The American Adventure theme park in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, will definitely not open again after owner Venture World announced at the beginning of January it is to pull the plug on the Wild-West-themed attraction.

"American Adventure states that it has invested considerably in trying to make the park a commercial success but a fall in attendances which has been experienced across the UK theme park market has proved impossible to overcome," reports a Venture World spokesman.

The 345-acre venue was founded as Britannia Park in 1985 by boxer Henry Cooper, but survived just 10 weeks. Derbyshire County Council bought the site a year later and then sold it to the Granada TV/leisure company, which relaunched it as The American Adventure in June 1987. Venture World took over in 1997.

Three major rides – The Missile rollercoaster, log flume and rapids – were removed in 2005 and new additions since have been very modest, mainly small children’s attractions. Efforts to stage various ancillary attractions and special events were often met dissaproval by the local authority.

Meanwhile in the North Wales coastal resort of Rhyl, a planning application has been submitted to transform the site of the Ocean Beach amusement park (pictured) into apartments, shops and a hotel.

The £85m Ocean Plaza development is being proposed by Modus Properties and is to go to public consultation before a decision by Denbighshire County Council later this year.

Ocean Beach was established in the 1940s and by the ‘50s was eclipsing the older Marine Lake amusement park in popularity. Two smaller, newer amusement parks still operate down the road from Rhyl in Towyn, catering mainly to holidaymakers from the area’s caravan parks.

In South Wales, the Barry Island Amusement Park will reopen in 2007 following an eleventh hour deal between its owners, Hyper Value, and retail restructuring specialist Hilco. A number of rides, however, have already been sold.

Hyper Value, a local supermarket chain, was close to collapse last year and the park looked like being dragged down with it. However, Hilco acquired a 50 per cent stake in Hyper Value Holdings Ltd and has sold six stores to Ian Rogers, son of the business’s founder, the late Ken Rogers. As part of the transaction it has now also agreed to fund a joint venture arrangement with Ian Rogers to acquire and operate the Barry Island park.

A glimmer of hope comes from the Norfolk coast, where showman Victor Gray has agreed to take on a children’s corner in the resort of Cromer from this season. This small facility was formerly operated as Phillip Gray Amusements and comprises a Helter Skelter, mirror show, four children’s rides and a bouncy castle.

“There isn’t room for much else, but we will be tidying up a lot of what’s there and my father-in-law’s going to do some painting for us,” says Victor, who will reopen the mini park as Cromer Kiddieland.

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