Hi everyone and welcome back to twoside news update. Now, 2025 has certainly not been the best start for the UK theme park industry. From ride and attraction closures at parks like the Pleasure Beach Resort, ride removals at parks like Alton Towers and Lightwater Valley, to huge cutbacks being made across the Merlin-owned theme parks affecting areas like entertainment teams, events, and much more, it looks to be the start of a very trying year across the industry, oakwood theme park closure took our fun away.
UK Theme Park Struggles Amid Economic Challenges
The current state of the economy in the UK is making things increasingly difficult, not just for people like you and me, the public, to get out and visit these parks, but also for the parks themselves that have to contend with the rising costs of things like electricity, food and beverage, merchandise, staff wages, and much more. We’re seeing even the very popular parks begin to struggle, but unfortunately, this means that the less popular parks are really feeling that hit, some of which are in quite a bit of trouble.
Oakwood Theme Park Closure
Unfortunately, today, February 4, 2025, some very sad news came in from Oakwood Theme Park in Wales, announcing that the park would not be reopening for the 2025 season.
The History of Oakwood Theme Park
Oakwood Theme Park is located in Pembrokeshire in Wales. It sits on about 80 acres of land and opened back in 1987 as a relatively small family-owned park with a number of pretty low-key attractions. They had a 3D cinema, some go-karts, and a train, but it proved to be incredibly popular with huge crowds that, at the time, the McNamara family, the owners, really struggled to manage.
Expansion and Popular Attractions
They were incredibly passionate about the park and wanted it to do well, and in the ’90s, major attractions started arriving with Megafobia, which is still the best wooden coaster in the UK in my opinion, Vertigo, the Sky Coaster, Hydro, and later, Speed: No Limits, which was the first Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter in the UK. In my opinion, it is the best one out of the three that we have here. The forces on that thing are incredible.
The Decline and Rescue by Aspro Parks
Unfortunately, by 2008, the park had lost a lot of its popularity, and there were concerns that it would permanently close. However, it was saved by current owners, Aspro Parks. They are a Spanish company, not very well known in the UK, but best recognized for their Aqualand water parks and Blue Reef aquariums, which are found throughout Europe, including Spain, France, and the Netherlands. They came in, rebranded a few areas around the park, and brought in some new ideas. Although they invested about £25 million over the years, it never really felt like it. It just seemed like they were keeping the park ticking along rather than significantly improving it.
Megafobia’s £1.6 Million Refurbishment
Then, in 2023, it was announced that Oakwood’s signature attraction, Megafobia, would receive a £1.6 million refurbishment. Megafobia opened at the park in 1996, manufactured by CCI and designed by the legendary John Wardley. The refurbishment was much needed, as the ride had become quite a painful experience over the years. The Gravity Group, consisting of former CCI engineers, re-tracked 40% of the ride, added new double-up and double-down elements, and reprofiled the first drop to make it steeper.
Megafobia’s Impact on Oakwood’s Revival Hopes
It ran like an absolute dream afterward. In my opinion, it is the best wooden coaster in the UK. It may not have the theming or storytelling of something like Wicker Man, but as a ride experience, it was leagues ahead. If you were lucky enough to get a night ride on it during the After Dark event, it was absolutely phenomenal. It was a fantastic investment and much needed, giving hope that Oakwood might be on the path to a revival.
2024 Visit Revealed Park’s Struggles
Oakwood theme park closure, the park had been feeling tired, and I tried to stay optimistic about its future. However, our visit in 2024 was disappointing. The entrance to the park had been demolished with nothing replacing it. Drenched was still sitting SBNO as the first thing you saw upon entering. There had been no progress on construction where the mini-golf used to be, the Spooky 3D building was still empty and derelict, and Spooky Street itself looked overgrown and neglected. It was clear that the park was in decline, and while this news is sad, it is not surprising.
Lack of Investment and Safety Incidents
With the exception of Megafobia, there had been a clear lack of investment over the past few years. The park also had recent incidents involving injuries to riders on the Treetops Coaster and Bounce, the shot and drop tower, which certainly did not help.
Official Statement from Oakwood Theme Park
Earlier today, Oakwood released a statement on their official website announcing its closure. It read:
“It is with much sadness that we have to announce the immediate closure of Oakwood Theme Park and confirm the park will not open for the 2025 season. Following a strategic review of the business, Aspro Parks, owner and operator of Oakwood Theme Park, has reached this difficult decision due to the challenges presented by the current business environment. All possible avenues have been explored to avoid the closure, and we fully recognize the impact on the local community and the loss that will be felt as a result.
Aspro Parks has invested over £25 million since rescuing the park from being at risk of closure in 2008. Most recently, a major refurbishment of Megafobia, the iconic wooden roller coaster, was completed to great success and acclaim from enthusiasts and fans. Despite ongoing investment, visitor numbers have declined, and the park’s financial performance has suffered, making further investment unsustainable.
The unrelenting economic challenges, rising operational costs from ride parts to electricity, food and beverage inflation, increases in National Living Wage, and changes to National Insurance thresholds have all impacted the decision.
A statement from Aspro Parks reads: ‘In the entire history of Aspro, we have never closed any park or attraction. We and our dedicated team of staff have strived to overcome numerous challenges to continue to bring joy to families and visitors across the region and country. Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward and will seek to improve our other parks using Oakwood’s assets and, where possible, relocate team members elsewhere.
We are aware that Oakwood has been a much-loved destination for generations and a rite of passage for many young visitors. It is for this reason we feel such a sense of sadness. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedication and commitment of our team members, past and present, suppliers, contractors who have loyally supported us, and, of course, all those who have visited Oakwood Theme Park over the years. We are sincerely grateful. Thank you for making Oakwood Theme Park a special place.’”
Is This the End for Oakwood Theme Park?
It’s really sad news. Although the statement mentions the closure for the 2025 season, it has a definite air of finality, suggesting this could be the end for Oakwood. There is always a chance for the park to be saved, as it was in 2008, but given the current economic climate, it’s uncertain whether anyone will step up.
Hope for Oakwood’s Iconic Rides
I can only hope that if Oakwood has indeed seen its final days, rides like Megafobia, Speed: No Limits, and even the Crocodile Coaster can be relocated to other parks across the UK or Europe. It’s another huge blow to the UK theme park industry, and my thoughts go out to all the amazing, friendly, and helpful staff I have met at Oakwood since my first visit in 2000.
Final Thoughts
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. What will you miss most about Oakwood? Do you think the park will be saved again? What is happening to theme parks not just in the UK, but around the world? 2025 could be a bleak year.
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