Pleasureland has grown from a seedy exciting noisy place from my childhood into a clean and very respected park today.
The building of the sea wall in 1999 certainly acted as a catalyst for new investment but what of the future??
Southport is changing fast and all for the better:
The following are probably more fact than fiction but you never know...
Possible Snow Centre on Ocean Boulevard? (I'll believe it when I see it)
The demolition of the dreadful zoo:
"The borough is preparing to lease a strip of land at the north of Princes Park to Pleasureland for a new ride on the Southport Zoo site next door.
An undisclosed figure for the loss of open space would be used to research development options for the remaining parkland.
A recent report to cabinet members confirmed only a strip of green down the side of the park would be lost and not a third of the park as feared by some residents."
A go kart track to disappear from Pleasureland and to be eaten up by Ocean Boulevard (The snow centre??)
An extension to The Floral Hall complex with hotel near it.
The building of a 59 bedroomed 3 storey Whitbread Travel Inn on the site of the old Happyland.
Aquarium to be demolished to make way for a 'specialist' skateboard park.
£12m Work to begin on Marine Lake and Princess Park to make it more attractive to visitors.
Eco Centre on the Pay & Display car park near Pleasureland (It's being built as I type this)
There is much more to come...
In short, watch the Merseyside space known as Southport..
Now..if only Margate...