Uncertain future for Loudoun Castle? (Coasters up for sale)

[Martyn B]

I sumbled across this ride sales website, and noticed that 2, possibly 3 of Loudoun Castle's major rides are for sale!

Twist 'n' shout (Schwartzkopf Looper)
http://www.fab.lu/index.php?id=74&L=2&tx_ttnews[pointer]=4&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=48&tx_ttnews[backPid]=73&cHash=add73c07d5

The Rat (MS Wild Mouse)
http://www.fab.lu/index.php?id=74&L=2&tx_ttnews[pointer]=9&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=349&tx_ttnews[backPid]=73&cHash=8f3f476069

And this Inverted ship may well be their one too, but ya just cant tell really.
http://www.fab.lu/index.php?id=74&L=2&tx_ttnews[pointer]=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=315&tx_ttnews[backPid]=73&cHash=725e7f5fe0

So even if that isn't their Inverted Ship, they're still selling all their major coasters, which surely isn't a good sign for the park?

Shame too, as it seemed a nice little park.

Hopefully MattLCV can shed some light on this...

 

[Jake]

Assuming the park are actually closing, i'm pretty suprised. It seemed to be going uphill at the live in 2008, with crowds, and effort being put into Barnstormer (Southport's spaceshot).

If this park goes, Scotland's coaster scene is in trouble! After all, the hole that is M&Ds can't be open for much longer surely...

 

[Anonymous]

Crap, where is a big lottery prize when you need it.
Then I could set my plan in motion to open a Schwartzkopf Museum

Shame about Loudon though...

 

[Hixee]

^I know! If I had unnecessary amounts of money I'd definitely be buying that Looper.

Is this actually confirmed? Will be a shame if it is true, another park struggling...

 

[Martyn B]

^Nothing is confirmed about it closing (well, not to my knowledge). But the park only has 2 'large' coasters, and they're both for sale....

It seemed to be going uphill at the live in 2008, with crowds, and effort being put into Barnstormer (Southport's spaceshot).

Yeah thats what I thought. I heard that the Barnstormer project cost them about £1m, which for a small park is a lot.

 

[aly]

They have been up for sale for years, as are the rides in storage. They want rid of there portable rides and want more Theme Park style rides.

 

[Ollie]

Why can't I be a millionaire?

 

[Emmett]

They have been up for sale for years, as are the rides in storage. They want rid of there portable rides and want more Theme Park style rides.

Strange, so what happens if they sell say the looper half way through a season. Would they just get shot of it or wait until the end of the season to replace it with a newer coaster?

I thought the park were also holding concerts. I remember hearing about some 80's gig sometime last year.

 

[marc]

I am shocked the looper has not been bought by a fair, but it did need a lot of work.

Without that though there is no big attraction in the park.

 

[Martyn B]

I thought the park were also holding concerts. I remember hearing about some 80's gig sometime last year.

I think it was called Retrofest, or something along them lines. It was very succesful apparently.

Strange, so what happens if they sell say the looper half way through a season. Would they just get shot of it or wait until the end of the season to replace it with a newer coaster?

I was thinking that, but I guess they'd wait until the end of the season, then replace it.

Why dont they just keep them in storage whilst for sale and in the mean time build new rides? Yes you will say "they need the money from the sale" - which makes sense, but they're not going to get enough money from either coaster to replace them both with some thing better.

 

[Enicomb]

Wikipedia (reliable, I know) says the park is facing an uncertain future due a minimum wage dispute in 2009 and may not open in 2010.

 

[nadroJ]

To be honest, does anyone truly care? It's always sad to see coasters/parks closing, especially because of things like the recession but I see this being another Camelot situation, where people just act interested in the park because of it's possible closure, not because the place was ever any good and worth saving.

 

[Enicomb]

Well I actually wanted to go, simply to ride the Twist n Shout as it's really the Tower of Terror from Camelot.

 

[Martyn B]

but I see this being another Camelot situation, where people just act interested in the park because of it's possible closure

I dont think it is. I personally have never been interested in Camelot, let alone when its expected to Close, and I'm sure many people share the same opinion. Yet I am interesed in Loudoun, I always have been for some reason. I really want to visit and hope to next year. It has a nice tranquil setting with some good classic rides.

The only reason you said that was probably because we never here anything about Loudoun on here, then this topic crops up about it closing and then people start expressing their sadness etc, where as the truth is, if more happened at the park, we would be discussion it more often, not just when its threatened with closure.

Wikipedia (reliable, I know) says the park is facing an uncertain future due a minimum wage dispute in 2009 and may not open in 2010.

The banner at the top of the parks website says "Opening Easter 2010", so thats kind of promising.

 

[Enicomb]

Yea, I was going to post that, I saw it after my last post, so it looks like it will be open at least.

It'll be somewhat neutered (as a theme park) though if they do sell those rides before they re-open.

 

[MattLCV]

Hi Martyn I'll try to get in touch with them for some kind of official word. My site's also down atm cos I'm looking for a better (read cheaper) host.

I don't think anythings up though. As Aly said (hi aly!), various rides from the park have been up for sale for years so I wouldn't read too much into it. The park is owned by Henk Bembom's ride trading company Parkware so a lot of the more portable rides will be for sale if someone makes a decent offer.

If anything the park seems have expanded a bit, branching out into corporate events, weddings as well as running some sort of paintball thing and hosting retrofest during 2009. The websites also been updated since I last went on so everything appears normal. :wink:

 

[Martyn B]

Well thats good to know! Cheers Matt.

Any new rides planned for 2010? 2007 was when Barnstormer was added?

 

[MattLCV]

Duno to be honest.
Yeah I mean they added a couple of kiddies rides to Pirate Cove in 2008 which do look the part and also Stormbreaker but nothing spectacular. Stormbreakers ok but I preferred the Huss Enterprise ride it replaced.

Last year they replaced the Big Top Circus with a High Dive show so their plan seems to be to add at least something new each year, even if it's not a new ride.

Hopefully they'll do something this year but I can't see any major investment.

 

[MattLCV]

Wikipedia (reliable, I know) says the park is facing an uncertain future due a minimum wage dispute in 2009 and may not open in 2010.

Yeah I do like Wikipedia but without sources it can be a bit unreliable.
This is the paragraph which has since been deleted, I had to go into the history bit;

*Following a dispute over Mimimum Wage laws, Loudoun Castle Theme Park was forced to close early during the 2009 summer season. Dispute over the reopening of the park for the Summer 2010 season is ongoing.

Last year the park was only ever supposed to stay open until the end of August and far from closing early they ended up opening extra weekends in September. So I duno where that's come from. What would the "dispute over minimum wage laws" be anyway - that they were paying less than it? Doesn't seem likely and there's no press to suggest any dispute.

 

[Enicomb]

I did have my doubts; it is Wikipedia after all