| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... 18:38 - Mar 4 with 836 views | theloneranger |
"It is with much sadness that we have to announce the immediate closure of Oakwood Theme Park and confirm the park will not open for the 2025 season.
Following a strategic review of the business, Aspro Parks, owner and operator of Oakwood Theme Park have reached this difficult decision due to the challenges presented by the current business environment.
All possible avenues have been explored to avoid the closure, and we fully recognise the impact of the closure on the local community and the loss that will be felt as a result.
Aspro Parks has invested over £25M since rescuing the park from being at risk of closure in 2008. Most recently a major refurbishment of Megafobia, the iconic wooden rollercoaster was completed to great success and acclaim from enthusiasts and fans of the park.
Despite the ongoing investment visitor numbers have declined, the financial performance of the park has suffered, making further investment unsustainable.
The unrelenting economic challenges ahead, increases in costs, affecting all areas of the operation from; ride parts to electricity costs, food and beverage inflation, increases in NLW and changes to national insurance thresholds have all impacted the decision.
A statement from Aspro Parks Group said “in the entire history of Aspro we have never closed any park or attraction. We, and our dedicated team of staff has strived to overcome numerous challenges to continue to bring joy to families and visitors across the region and country. Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward and will seek to improve our other parks using the assets and where possible team elsewhere”.
We are aware that Oakwood has been a much-loved destination for generations and a rite of passage for many young visitors. It is for this reason we feel such a sense of sadness.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedication and commitment of our team members past and present, suppliers and contractors who have loyally supported us and of course all those that have visited Oakwood Theme Park over the years. We are sincerely grateful.
Thank you for making Oakwood Theme Park a special place."
https://www.oakwoodthemepark.co.uk/blog/sin-categoria/oakwood-theme-park-to-clos |  |
| Everyday above ground ... Is a good day! 😎 |
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 18:52 - Mar 4 with 806 views | SullutaCreturned |
It's in the wrong place, it's a mare to get to in peak periods.
Best place for a theme park...close down PT steelworks entirely and build one there complete with hotels, seafront activities and other sports activities inland behind it. It's a massive bit of land right next to the M4. Of course then there'd be another argument about improving the M4!
It's just a thought. |  | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 19:07 - Mar 4 with 770 views | Whiterockin |
I would guess most of the staff are on the minimum pay grade and that is going up in April as is NI. Throw in the financial difficulties many families with young children are facing and it's just not sustainable any more. |  | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 19:19 - Mar 4 with 723 views | ReslovenSwan1 |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 18:52 - Mar 4 by SullutaCreturned |
It's in the wrong place, it's a mare to get to in peak periods.
Best place for a theme park...close down PT steelworks entirely and build one there complete with hotels, seafront activities and other sports activities inland behind it. It's a massive bit of land right next to the M4. Of course then there'd be another argument about improving the M4!
It's just a thought. |
The site is a steel works not a theme park. The Port Talbot works are converting and will continue to pay staff well who remain. What a crazy idea. |  |
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 19:28 - Mar 4 with 705 views | Scotia |
I bet the owner of Bluestone is weighing up a bid as we speak.
People I know in Pembrokeshire have been expecting them to join forces for a long time. Apparently he regrets ever selling it to get the cash to build Bluestone. | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 20:25 - Mar 4 with 669 views | Boundy |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 18:52 - Mar 4 by SullutaCreturned |
It's in the wrong place, it's a mare to get to in peak periods.
Best place for a theme park...close down PT steelworks entirely and build one there complete with hotels, seafront activities and other sports activities inland behind it. It's a massive bit of land right next to the M4. Of course then there'd be another argument about improving the M4!
It's just a thought. |
You say in the wrong place and you maybe right but it had no real competition and in it's day very popular, the trouble it had was it's reputation as being dirty and unwelcoming and the sad death of the girl of course. You mention Port Talbot where it's just been announced that a big wheel is to be installed on the sea front at Aberavon , not quite the same. | |
| "In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master." |
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 22:27 - Mar 4 with 573 views | felixstowe_jack |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 19:19 - Mar 4 by ReslovenSwan1 |
The site is a steel works not a theme park. The Port Talbot works are converting and will continue to pay staff well who remain. What a crazy idea. |
The steel works site has 100 of acres of unused land. The owners could easily have invested in wind and solar farms which would have significantly reduced their energy cost. | |
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 13:58 - Mar 6 with 232 views | ReslovenSwan1 |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 22:27 - Mar 4 by felixstowe_jack |
The steel works site has 100 of acres of unused land. The owners could easily have invested in wind and solar farms which would have significantly reduced their energy cost. |
When you drive past PT you will notice often the 20 or so turbine on the hill s above are turning but the one at sea level near the Kenfig end is not. Sea level has less wind.
It is clear to me the WAG and Merthyr council and the Coal Board or what ever they are called these days extended the open cast pit in Merthyr and allowed them to dig (with out planing permission) until steel production was ended at PT.
The contractors who will not cover the remedial cost no doubt are thanked by all concerned.
I did a thread on it a while back " a very odd Welsh affair". I called it. Dirty reckless coal miners digging coal without planning permission in the most regulated land in the world? Only the " extinction rebellion" people fave a flying eff and South Wales police arrested them. They were defending the rights of miners to dig coal without permission of the democratic people of Wales.
The miners presumably had had the nod from the authorities and the SWP were in the loop and told to deal with any democratic objections. [Post edited 6 Mar 14:04]
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 14:12 - Mar 6 with 215 views | raynor94 |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 13:58 - Mar 6 by ReslovenSwan1 |
When you drive past PT you will notice often the 20 or so turbine on the hill s above are turning but the one at sea level near the Kenfig end is not. Sea level has less wind.
It is clear to me the WAG and Merthyr council and the Coal Board or what ever they are called these days extended the open cast pit in Merthyr and allowed them to dig (with out planing permission) until steel production was ended at PT.
The contractors who will not cover the remedial cost no doubt are thanked by all concerned.
I did a thread on it a while back " a very odd Welsh affair". I called it. Dirty reckless coal miners digging coal without planning permission in the most regulated land in the world? Only the " extinction rebellion" people fave a flying eff and South Wales police arrested them. They were defending the rights of miners to dig coal without permission of the democratic people of Wales.
The miners presumably had had the nod from the authorities and the SWP were in the loop and told to deal with any democratic objections. [Post edited 6 Mar 14:04]
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Mining finished at Merthyr November 23, Steelmaking finished at Port Talbot September 30 2024, 10 months later |  |
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| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 15:59 - Mar 6 with 182 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 20:25 - Mar 4 by Boundy |
You say in the wrong place and you maybe right but it had no real competition and in it's day very popular, the trouble it had was it's reputation as being dirty and unwelcoming and the sad death of the girl of course. You mention Port Talbot where it's just been announced that a big wheel is to be installed on the sea front at Aberavon , not quite the same. |
Of course it had no competition, it's way out in the sticks with poor roads surrounding it. Who'd build a theme park there these days unless there was a motorway being built to connect it?
Why was it dirty AND dangerous?
Of course a big wheel isn't quite the same but that's not what I suggested, I suggested a full on theme park which would bring thousands of construction jobs and afterwards thousands of permanent jobs, as long as the theme park was succesful anyway.
Imagine a Welsh theme park with hotels right next to the M4, put a train station there and CWL airport just an hours drive away...add in watersports on the seafront and sports facilities in behind. It's massive investment but if it was succesful it would bring a lot of money into Wales. | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:14 - Mar 6 with 172 views | Whiterockin |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 15:59 - Mar 6 by SullutaCreturned |
Of course it had no competition, it's way out in the sticks with poor roads surrounding it. Who'd build a theme park there these days unless there was a motorway being built to connect it?
Why was it dirty AND dangerous?
Of course a big wheel isn't quite the same but that's not what I suggested, I suggested a full on theme park which would bring thousands of construction jobs and afterwards thousands of permanent jobs, as long as the theme park was succesful anyway.
Imagine a Welsh theme park with hotels right next to the M4, put a train station there and CWL airport just an hours drive away...add in watersports on the seafront and sports facilities in behind. It's massive investment but if it was succesful it would bring a lot of money into Wales. |
Weekenders are important for this sort of devopmment. Many from Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Gloucester. Key target areas for Welsh tourism are put off by the length of time it gets to West Wales on a Friday afternoon. This is a fact not opinion, we need to improve our infrastructure immediately. | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:32 - Mar 6 with 145 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:14 - Mar 6 by Whiterockin |
Weekenders are important for this sort of devopmment. Many from Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Gloucester. Key target areas for Welsh tourism are put off by the length of time it gets to West Wales on a Friday afternoon. This is a fact not opinion, we need to improve our infrastructure immediately. |
The problem with my idea is it means closing the steelworks but then, they could produce xteel for the theme park, stockpile it and then close the steelworks and the workers can transfer over to the company building the theme park, when it's built they move over to the theme park, unless they retired.
It's maybe a tad ambitious an idea for Wales and we'd need a billinaire to take it on. All that said, could it be viable, could it work? | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:41 - Mar 6 with 139 views | pencoedjack |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:14 - Mar 6 by Whiterockin |
Weekenders are important for this sort of devopmment. Many from Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Gloucester. Key target areas for Welsh tourism are put off by the length of time it gets to West Wales on a Friday afternoon. This is a fact not opinion, we need to improve our infrastructure immediately. |
Without a shadow of doubt.
50 mph from Magor to Tredegar Park, then the strech from PT to Swansea on a bloody motorway.
Add the ridiculous 20 mph on roads in Wales, & some wonder why people don't want to continue coming to Wales to holiday.
They may only be low-paid jobs, as someone mentioned, but local hotels, pubs, & shops will be effected.
As I said yesterday, the grownups on this forum can see how the WG are killing this country. |  | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:44 - Mar 6 with 134 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:41 - Mar 6 by pencoedjack |
Without a shadow of doubt.
50 mph from Magor to Tredegar Park, then the strech from PT to Swansea on a bloody motorway.
Add the ridiculous 20 mph on roads in Wales, & some wonder why people don't want to continue coming to Wales to holiday.
They may only be low-paid jobs, as someone mentioned, but local hotels, pubs, & shops will be effected.
As I said yesterday, the grownups on this forum can see how the WG are killing this country. |
Please don't call me a grown up! But yes, the Senedd is throttling Wales on the altar of ideology. | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 18:46 - Mar 6 with 98 views | pencoedjack |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:44 - Mar 6 by SullutaCreturned |
Please don't call me a grown up! But yes, the Senedd is throttling Wales on the altar of ideology. |
PM sent SC
The children on this site know who they are 👍 | | | |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 20:01 - Mar 6 with 39 views | Dr_Winston |
| Oakwood Theme Park Closed ... on 16:41 - Mar 6 by pencoedjack |
Without a shadow of doubt.
50 mph from Magor to Tredegar Park, then the strech from PT to Swansea on a bloody motorway.
Add the ridiculous 20 mph on roads in Wales, & some wonder why people don't want to continue coming to Wales to holiday.
They may only be low-paid jobs, as someone mentioned, but local hotels, pubs, & shops will be effected.
As I said yesterday, the grownups on this forum can see how the WG are killing this country. |
Plus the tourist tax. |  |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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