Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Pleasurewood Place Message Board -> General Discussion -> HIG/Loopings - Park Owners
Post Info TOPIC: HIG/Loopings - Park Owners
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 17:46 Jan 31, 2011
BIG NEWS: Park for Sale (Again)
Permalink  

In an ideal (yet unrealistic) scenario, It'd be great for a big, investment heavy chain such as Six Flags to buy the park. Even though the location of PWH is less than ideal for large volumes of guests, I feel that a company that has the big capital to invest religiously into the park's attractions and developments on a regular basis would give it the grounding to go further.

For years its struggled by on existing attractions, and I think now is the time for an owner to pull all the stops out. You'd think (even though the A12 and lack of motorways are atrocious) that being in Lowestoft, easterly Britain would be something that would draw and attract millions of people a year.

One thing I'd personally welcome (in addition to new rides) is proper turnstile admissions. Similar to Thorpe Park and Alton Towers.

On a slightly different note, I wonder how much the park would be to buy? If I won the EuroMillion (especially when it was £120M ha!) It'd be one of my first investments. I guess you'd have to think about continuing running costs as well as the initial purchase, but it'd be really great to have a local entrepreneur or company build it back to the heydays of the 90s. I actually remember in the 90s, during school holidays when all I looked forward to was going to a rammed out Pleasurewood Hills to ride the Tempest and Rattlesnake all day long!

-- Edited by Leon on Monday 31st of January 2011 05:47:23 PM

__________________
Reece


Jolly Talkative

Status: Offline
Posts: 71
Date: 18:44 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

PLEASURERWOOD HILLS HAS BEEEN SOLD!

it was on look east tonite!!!!!



__________________
Reece


Jolly Talkative

Status: Offline
Posts: 71
Date: 18:48 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-12327718

__________________
andyb


Exceptionally Expressive

Status: Offline
Posts: 612
Date: 19:41 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

>>FROM BBC SUFFOLK>>

A theme park in Suffolk has been bought by an American investment firm.

Pleasurewood Hills, north of Lowestoft, was sold for an undisclosed sum by owner Compagnie des Alpes which describes itself as "a major European supplier of leisure activities".

It is the seventh venue the company has sold to the multi-billion dollar investment firm, HIG.

The new owner said it was looking at ways to make more of Pleasurewood Hills' spacious site.

>>END>>

Its a new dawn its a new life for Woody......

I like - with caution - the last line of the report. HOPEFULLY better times ahead :)

__________________

2nd-place.jpg

Your Biggest Day Out - Ever!
livewireguy


Enigmatic Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 273
Date: 20:01 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

Oh ****!

Good times .....who knows!

Investment company doesn't suggest anyone with a knowledge of Theme Parks!

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 20:24 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

^ thats my worry. CdA had bags of experience, which did show.

However, this is good news, but after all the promises CdA made, I aint getting excited yet.

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 20:25 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

Poor Pleausrewood, everyones wants to sell it :(
why cant people just see the potential?

__________________
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 20:33 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

This is both mega exciting and, like others have said, slightly worrying!

Let's hope their plans to expand (what was originally proposed years ago) happen, as well as a new catalogue of rides and attractions!

Bring it on!

-- Edited by Leon on Monday 31st of January 2011 08:33:32 PM

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 20:47 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

^ Well they say they're going to make use of the space! Though hopefully that wont mean a hotel.

__________________
MattyH


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 1685
Date: 21:06 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

hopefully a roller coaster or two would be good mainly ones that appeal to familys like rattlesnake and enigma

__________________

Total inversions for 2015: 54
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 21:15 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

I think owners with no experience could be a good thing to begin with. I picture it like the rich owners of football clubs, that just go mad spend big - so I could see the park like a Six Flags parks, with just plain rides squeezed everywhere.

That wouldn't be so bad now, as we need more rides, but after time it would become a bit horrible and would probably require a major tidy up.

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 21:17 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

However, on the other hand, they may just close the park and build a housing estate?

__________________
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 21:20 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

Ooh er. Would they actually be entitled to do that to the site? Actually, thinking about it, they'd just need the planning permission. That's a sickening thought though!

I want a B&M Floorless for 2012 :L

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 21:25 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

The Council may be able to stop that as it is a big attraction for the area.

Remember what said previously though:

Compagnie des Alpes' preferred objective was to find a buyer having a significant expertise in this business sector, a serious and durable business plan, and the financial means needed to make the capital investments that will allow the parks in question to continue to grow vigorously

Lets just hope they stuck to that plan!

__________________
andyb


Exceptionally Expressive

Status: Offline
Posts: 612
Date: 21:50 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

I think, when reading up on HIG its was mentioned that they do have some sort of arm with experience in the attractions industry??? (Might be getting my wires crossed)

__________________

2nd-place.jpg

Your Biggest Day Out - Ever!
andyb


Exceptionally Expressive

Status: Offline
Posts: 612
Date: 21:51 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

Martyn wrote:

However, on the other hand, they may just close the park and build a housing estate?





Or, a caravan park. (Which i reckon was the ultimate aim of Queensborough Holdings way back when....)

__________________

2nd-place.jpg

Your Biggest Day Out - Ever!
MattyH


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 1685
Date: 22:02 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

don't get us all down, it will be turned into a garden center lol

__________________

Total inversions for 2015: 54
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 22:22 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

think, when reading up on HIG its was mentioned that they do have some sort of arm with experience in the attractions industry??? (Might be getting my wires crossed)

Well get reading up about them again then!lol

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 22:24 Jan 31, 2011
Permalink  

To be honest, surely there's a big difference between buying a park and all the attractions that come with it, and buying land to build on?

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 07:08 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

Just the news report of Radio Norfolk, they all sound very positive as far as I'm aware.

They mentioned something about expanding, but I cant see where they could expand it?

__________________
alex


Enigmatic Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 473
Date: 17:10 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

itscould be good to have an owner whithout much else. if it were owned by a big group e.g. six flags it would be a small park for the chain but if this is one of the only parks they own itb would get more attention.

__________________

The Tournament is back for 2014
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 17:14 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

REPORT:

From EDP 24

The acquisition of the park was completed today after previous owner Compagnie des Alpes announced it would be relinquishing control of seven leisure parks, including Pleasurewood Hills, at the end of last year.

H.I.G Capital France in partnership with industry expert Laurent Bruloy is taking control of all seven of the parks and between them they will benefit from a joint investment of 20 million Euros over five years.

For Pleasurewood Hills it will mean the park will launch a host of new attractions over the coming months including a £65,000 indoor Laser Labyrinth game, an educational nature trail and a new train station.

The car park and queuing facilities will also be re-designed to improve access and speed up entry for visitors especially in peak times.

Alexis Camelin, Pleasurewood Hills’ general manager who was appointed in March last year, said: “This is extremely exciting news for Pleasurewood Hills!

“The investment will enable us to build on ongoing developments from the past year and further establish our reputation as one of the leading family theme parks in the country.”

The news of the takeover comes as Pleasurewood Hills completes development of a new conference centre in The Palladium Theatre plus the launch of the Carousel Community Art Project which sees art students from across the region restore 30 carousel horses from one of the park’s rides.

Pleasurewood Hills has been a popular attraction for more than 25 years and after a period of some uncertainty in the late 1990s, the 59 acre site was purchased by French leisure group Compagnie des Alpes in 2004.

Pleasurewood Hills won Best Visitor Experience award in the 2009 Tourism in Suffolk Awards, and more than 200,000 thrill-seeking visitors a year enjoy the park’s attractions.

All very interesting. And great news about an addition; but laser tag?! Good to hear of a train station upgrade too. Working it out, It seems to be that Pleasurewood will earn a £500,000-ish investment as part of the 7 parks deal. This isn't a huge amount at all. What are people's thoughts?

-- Edited by Leon on Tuesday 1st of February 2011 05:15:12 PM

-- Edited by Leon on Tuesday 1st of February 2011 05:17:08 PM

__________________
andyb


Exceptionally Expressive

Status: Offline
Posts: 612
Date: 17:39 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

This Laser thing - £65K? I reckon its gonna be a sidestall game type thing or at most a quaser (sp?) tag game rather than a Buzz Lightyear / Laser Quest type attraction which would've been awesome! :(

NEED. NEW. RIDES.

__________________

2nd-place.jpg

Your Biggest Day Out - Ever!
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 17:51 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

YES! Or even a Duel rip-off (done to similar fun standards). Does this also mean a management shake-up. As new as Alexis Camelin is; where is his promised 'investments' and 'improvements'. I know small-scale things have been done, but these just don't have the same effect as a new 'Wow have you heard what Pleasurewood Hills are getting this year' development.



__________________
andyb


Exceptionally Expressive

Status: Offline
Posts: 612
Date: 17:59 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

Leon wrote:

YES! Or even a Duel rip-off (done to similar fun standards). Does this also mean a management shake-up. As new as Alexis Camelin is; where is his promised 'investments' and 'improvements'. I know small-scale things have been done, but these just don't have the same effect as a new 'Wow have you heard what Pleasurewood Hills are getting this year' development.





Could be needed, if not Alexis, then i wonder about some of the people under him, who are truely nice people, but perhaps part of the reason why PWH has become a bit, well, stale?????

I know you need the finances but i sometimes wonder how clued up some of these people are on the industry, allowing money to be spent on things like a Helter Skelter, Tales of the Coast, Woody's Flyers etc. and most criminal of all a coaster train which can't be fully loaded when an alternative was (as far as we know) avaliable.....

__________________

2nd-place.jpg

Your Biggest Day Out - Ever!
Leon


Serious Squawker

Status: Offline
Posts: 148
Date: 18:12 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

Completely agree with you, Andy. It seems very odd. I know we're only enthusiasts, but image how professional a park would be run by a team of passionate, market-savvy people who really want the best of the park - and heck, the tourism the area would benefit from too.

For the last 6 or 7 years, the sincere uncertainty in the park's developmental future, and in fact now, it's existence is a great worry.

__________________
livewireguy


Enigmatic Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 273
Date: 18:42 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

andyb wrote:

Leon wrote:

YES! Or even a Duel rip-off (done to similar fun standards). Does this also mean a management shake-up. As new as Alexis Camelin is; where is his promised 'investments' and 'improvements'. I know small-scale things have been done, but these just don't have the same effect as a new 'Wow have you heard what Pleasurewood Hills are getting this year' development.





Could be needed, if not Alexis, then i wonder about some of the people under him, who are truely nice people, but perhaps part of the reason why PWH has become a bit, well, stale?????

I know you need the finances but i sometimes wonder how clued up some of these people are on the industry, allowing money to be spent on things like a Helter Skelter, Tales of the Coast, Woody's Flyers etc. and most criminal of all a coaster train which can't be fully loaded when an alternative was (as far as we know) avaliable.....




Surely this links with the dark ride idea they mentioned - tales of the coast or fairy tale revamp!

__________________
Reece


Jolly Talkative

Status: Offline
Posts: 71
Date: 19:29 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

http://www.thebeach.co.uk/news/index.php?storyid=8182

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 19:42 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

For Pleasurewood Hills it will mean the park will launch a host of new attractions over the coming months including a £65,000 indoor Laser Labyrinth game, an educational nature trail and a new train station.

Dont get excited about a new train station, thats just the one they've built by the lake because of the Nature Trail.

As for this Laser thing, what a load of tosh. Pleasurewood Hills is a theme park, not an amusment arcade. And where's this going to go? Most probably taking up room that could be use for real attractions.

This Alexis seems all talk as far as I'm aware, how on earth are these silly attractions going to improve the park? You've got parks like Ligh****er with a very tight budget buying 7 new rides for this year, including a Topscan and the old Tempest from Pleasurewood.

Yet, Pleasurewood, with a multi-billion pound backing, is getting a nature trail and laser quest?

This to me seems like new owners, same old story.

__________________
Martyn


Passionate about Pleasurewood

Status: Offline
Posts: 4996
Date: 19:46 Feb 1, 2011
Permalink  

And yeah, as Leon said, 20m Euro's divided by 7 parks, over 5 years is absolute peanuts. So with that in mind, we cant expect a new ride in the next 5 years.

This is really getting to me now. Why are they insisting on not getting new rides?!

__________________
«First  <  1 2 3  >  Last»  | Page of 3  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Pleasurewood Place Message Board -> General Discussion -> HIG/Loopings - Park Owners
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard