Pleasureland Southport

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Pleasureland
Location	Southport, England
Website	www.newpleasureland.co.uk
Owner	Dreamstorm
Previous names	Pleasureland
Operating season	2007-2008
Area	Merseyside, England
Rides	Various travelling rides for 2007-8 total 'Storm' roller coasters To Be announced water rides
Slogan	The Place To be This Summer (Formerly The Amusement Park on the Sands)
Re-opened under new management in July 2007, following its sudden closure in September 2006. The park had originally been operating since 1924.
Amusement Parks Portal

Pleasureland, now New Pleasureland is an amusement park located in Southport, Merseyside, England which has been re-opened^[1] on 21st June 2007 by its new owners Dreamstorm, who will be developing new attractions at the site. The Park reopened in 2008 on the 21st March. However, on 20th March, Sefton Council announced that a company called Urban Splash had been chosen to develop Southport seafront including the Pleasureland site. Here is a report from BBC News ^[2]. The current lease held by Dreamstorm will expire at the end of October 2008 and if the current plan goes ahead, the Pleasureland site will be cleared for redevelopment.

Contents 1 The original Pleasureland 2 New Pleasureland 3 External links 3.1 Original Pleasureland 3.2 New Pleasureland 3.3 Southport 4 References 5 Past attractions

[edit] The original Pleasureland

The first Pleasureland had been operating since 1912, but was closed suddenly on 5th September 2006, as the previous owner said it was unsustainable. It was Blackpool Pleasure Beach's sister amusement park. ^[3]. Due to lack of return on investments, it was not seen as viable to be kept operating. An entrance fee had also been introduced which proved unpopular and resulted in a serious downturn in the number of visitors. Demolition of the Cyclone rollercoaster started just two weeks after closure.

One of the park's unique features was its Funhouse with traditional funhouse attractions such as the Wheel and the Social Mixer. The Funhouse continued to operate for several months until its closure on March 31 2007. ^[4]

Not much is known about the fate of many of the classic rides at Pleasureland although some have been bought and put into storage for a prospective Dreamland revival project in Margate. On 14 September 2006, pictures were released onto the Internet of people dismantling the Cyclone, much to the dismay of local residents, Pleasureland fans, and coaster enthusiasts. ^[5]

On 18 September 2006, two protesters climbed to the top of the Cyclone in an attempt to save it.^[6] The protest lasted for three hours, after which the protesters came down over police concerns that the distraction it was causing to drivers. There has also been a petition made by a group coaster enthusiasts to try and save the ride, but failed.^[7]. The Cyclone was unceremoniously demolished 20 November 2006.^[8]

[edit] New Pleasureland

On 10th March 2008, Sefton Council[1] announced that a company called Urban Splash have been chosen to redevelop Southport seafront, including the Pleasureland site. see the BBC News Report

On 31 May 2007, it was announced that Dreamstorm International were to invest £100 million at the Pleasureland site. Full story here.

New Pleasureland was re-opened to the public on 21 July 2007 and renamed New Pleasureland. The site reopened on 21st March 2008 for what could be its last season

In June 2007, some of the original Pleasureland buildings were demolished, except for buildings around the perimeter. The site re-opened under new management as scheduled with a temporary travelling fairground. Then, following a successful summer season, the park was kept open at weekends only until November 2007 when some demolition of remaining unwanted buildings was carried out and refurbishment of other buildings completed. A Pinfari "Zyklon Loop" rollercoaster has been constructed on the site where the Traumatizer stood and was opened at the start of the 2008 season and named 'The Storm'. The Traumatizer [2] station building has now been demolished. In February 2008, the site of the Cyclone Rollercoaster [3] was landscaped, and part of the old River Caves ride demolished to make room for more rides.

"Norman Returns The Pleasure" The Park re-opened for the 2008 season on the 15th March and has a bigger and better line up of rides plus Arcades, Restaurants, Fun House, Ice Scating and Children's Circus Show, with more rides to be added as the summer season approaches. A Giant Wheel was also added for Easter Weekend 2008

[edit] External links

[edit] Original Pleasureland

• Urban Splash Will Develop Pleasureland Site A BBC News Report
• Official website (from Wayback Machine)
• Pleasureland after closure
• 28 May 2007 Pleasureland Is Being Demolished? (Report in Southport Reporter)
• The story of Pleasureland's Big Wheel
• TV report about the Park Staff, shocked as the news hit the media that Pleasureland had closed
• News report about that Pleasureland had closed with photos
• www.southportcyclone.com A history of the Cyclone Rollercoaster and Pleasureland.
• www.conceptnews.org/cyclone Pictures from September 2006 to present.
• The September 2004 Pleasureland Auction and the park's closure on themagiceye at Joyland

[edit] New Pleasureland

• Norman Returns The Pleasure A report about the re-opening in March 2008
• Newspaper report about a New ride added to New Pleasureland
• Southport Reporter, report about first week open.
• Official website
• New Pleasureland Forums
• www.newpleasureland.co.nr Latest news and pictures.
• www.northwestcoastalresorts.com Web forum

[edit] Southport

• Southport Grot Spots A campaign to clean up Southport's eyesores.
• The Southport Jazz Festival
• www.southportflowershow.co.uk The Southport Flower Show official website.
• http://www.southportweekender.co.uk/ The Southport Weekender 3 day music event.

[edit] References