hottest amusement parks.
The abandoned fountains, arches, bandstand and swimming pool, showing unexpectedly by way of the bushes and undergrowth beside a woodland path within the village of Lerryn, have been as soon as points of interest throughout the lengthy forgotten Tivoli Park, named after the globally famend Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen.
The park was the brainchild of China Clay magnate, Frank Parkyn, who was born within the village in 1850. Work commenced on the flowery park round 1920, following his go to to the Danish Tivoli.
Impressed by the fountains, the octagonal Glass Corridor, in addition to the arches on the entrance and on the Nimb Resort of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Parkyn cleared a big space of his woodland and constructed ornate constructions and water options – together with an octagonal pool – throughout the house.
In 1922, Cornwall’s Tivoli Park was opened to the general public, and supplied a brand new venue for the more and more fashionable Lerryn Regatta. Nevertheless, the annual occasion, as soon as referred to as ‘The Henley of the West’, was held for the final time in 1968, and although Tivoli Park remained comparatively clear into the late 20 century, it has step by step been reclaimed by nature over the previous few many years.
Dobwalls Journey Park, Cornwall
It was a tragic day a decade in the past when Dobwalls Journey Park introduced its closure.
John Southern grew to become a tourism pioneer again in 1970 when he transformed his pig farm into one of many South West’s first vacationer points of interest.
For greater than 35 years, locomotives trundled alongside two-mile-long tracks on the park, simply 20 minutes drive away from Plymouth.
The positioning shortly grew to become primary for college days out for generations.
For the value of admission, you possibly can discover Krazee Kavern play barn, get limitless rides on the park’s trains, head to Rocky Ridge sand and water play, try the locomotive shed, and go to the Steam Again in Time exhibition.
The park’s important draw was its meticulously maintained steam and diesel trains. Guests had the selection of two tracks – the Union Pacific Railroad and the Rio Grande.
The Rio Grande line, which opened first in 1970, featured a 4 per cent gradient, making it the steepest climb on a passenger-carrying miniature railway globally.
As a result of monitor’s success, the Pacific was added in 1979, carefully modelled after the genuine Union Pacific Sherman Hill line in Wyoming.
Nevertheless, a deliberate redevelopment of Dobwalls, together with a brand new arts centre, stalled, and the 22-acre website was put up on the market with a information worth of £400,000 by sealed bid public sale in 2012.
In March 2013, Charteroak bought the location and renamed it Southern Halt – now dwelling to a set of eco-friendly log cabins.
Kitley Caves, Devon
Kitley Caves, positioned in Yealmpton, have been as soon as one in all Plymouth space’s most beloved vacationer points of interest. Nevertheless, they quickly closed over 20 years in the past and have by no means reopened.
These cherished caves have been a preferred vacation spot for college journeys and archaeology fanatics for 20 years. Regardless of their closure to the general public in 1999, they continue to be cordoned off, with little likelihood of reopening.
The historic caves and grottoes alongside the Yealm estuary housed Bronze Age and Stone Age artefacts. Later, inexperienced marble was quarried there, a few of which has been utilized in London landmarks.
Ever since a workman from Devon by accident blasted open the caves, quite a few discoveries have been made, together with a 6,000 12 months outdated human bone and a lion.
The caves have been opened to the general public as a vacationer attraction within the Nineteen Seventies, providing self-guided excursions by way of the community of tunnels. The 2 main chambers have been referred to as Bob’s Cave and No Identify Cave.
Nevertheless, on account of dwindling customer numbers, the choice was made in 1999 to shut the caves after 114 years of operation, they usually have been subsequently sealed off.
