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The Rollercoaster Life and Roundabout Times of Ocean Beach

PostPosted: 08 Nov 2009, 08:54
by Gary
From the BBC News (August 2005)

A famous north Wales funfair could disappear if a development firm's vision for west Rhyl is realised.

Manchester-based firm Modus Properties has published an artist's impression on its website showing how the Ocean Beach fairground site could be transformed.

The proposed development includes 200 apartments, restaurants and a food store - but not the historic funfair.

Denbighshire county council said it was aware of Modus Properties' interest but no planning bid had been lodged.

The Rhyl funfair is synonymous with the seaside town, but has deteriorated in recent years.

A spokeswoman for Modus properties said the company hoped to start work on the scheme early next year, but said the project was in its "really, really early stages" and nothing could be confirmed.

From themagiceye September 2006 (Dawn)

"I cannot confirm whether or not it will be an ASDA superstore, but
sadly, by 2007 the whole of the Ocean Beach funfair will have gone. This is due to Denbighshire County Council's "redevelopment" of Rhyl's seafront into what will generally be known as "Drift Park", which in turn is part of the Rhyl Going Forward scheme.

Although it mainly involves (as far as the seafront goes) development of gardens and water features, the funfair is not part of that scheme. Current proposals for the Ocean Beach site include housing, A3 retail shops and non-food retail.


From Joyland Books (January 2007)

A planning application has been submitted by Manchester-based Modus Properties for the redevelopment of Rhyl's historic Ocean Beach Fun Fair.

The application, submitted to Denbighshire County Council in December, is for 217 apartments, an ASDA supermarket, hotel, shops, offices, cafes and restaurants.

The funfair will be completely demolished, ending more than a century of amusement park history in this part of the town.

The planning application for the Ocean Plaza development will go though a public consultation exercise before being decided by planners.

From The Liverpool Daily Post April 2009 (By KELLY FENNA )

A MULTI-MILLION pound housing and retail development on Rhyl seafront is due to restart after months of delay.

Next month, work on transforming the town's former funfair site at West Parade is set to continue.

Phase one includes the building of an Asda supermarket which will employ 470 people, it emerged last night.

Around 350 workers will transfer from the company's existing store in neighbouring Kinmel Bay, which will close when the new development is complete.

Final touches are being put to the site's flood defences before construction staff can get to work.

From Joyland Books Forum (JIM LOWE)

I was at the Ocean Beach site on 16 June and the developers have done - - -exactly nothing. The site is still empty after nearly 2 years.

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From The Liverpool Daily Post Nov 2009 ( by MARTIN WILLIAMS)

ADMINISTRATORS are confident they will have found a buyer for an £85m seaside development before Christmas. Ernst and Young spoke to the Daily Post after we reported how Rhyl's Ocean Plaza project was in jeopardy.

The company took over the scheme after Manchester-based Modus Properties went into administration in June.

Last night they said parties with the "ability to complete such a transaction" have shown strong interest in the West Parade venture, which would include 200 apartments, a 60-bed hotel, supermarket and pubs.....

..Here we go again..Methinks we have been here before.. :(

PostPosted: 10 Nov 2009, 16:26
by furie
Sorry, I'm confused, are you talking about Rhyl or Morecambe ;)

Seriously, does anyone, at any point, honestly think these plans will ever come to anything (any of these regeneration schemes)?

I wonder if either the residents of Morecambe or Rhyl would now welcome back the dirty, nasty noisy fairground that used to blight their lives - rather than the run down eye sores filled with drug users and tramps they've been left with?

Next - Southport :roll:

PostPosted: 12 Nov 2009, 01:48
by porterm
Yes - an absolute travesty in my book there. However, the pictured view shot of the former Ocean Beach park in Rhyl looks quite marginally more presentable than Folkestone's current offering (where the former Rotunda park sat).

Maybe the so-called redevelopment is just a ploy to relinquish us of any possible joyful activity along our coastlines. It certainly is a rather sad, mad world in my opinion.

I was in Southport last weekend for the Southport Weekender soul/jazz/funk event and took the chance to revisit the former Pleasureland site. Unless something quite radical occurs there, despite the current operator's efforts I cannot really disagree with your final remark Furie. I spoke to a lady in the town's Starbucks coffee shop, in passing, and remarked how the whole seafront area with the expanding Plaza complex , had really changed the place. I mentioned the former Cyclone to her and she came to the conclusion that most youngsters these days don't really want to frequent such attractions as they're more into their games consoles and computers. I somehow don't fully agree; we all need a release from those machines I reckon. And they can surely never match the outdoor thrill factor experience.

Martin :(

PostPosted: 14 Nov 2009, 16:45
by Nick
It is quite sad how many amusement park sites are now sitting empty, the promise of "exciting new developments" of apartments and supermarkets now just a pipe dream. Pleasureland (Southport), Ocean Beach (Rhyl), Frontierland (Morecambe), Rotunda (Folkestone), Marvel's Amusement Park (Scarborough). The parks lost to development, and the developments lost to the current economic woes.

PostPosted: 17 Nov 2009, 00:41
by EAS
I wonder if Sefton Council will ever appreciate what was lost at Southport?

Classic seaside resort? Pah!

PostPosted: 18 Nov 2009, 22:09
by porterm
Just another little thing, as you mentioned Classic Resorts EAS - when I was frequenting the Pontins holiday centre complex the other weekend, I had to raise a smile when I noticed a certian brown tourist road sign. It was just opposite Pontins on the left of the small roundabout heading back towards Southport. Sefton Council appear to have not updated all the former tourist signs as there was one offending old sign, which rather amusingly still promoted the Southport Zoo along with Pleasureland.

I noticed heading into Southport from the motorway now they have new brown signs highlighting "main attractions" instead of any mention of New Pleasureland etc. Yes, Classic resort - the Southport website made me laugh now too. Ironically, however, there is a sign in the seafront gardens with pictures of the former Pleasureland attractions like the former Water Chute and Maxim Flying Machines with a potted history of the site.

I suppose some Councillors may mourn the loss of Pleasureland's historic attractions lost to what I reckon was down to another greed proposal for redevelopment opportunities. The economy reversal had the last laugh there I reckon.

Martin

PostPosted: 19 Dec 2009, 21:13
by mrjimlowe
Hello

I visited Morecambe in September and the Frontierland site is still locked up and for sale. The company selling it is a subsiduary of Morrisons:

http://www.rapleysmorrisons.co.uk/?page=property&id=171

http://www.rapleysmorrisons.co.uk/uploaded_files/particulars/171.pdf

The hard-up councils probably saw these fantastic new developments as a way out but now they are stuck with just vacant plots up for sale.

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The refurbished Midland Hotel
Some locals I spoke to said it "wasn't very impressive" inside.
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PostPosted: 20 Dec 2009, 12:32
by EAS
Well, I've been inside the Midland; I think it wonderful. I suppose it depends what you want.

It was in a terrible state, after the years of neglect, but the important artworks and the mosiac floors have been re-instated / repaired, and I think the modern interior fun, and the additions ie the conservatory and exta storey carefully and sympathetically carried out.

OK it's not a recreation of what was lost, ie the wall paintings, but then they went very early in the building's history.