With all the credit crunch and the fact that a lot of the rides at the Pleasure Beach are old, and half of them are owned by the bank, do you think Blackpool Pleasure beach will survive much longer?. what are your thaughts

I'm a bit uncertain. According to a few sources in the park 9 of the parks attractions will be SBNO this year, three of them rollercoasters.1 - Noah's ark2 - Rollercoaster3 - Space Invader 24 - Gold Mine5 - Trauma Towers6 - Impossible7 - Caterpillar ride8 - Helicopters9 - Fairy WhipWhether the park survives is entirely down to the current management team who seem insistent on running the park down piece by piece. Expensive entry prices (you can't just enter now, you have to pay to just be in there) means a lot of potential customers are immediately put off. Testing times for sure.

I do hope Blackpool pulls out of the credit crunch fine, I really like that place. I'm not too pleased about Space Invader 2 being SBNO for this year possibly, I have a strange liking for strange / pointless rides!. Rollercoaster not being open will be a bit strange too .

I'm a bit uncertain. According to a few sources in the park 9 of the parks attractions will be SBNO this year, three of them rollercoasters.1 - Noah's ark2 - Rollercoaster3 - Space Invader 24 - Gold Mine5 - Trauma Towers6 - Impossible7 - Caterpillar ride8 - Helicopters9 - Fairy WhipWhether the park survives is entirely down to the current management team who seem insistent on running the park down piece by piece. Expensive entry prices (you can't just enter now, you have to pay to just be in there) means a lot of potential customers are immediately put off. Testing times for sure.

In all honesty, the only reason I visit blackpool pleasure beach is to go on Valhalla. My friend knows the owners of the place, and from what I've heard all they are really interested in is the ice shows. If that is true about the rides, then Blackpool is in serious trouble

With the park boasting some of the most famous coasters in the UK and some of the oldest woodies around, I'd be surprised if they were PURELY dedicated to Ice Shows, which I don't really pay attention to at a theme park.I agree though, I love Valhalla! The effects are certainly better than what I'm seeing on any Merlin park rides right now.

With the park boasting some of the most famous coasters in the UK and some of the oldest woodies around, I'd be surprised if they were PURELY dedicated to Ice Shows, which I don't really pay attention to at a theme park.I agree though, I love Valhalla! The effects are certainly better than what I'm seeing on any Merlin park rides right now.

Interesting point, James. If blackpool was to go, would be interesting to find out what happens to rides such as the Big 1 and even the Grand National. Those rides have been around years.As for Valhalla, I agree with you. It would be great if a merlin park could have something along those lines. The closest I know to Valhalla are probably some rides in Orlando

I agree with the earlier point you made Dan, I haven't been to Blackpool for 4 years now and I only enjoyed Grand National and Wild Mouse. It shares something with Drayton that no matter what they add, it never feels quite as interesting as what they could be adding.The owners don't just care about ice shows as I believe one of the main shows it has is closed for the season as well.

Interesting point, James. If blackpool was to go, would be interesting to find out what happens to rides such as the Big 1 and even the Grand National. Those rides have been around years.As for Valhalla, I agree with you. It would be great if a merlin park could have something along those lines. The closest I know to Valhalla are probably some rides in Orlando

Yeah I'd agree with that tbh. Even looking at the front of the building you can tell its impressive. I love the fire effects and how it actually simulates hot and cold during the journey into Valhalla. The weird 3-headed dogs were slightly creepy though but I still found Valhalla an unusual and interesting experience. Especially when they could have just made it a normal water flume with a backwards drop (I.e Stormforce 10). Phwoaar.

I agree with the earlier point you made Dan, I haven't been to Blackpool for 4 years now and I only enjoyed Grand National and Wild Mouse. It shares something with Drayton that no matter what they add, it never feels quite as interesting as what they could be adding.The owners don't just care about ice shows as I believe one of the main shows it has is closed for the season as well.

Exactly how I feel about Infusion there Mark. Infusion has been Blackpools latest addition for quite a while now and even though the water fountains and stuff are there and its rated quite highly by the public, they could have done so much better than a hand-me-down coaster from an hour down the motorway. None-the-less it is nice to see them actually adding new rides, and Infusion is definatly one that has benefited the park, as its a 'thrill-seekers coaster' rather than a woodie etc.Blackpool is definatly one park I would not like to see go into decline and I really hope it doesn't.

For the certain lady who owns it at the moment, it does seem like they want to trash it and make as much money out of it as they can.£20 entrance fee, closing a fair few rides this year is not good news at all..

I was watching a video in geography about global warming ect... and they mentioned that blackpool will get nice, hot holiday weather in 50-80 years time! ...something nice to think about...

I was watching a video in geography about global warming ect... and they mentioned that blackpool will get nice, hot holiday weather in 50-80 years time! ...something nice to think about...

LOLand you can cool off in the lovely sea! Errr, I regret not riding Space Invaders 2 when I went to the park this year. I didn't go on because I was alone and the spacesuit thing in the queue scared me.

For the certain lady who owns it at the moment, it does seem like they want to trash it and make as much money out of it as they can.£20 entrance fee, closing a fair few rides this year is not good news at all..

I hear you on that. Blackpool getting hot weather in 50 or so years time?. That's cool, though to be honest if they carry on with the present state of things, they will lose a lot of tourists. Ellie, Space Invader was a pretty awsome ride, even if it was to me like a copy of X

space invaders had fantastic themeing but the actule ride was wayy too smooth.

One thing to bear in mind here, is that the other tourist attractions, Tower and piers are doing better than the have for years, yet BPB has seen a steady decline, probably linked to the sheer lack of additions. The town, on the other hand has seen constant improvements, albeit long overdue, and the seafront regeneration is making a massive difference.Blackpool is a tacky place where people go for Stag and Hen nights, get drunk and fall over and various other things I go there about 4 times a year for BPB, rarely visit the town, far less stay there - it really is that bad!The Pleasure Beach has been in terminal decline for years, the credit crunch may well serve as the catalyst which closes the gates for good. The BPB business plan in 2008 has been nothing short of commercial suicide and they have scored a succession of 'own goals' which have only exacerbated the situation - Other parks have flooded the Market with BOGOFs', BPB hike the wristband up to £32; Flamingoland and Camelot slash the price of the Annual Pass for the first so many to buy, BPB hike the price to £189 and introduce an admission charge.Not great days ahead for BPB.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach closing would be a right shame, it houses some notable history for the UK in the form of rollercoasters over 100 years old.Could someone please clear this up for me coz I'm a bit confused. You now have to pay to get into BPB and to go on the rides?!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach closing would be a right shame, it houses some notable history for the UK in the form of rollercoasters over 100 years old.Could someone please clear this up for me coz I'm a bit confused. You now have to pay to get into BPB and to go on the rides?!

Don't take my word, but last time I went you had to pay to get in, pay to go on valhalla, space invader and almost any other ride possible. I think they run on a tocan system, but it's been 2 years since my last visit

I went in 2007 (corrr seems like yesterday now), and we paid £22 for a one day wristband, and no other costs.

Hmm... I went in summer and we payed £25 (I think!!) each for the unlimited rides wristbands. I think they're just getting rid of the token system altogether which I don't agree with. First day I was in Blackpool I rode one ride (Bling) before the full day when we used the wristbands. I wouldn't have bothered if I had to pay entry, that's just stupid. They made about a pound extra and I'm sure I'm not the only one to do it. It all adds up...

I believe (although its been four years since I last went) that the current system is if you do not buy a wristband you have to pay 5 pounds just to go in. After that you pay per ride. It's the same as going on Brighton pier, being charged five pound for the privilege then paying extra for each ride you go on.

If you are riding, you buy a wristband(up to £32) as normal and can ride all day. If you don't ride, then you can pay entry (£5) and can ride a few of the non- thrill rides like the monorail, PBE (train)

Ohh I see. If I'll only be paying £32 for a wristband and no other charges at BPB then I think thats reasonable. Its cheaper than Thorpe still and it has a better selection of rides in my opinion.

Well this park can do nothing right, it seems.Not content with banning packed lunches, banning Tripods, introducing an admission charge in the middle of a recession .... they have now gone and threatened one of their fan sites with legal action, which has resulted in them deciding to shut down. http://www.tbppbguideforums.info/bpb/viewt...asc&start=0

That's crazy. It really reinforces just how lucky we are with the Merlin parks in this country. Despite the size of fan-sites in comparison to the general public, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers (to a smaller extent, Chessington) have always appealed to the enthusiasts, the guys that come back year after year. Makes me feel much more cynical about visiting Blackpool as well.

Well I think that most parks see fan sites as some free advertising. Sure we don't all wear rose tinted specs all of the time, but as long as the balance is there, and any criticism is fair and justified, then they don't worry too much.BPB seem to live in the dark ages where bullying was acceptable. I have criticised BPB and other Parks in the past, challenged decisions made - including BPB, Thorpe, Alton and Flamingo Land. The only Park who didn't accept my point of view ... you only get one guess who that was

Random post but hey...Blackpool Pleasure Beach is being used in an advert on TV at the moment! It's a Specsavers ad, an old couple end up on Infusion and it says the should have gone to Specsavers thing.

Lol.