A THEME park in the UK has annoyed fans by revealing that four of its top rides are set to be closed for good.
Flambards in Cornwall is set to temporarily close its doors to the public to allow for the removal of the rides, which some say will be “missed terribly”.
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The park was described by Time Out last year as “one of the UK’s most underrated theme parks”.
However, it’s soon going to have four fewer rides, with some of its top attractions to be removed.
The Thunderbolt, Sky Swinger, SkyForce and The Hornet Rollercoaster are all set to be retired by the park, due to an “ongoing shortage of specialist parts” that has created insurmountable maintenance issues.
The news was first announced in an email to season pass holders before it was shared via the park’s social media channels and website.
The park told its fans: “After many years of faithful service, we are sadly retiring a number of our thrill rides.
“This includes, The Thunderbolt, Sky Swinger, SkyForce and The Hornet Rollercoaster, some of which will leave the site shortly.
“This decision was not made lightly and we understand that these rides have been favourites for many of our guests over the years.
“However the ongoing shortage of specialist parts has made the maintenance increasingly challenging for these rides, and the safety of our guests is and always will be our top priority.
“The park will be temporarily closed from Monday, June 10 as we prepare for the summer and make some park updates.
“We will reopen on Monday, July 1 for an exciting summer season and we look forward to welcoming visitors back.”
As a result of the rides being closed the park has announced that it has adjusted its pricing “to reflect these changes”.
Entrance to the park will now be £14.95 per visitor with those under 95cm still free of charge.
Pass holders have also been offered a free Kart Ride token for each family member upon their first visit this season.
And pass holders who have visited fewer than three times since obtaining their pass are entitled to a partial refund.Â
Use these tips on your next theme park trip
Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.
- Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
- Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
- Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
- Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
- If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.
The park added that it was grateful to the rides “for providing fun for our thrill seekers over the years” and thanked those who have visited since they have been in place.
They continued: “We hope you will continue to enjoy Ferdi’s Indoor Play, Skyraker, the Thunderdome, the Victorian Village, and all the other rides and attractions that Flambards has to offer.”
The news didn’t go down too well with the park’s fans, with some holding great personal attachments to the rides.
One wrote on Facebook: “The Hornet was the first coaster my kids went on when they were only just walking.
“We’ve had a ride photo each year as they’ve been growing up, it’s their personal growth chart. We’ll miss it terribly.”
Another said: “You could’ve given us the heads up, so we could have had one last go! It makes me very very sad.”
A third added: “No one is gonna go there anymore because those were the main rides. How sad. All my childhood memories are slowly going!”
Meanwhile, this huge theme park revealed two of its rides were closing earlier this year.
And this popular fairground attraction with vintage rides and games has also closed.
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