An amusement park dating back 100 years is set to shut down with owners describing the closure as the ‘end of an era’.
The rides at Coney Beach Amusement Park in Porthcawl, on the south coast of Wales, will run for the final time in October after first thrilling visitors in 1918.
The funfair offers a range of attractions, including dodgems, go karts and water slides, as well as a terrifying ghost train.
Its owners, the Evans family, announced the news of the iconic venue’s closure on Facebook this week.
Confirming that this season will be its last, the family said it was ‘forever grateful’ to have been part of the lives of generations of families both young and old.
It said: ‘It’s the end of an era, for over 100 years we and other showmen and their families have lived and worked in Porthcawl helping to make it a busy seaside destination.
‘We will miss it greatly and while we are sad to see our time here come to an end we are forever grateful to have had the opportunity to have been part of so many generations of families lives, young and old.
‘Thank you for sharing our love of “all the fun of the fair” and the legacy that Coney Beach leaves.’
Coney Beach amusement park, dating back 100 years, is set to shut down with owners describing the closure as the ‘end of an era’
The rides at Coney Beach Amusement Park will run for the final time in October after first thrilling visitors in 1918
The park is thought to have been built to entertain American troops returning from the First World War, taking its name from the slightly larger New York pleasure park on Coney Island.
The Welsh Government has purchased parcels of land in the seafront area for a mixed-use redevelopment.
The project is expected to feature a new housing estate, retail business facilities, a new primary school, and a number of recreational and leisure opportunities.
The announcement comes after Welsh ministers confirmed they had secured the ownership of sections of land based on a 20-hectare site at the heart of the area for Bridgend Council’s regeneration in Porthcawl.
It comes after Oakwood Theme Park, the largest in Wales, closed with immediate effect in March.
The site, in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, confirmed it would shut after nearly 40 years.
Aspro Parks, the owner and operator of Oakwood Theme Park, said it reached the ‘difficult decision’ due to financial challenges caused by rising costs and declining visitor numbers.
The firm said it has invested more than £25million since the park was saved from closure in 2008.
The funfair offers a range of attractions, including dodgems, go karts and water slides, as well as a terrifying ghost train
A British Railways advert for the amusement park, which will only be open for one more season
It comes after Oakwood Theme Park, pictured, the largest in Wales, closed with immediate effect in March
Oakwood made headlines in April 2004 when a 16-year-old girl was killed after falling around 100ft from the top of the Hydro ride. A 10-year-old boy was also injured.
But a coroner ruled out unlawful killing in the inquest into 16-year-old Hayley Williams’ death and gave a narrative verdict.
In 2008, Oakwood Leisure was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 costs because of the tragedy when it was revealed that basic safety procedures were widely ignored by staff overseeing the ride.
Announcing the closure, a spokesperson for Aspro Parks Group, which operates dozens of other attractions including Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire, 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.’
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