That bit of the iceberg that rests beneath the sea

[Gary]

Naturally, there are always companies that make a living from advising those trying to make a living from providing enjoyment to those who don't accept responsibility for their own actions..

The latter (the leeches who sue) are the reasons the parks are going under.

-

Today companies (have to) provide:

Analysis of insurance company recommendations
Complete HPR services
Construction pre-planning and drawing review
Development of fire protection and detection system designs
Ergonomic studies in material handling/human factors engineering approach
Evaluation of liability exposure, potential claims, current efforts to control
Insurance Services Office Loss Cost analysis
Loss analysis/workers' compensation claims
Operating and maintenance procedure assessment
Review of potential property loss with protection recommendations
Ride inspections for patron and employee safety
Special reports to showcase parks to insurance companies
Water supply design, testing, and analysis

£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

[Neil]

I don't think you can account all the park closures to the suing culture, it's a bit reductionist. I think there are many reasons, but suing is just one of many. Some of those points such as ride inspections also seem very reasonable, as even a private car has to have an MOT.

I don't think the closure of Dreamland has a lot to do with health and safety. I don't think even Waterbridge or Jimmy Godden have tried claiming this and I'm sure they would have done if it was anything of a major factor.

[Gary]

Neil, re your bit about MOT - Yep..Point taken.

In fact all of your post makes sense to me.

I do think however that the culture of "Sue You" influences how we live our lives today and if I'm honest it's not just the parks we visit that have suffered.

I'm sure you agree.

But.. hey..they have suffered though..immensly..

Whether we like it or not the type of rides you see in the parks today are influenced by the very insurance premiums that underpin them.

These solicitors / Health & Safety persons / Solicitors / leeches / however you wish to view them are almost dictating to operators what rides should be built and how the rides should be built and how the rides should be operated and therefore how we the public should enjoy our leisure time..

How come SPL's Ghost Train cars suddenly stopped spinning last year?

I reckon it was a way of cutting costs with H&S / Insurance..Please someone prove me wrong..

How come BPB's Alice Ride, Ghost Train and Roller Coaster all of a sudden acquired safety belts?

I reckon it was a way of cutting costs with H&S / Insurance...Please someone prove me wrong..

I saw a sign up on the BPB ghost train about 2 seasons ago that said " Seatbelts should be worn for your safety"..Someone had crossed off the letter 'Y' from the word "Your"

When I was a lad, the only ride that had safety belts were the Dodgems.

I don't know how much money insurance companies paid out for BPB's unfortunate fires on the GNational / Alice Ride but I will bet my life the new premiums had some impact on SPL's closure.

I detest the idea of any park / ride closing and some of the reasons given as to why..(I find it patronising on the whole to be honest and cringe at all the comments posted by those people who particularly hide under the name Bob)

However, along with the integrity of parks' owners (Now there's a separate post if ever there was one...) I think the public has to take a good look at itself as well and take some responsibility..

What next?..Those pimply faced kids who approach you on the street asking if you have had an accident recently being stragegically placed outside Amusement Parks??

Surely not?

Surely not??

They'll be outside school playgrounds next..

[EAS]

'...cringe at all the comments posted by those people who particularly hide under the name Bob'

While I agree with a great deal of what both of you say - I wouldn't give The Bobs a second thought, apart from a bit of wry amusement.
A study of The Bobs posts on many topics reveal a black hole where knowledge should be, along with a desire to seem informed.

Trolls inhabit forums everywhere. Treat The Bobs as a bit of light relief.

[Neil]

I guess you're right Gary. Moving towards safer rides is by no means a new thing and devices such as anti roll back have now been around for many many years, but there comes a point where rides are as safe as they need to be. While I don't think it had anything to do with Pleasureland's closure it probably doesn't help. At any rate insurance would be negotiated for the whole season so would not explain a mid-season closure. It also doesn't explain why the Company was not prepared to sell to another operator.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

The main reason for the threat to theme parks is that the government's current policy on building on greenfield sites (i.e. that it is to be discouraged) has caused a large increase in the value of brownfield sites.

Compared to the costs of demolishing a redundant factory, with the costs of decontaminating the land, a theme park is a quick and easy clearance job.

As an example, the estimated value of Dreamland, sold as a going concern, is around £3 million. Its value as building land is around £10 million.

This factor- the vested interest- is the main reason behind "Bob's" position on Dreamland.

[Neil]

My local town has the same problem. We don't have an amusement park for them to redevelop, but luckily our Council realised that they could build houses on the hospital and tell everyone to go to Oxford. The swimmingpool is one of only 16 olympic size swimming pools in the Country so it will also make a nice housing estate.

I don't think there's an easy answer as building on Countryside isn't always better. Ironically where I am all the amenities are going to make way for houses, but where my Mum grew up in a Welsh mining village the entire place is going because everyone's moved or moving away.

I guess they need to try and redistribute employment, and also ideally we want less divorce (just to state the obvious). A divorced family suddenly needs twice as many houses.

Either way the is poor planning at the moment with houses going in nilly willy regardless of floodplanes, historic buildings, wildlife, whether schools can cope (some are having to build across their only playing fields so that they can absorb the extra children from new housing estates).

I dare say this isn't always the case, and maybe with Camelot and a few other they have a genuine case, but real excuses seem quite rare. In regards to Camelot hopefully with a new coaster next year the park can be turned around. I for one plan to visit.