Pleasure Island Family Theme Park

Pleasure Island Family Theme Park, commonly called Pleasure Island, was a family-oriented amusement park in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England. It occupied the site of the former Cleethorpes Marineland and Zoo, a leisure attraction that had included dolphins, sea lions, pelicans and other animals before closing in 1977. The site later became associated with redevelopment plans for a new theme park intended to complement Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft. Construction began during the 1980s under Pleasureworld, a division of RKF Entertainment. Work was interrupted when RKF Entertainment entered receivership in the early 1990s. Robert Gibb, then managing director of Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, acquired the site and resumed the project. The completed park opened to the public on 27 May 1993. It was initially operated as a subsidiary or satellite operation connected with Flamingo Land, linking the Cleethorpes attraction to the wider Gibb family leisure business. The park combined rides, themed areas, animal presentations, children's entertainment, food outlets and retail facilities. Its six principal areas were Africa, Kiddies Kingdom, Morocco, Old England, Spain and White Knuckle Valley. Attractions ranged from family and children's rides to major thrill rides and roller coasters, including the Vekoma Boomerang, Alakazam, Hydromax, Hyper Blaster, Pendulus and Terror Rack. The site also presented bird and sea-lion shows, musical and children's productions, and a variety of seasonal entertainment. Restaurants, snack bars, an arcade, sweet shop and gift shops supported the visitor experience. Pleasure Island was separated from Flamingo Land following negotiations that culminated in a management and ownership change in 2010. Melanie Wood, who had been involved in the park's management, took control on 14 April 2010. The attraction thereafter operated through DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd and no longer formed part of the Flamingo Land family-company operation. Reports of the transfer initially led to public confusion about whether the park had closed, but it reopened under the new ownership on 1 May 2010. During its independent period, the park continued to develop its family offer. In 2013 it added a farm and petting-zoo feature, including a tractor ride that replaced an electric monorail. Despite these additions, Pleasure Island permanently closed at the end of the 2016 season. Its rides and other contents were subsequently sold, with the final rides reportedly disposed of in October 2018. A number of buildings remained standing on the largely abandoned site, including entrance structures, the dodgems building, the children's show area and the former carousel building. Later proposals for the site included hotels, log cabins, a casino, other leisure uses and a Lidl supermarket, although these proposals do not represent a reopening of the former theme park.

The Pleasure Island site has a longer leisure history than the theme park itself. It was formerly occupied by Cleethorpes Marineland and Zoo, which operated as a satellite zoo associated with Flamingo Park and later Scotia Leisure. The earlier attraction featured marine animals and birds, including dolphins, sea lions and pelicans, but closed in 1977. A redevelopment scheme was subsequently advanced by Pleasureworld, a division of RKF Entertainment. The proposed attraction was conceived as a sister park to Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft and was expected to use the Pleasure Island name. Construction began in the 1980s, but the project was interrupted when RKF Entertainment entered receivership in the early 1990s. The unfinished site was acquired by Robert Gibb, managing director of Flamingo Land in Malton, North Yorkshire. Gibb chose to continue the redevelopment as an amusement park rather than abandon the project. Reconstruction was completed in 1992, and Pleasure Island Family Theme Park opened on 27 May 1993. The attraction initially operated within the Flamingo Land family of leisure businesses. The connection was also reflected in management: Gibb's son Gordon later became chief executive of the company directly operating Flamingo Land, while his daughters Vicky Gibb and later Melanie Wood were associated with the management of Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island developed as a mixed-format regional park. Its layout was divided into six themed areas: Africa, Kiddies Kingdom, Morocco, Old England, Spain and White Knuckle Valley. Africa was the largest zone and included a major thrill ride. Morocco contained several high-intensity attractions, while White Knuckle Valley concentrated on rides such as the Boomerang roller coaster, Pendulus and Terror Rack. Old England contained the entrance and was the smallest area; Spain was also compact and combined a ride with other visitor facilities. Kiddies Kingdom focused on younger guests. The park's attractions changed over time. Its former rides included Condor, 1001 Nights, Dream Boat, Big Splash, Crazy Loop, 4 Man Bob, Pony Rodeo and Para Tower. Some attractions were replaced, relocated or sold. Crazy Loop, a Pinfari looping coaster that had also operated at Flamingo Land, later moved to Brean Leisure Park under the name Bulldog. The park supplemented its rides with shows featuring birds, sea lions, animatronic performers and children's characters. Entertainment included the Masai Warriors Show, Tommy Tinkaboo Musical Extravaganza, the Basil Brush Laughter Show, High School Summer and the Rock-afire Explosion. A major structural change occurred in 2010. Negotiations to separate the attraction from Flamingo Land concluded with Melanie Wood taking control on 14 April. DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood, became the vehicle through which the independent park operated. News of the change was initially interpreted by some observers as a closure, but the attraction reopened under the new arrangement on 1 May 2010. The change ended the formal association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. The independently operated park continued to serve the regional family market. In 2013 it added a farm and petting zoo with a tractor ride, replacing an electric monorail. Nevertheless, Pleasure Island closed permanently at the end of the 2016 season. The contents of the park, including a carousel dating from 1904, were offered for sale by auction. The last rides were sold in October 2018. As of the reference period, many structures remained on the abandoned site, including buildings near the entrance, the dodgems building, the children's show area and the former carousel building. Proposed future uses for the land included hotels, log cabins, a casino, wider leisure development and a Lidl supermarket.

1. 2018Final rides sold

   The remaining rides were sold in October following the site's closure.

   Source
2. 2016Permanent closure

   The park ended operations after the 2016 season.

   Source
3. 2013Farm and petting zoo introduced

   A farm, petting zoo and tractor ride were added to broaden the family attraction offering.

   Source
4. 2010Separation from Flamingo Land

   Melanie Wood took control of the attraction and it began operating through DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd as an independent entity.

   Source
5. 1993Pleasure Island opens

   Pleasure Island Family Theme Park opened on 27 May.

   Source
6. 1992Redevelopment completed

   Robert Gibb completed reconstruction of the site after acquiring the stalled project.

   Source
7. 1980Construction begins on a new theme park

   Pleasureworld, an RKF Entertainment division, began developing a proposed sister park to Pleasurewood Hills.

   Source
8. 1977Cleethorpes Marineland and Zoo closes

   The former marine and zoo attraction occupying the site closed, leaving the land available for later redevelopment.

   Source

A regional British family theme park combining accessible children's and family attractions with thrill rides, themed zones, animal presentations and seasonal entertainment.

• Thrill rides and roller coastersAmusement rides1993

  Pleasure Island's high-intensity offer included the Boomerang Vekoma roller coaster, Alakazam, Hydromax, Hyper Blaster, Pendulus and Terror Rack. These attractions formed the park's white-knuckle proposition across the Africa, Morocco and White Knuckle Valley zones.

• Family and children's ridesAmusement rides1993

  The park operated rides aimed at families and younger children, particularly in Kiddies Kingdom and related children's areas. The broader offer included gentler rides, play facilities and attractions designed to complement the major thrill rides.

• Animal and live showsEntertainment1993

  Live entertainment included a sea-lion presentation, a bird show featuring parrots, barn owls and red-legged seriema, and themed stage productions. Other programming included the Masai Warriors Show, Basil Brush entertainment and the Rock-afire Explosion animatronic show.

• Farm and petting zooAnimal attraction2013

  Added in 2013, the farm and petting zoo extended the park's family offer beyond mechanical rides. A tractor ride was included, replacing an earlier electric monorail attraction.

• Food, retail and arcade facilitiesVisitor services1993

  Visitor services included a food court, family bar, cafés, snack kiosks, fish and chips, ice cream, an arcade and themed shops such as Tinkaboo Sweet Shop, the Gift Shop and Shrieksville Shop of Horrors.

• 2016End park operationsStrategy

  Pleasure Island operated through the end of the 2016 season but did not continue afterward.

  What changed. The attraction closed permanently at the end of the season.

  Aftermath. Rides and other contents were sold, with the final rides disposed of in 2018 while many buildings remained on the site.

  Source
• 2013Add a farm and petting zooProduct launch

  The park sought to broaden its family-oriented attraction mix beyond rides and shows.

  What changed. A farm and petting zoo were introduced, together with a tractor ride replacing the electric monorail.

  Aftermath. The additions became part of the park's family offering until its permanent closure.

  Source
• 2010Separate Pleasure Island from Flamingo LandStrategy

  Pleasure Island had operated as part of the wider Flamingo Land family leisure business, but negotiations were undertaken to create a separate operating and ownership structure.

  What changed. Melanie Wood took control on 14 April 2010, and DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd became the operating entity.

  Aftermath. The park reopened on 1 May 2010 under the new ownership, ending its association with Flamingo Land.

  Source

• 2018Remaining rides sold after closure

  The final rides were sold in October 2018 after the park's permanent closure; buildings remained on the site.

  Other
  Source
• 2016Pleasure Island closes permanently

  The theme park ceased operations permanently at the end of the 2016 season.

  Other
  Source
• 2013Farm and petting zoo added

  The park expanded its family attractions with a farm and petting zoo, including a tractor ride replacing the former electric monorail.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2010Pleasure Island becomes independent from Flamingo Land

  Management and ownership arrangements were separated from Flamingo Land, with Melanie Wood taking control and DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd becoming the operating company.

  M&ALeadership change
  Source
• 2010Park reopens under new ownership

  After reports caused confusion that the attraction had closed, Pleasure Island reopened under its new ownership on 1 May 2010.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 1993Pleasure Island opens to the public

  The redeveloped Cleethorpes site opened as Pleasure Island Family Theme Park on 27 May 1993 after construction was resumed by Robert Gibb.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Pleasure Island Family Theme Park
2. Pleasure Island official website