Southport Pleasureland

[marc]

I have just read on another forum that Pleasureland Southport is going to be devoped in to other leisure use, and will shut permeate the end of 2008? Do any forum members have any news on this rumour?
Cheers marc

[Nick]

As far as I am aware, the current lessee has an 18 month contract, which ends roughly at the end of the 2008 summer season, after which the park will be redeveloped.

[uvegotmale2000]

well i hope sefton council have the brains to give the current lease holder a long term lease,considering how much time he had to open the park he has done wonders.

redeveloping it into another use would be a crying shame

save our pleasureland and dreamland!!

[EAS]

I don't think Sefton ever intended that the site would be anything but re-developed.

[Nick]

Looks like Norman Wallis will not be continuing with Pleasureland long-term:

http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.c ... _page.html

[uvegotmale2000]

that makes me so angry.why do we bother having councils??

they never ever listen to what the majority of people want

[EAS]

Who knows what the majority want at Southport? The closure of Pleasureland and destruction of Cyclone certainly wasn't opposed by many at the time.

One of four big-name leisure companies will move in to operate an all-year-round tourism draw on the 25-acre Marine Park.

http://cmis.sefton.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic ... ment=30357

BACKGROUND
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Kings Gardens and Marine Gardens are listed Grade 2 within the Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic importance in England. Improving the Gardens is a key project in a number of policy documents including the emerging Southport Investment Strategy, Seafront Action Plan and the support of the Northwest Regional Development Agency for the development of Southport as England’s ‘Classic Resort’. This is seen as the route to Southport’s future prosperity.
1.2 This project will comprise a programme of works to enhance the quality and appearance of the public spaces and attractions within Kings Gardens and Marine Gardens. This project is now a priority given the success of neighbouring new developments on Southport waterfront and the opportunities offered by the redevelopment of the adjoining former ‘Pleasureland’ site.
1.4 This proposal is relevant to the redevelopment of the former ‘Pleasureland’ site, now being marketed for development as ‘Southport Marine Park’. The improvement of these gardens provides scope to add significant value to the future Marine Park proposals. A master planning exercise will be required for the Marine Park and this proposed development work for the gardens will clarify the Council’s expectations and help to provide certainty to the developer.
1.5 The gardens provide a primary pedestrian link, which will run from Marine Park to the town centre (Lord Street) as the main gateway is positioned at the junction with the Promenade and Scarisbrick Avenue. There is a need to ensure the facilities within these gardens remain important and used by Southport’s residents and visitors and benefit from linked trips from the successful development of Southport Marine Park.
1.6 The proposed project boundary and surrounding context in shown in Appendix 1
2.0 Why this project is required
2.1 The overall aim of the scheme is to deliver a major enhancement of the public gardens and spaces to make a positive contribution to the character of the Promenade and attract further economic development. The scheme will support a number of wider objectives and projects as set out in the emerging Investment Strategy. These include:
�� Increasing the attractiveness of Southport as a visitor destination and England’s Classic Resort.
�� Improving linkages between the town centre and seafront.
�� Capturing the benefits of Southport Marine Park.

[kevinashe]

go to http://www.southportforums.com/forums/s ... t=50381268 to be involved in southports consultation of being a classic resort,including development of the pleasureland site.Air your views and tell them what you would like to see in southport,theres also a pdf doc to read.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

I dropped off the Southport Forum after they demolished the Cyclone.
That town's as a good as washed up.

[cliffc]

go to http://www.southportforums.com/forums/s ... t=50381268 to be involved in southports consultation of being a classic resort,including development of the pleasureland site.Air your views and tell them what you would like to see in southport,theres also a pdf doc to read.

Hi

I still post on the southport forums there has been alot of negative input on the thread there regarding the opeining of the site this year and the state of it.

As i Pointed out why would Norman spend fortunes on the site when he knows that he will be kicked off at the end of this season, and is not even on the list to develope the site.

If the council had given him the support of a long term lease then yes he would have i am sure spent a lot more in this site to improve it further as he would have been able to get a return on this investment, I think Norman has done well last season given the time scale he had to work in, and i hope he continues to have the same success this year, may be the council will just take another look at the site as amusement park but i serioualy doubt it.

Cliff C

[uvegotmale2000]

i totally agree cliff,the situation at southport is stupid.in the timescale when norman took over and opened the site was very minimal and he did wonders to clear the mess that bpb left behind.

sefton council should have given him a long term lease to show what pleasureland could and would be if given the chance.

councils never listen to people,they always do what they want to do and not what the people that voted them in want them to do.

if the amusement park disappears for good this time then southport will slowly turn into another morecambe and margate.A Ghost Town

[furie]

Norman Wallis clearly had plans, but sadly, he didn't look at the bigger picture.

When Amanda closed down Pleasureland and raped it, Sefton didn't even raise an eyebrow until it was far, far, far too late.

Somebody as cynical as me may well say that Sefton already had a good idea of what they wanted on the Pleasureland site, and it certainly wasn't an amusement park. They may also say that they purposely let Amanda do what she did to help them along.

Giving Norman the two years recouped them some of the money they spent on the land, and a two year break to get the plans sorted and ready.

It's all just so massively convenient for everyone, except Norman who genuinely seemed interested in making a go of it - and for those in Southport who aren't footballers - who now have to live in place too rich for them.

[EAS]

Totally agree Furie. Sefton never had any interest in having the site as an amusement park, it was convenient to not have it empty in the interim. Having a short term use for the site cleared it and brought in cash, and gave people something to keep going to Southport for. Local businesses which relied on tourism would have closed, and the ghastly Ocean Plaza relied on people being attracted to Pleasureland in the interim.

But Sefton had no intention at all of this being long term. It was also, let us recall, about to bulldoze things such as the Wild Mouse and other bits and bobs now removed for Dreamland.

It allowed the site to be razed,it ignored some pretty high-profile letters and pleas to not allow this, and although I feel sorry for Norman Wallis, it was always on the cards. I hope he isn't too out of pocket.

[kevinashe]

from what i hear whatever norman spends on the site to improve it the money comes of the 2 year lease at the end so hes as well spending as much as possible if its seftons money

[faro]

i know its too late to save pleasureland,but as everyone on here keep saying councils never listen.
i've been to morecombe which is in a beautiful location and could be a very nice place,it sadly lacks a good old fashioned amusement park.
in their wisdom they have ruined the seafront with a cheap and nasty retail park.
southport,rhyl and folkstone look as if they are heading the same way.
it will be such a shame if it happens to margate.
i hope for southports sake any plans include some form of amusement park and not a tesco!