Pleasureland Southport
| Slogan | Where Memories are Made! |
|---|---|
| Location | Southport, Merseyside, England |
| Coordinates | 53°38′57″N 3°01′01″W / 53.64918°N 3.01707°WCoordinates: 53°38′57″N 3°01′01″W / 53.64918°N 3.01707°W |
| Owner | Funporium |
| Opened | 1913 |
| Previous names | Pleasureland |
| Operating season | February - November |
| Area | Southport, Merseyside, England |
| Rides | |
| Total | 27 total |
| Roller coasters | 4 rollercoasters |
| Water rides | 1 log flume |
| Website | http://southportpleasureland.com |
Southport Pleasureland is an amusement park located in Southport, Merseyside, England. The park originally operated from 1913 to 2006 under the ownership of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach company. In 2007, the park re-opened under the ownership of Norman Wallis.
The first Pleasureland had operated since 1913 as a sister amusement park to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. In 2005, the park introduced an entrance fee, which proved unpopular and resulted in a serious downturn in the number of visitors. On 5 September 2006 it closed, due to a claimed lack of return on investments.
A number of rides, including the Traumatizer, were moved to the company's site at Blackpool.
The park included several historical rides such as the Cyclone wooden rollercoaster; on 14 September 2006, pictures were released onto the Internet of people dismantling the Cyclone, much to the dismay of local residents, Pleasureland fans, and coaster enthusiasts. On 18 September 2006, two protesters climbed to the top of the Cyclone in an attempt to save it. The protest lasted for three hours, after which the protesters came down over police concerns regarding the distraction they posed causing to passing motorists. There was a petition co-ordinated by a group of coaster enthusiasts to try and save the ride, but this effort also failed. The Cyclone was demolished on 20 November 2006.
One of the park's unique features was its Funhouse with traditional funhouse attractions such as the Wheel and the Social Mixer. The Funhouse continued to operate independently for several months until its closure on 31 March 2007. Soon after, the funhouse was gutted and parts taken to Blackpool; speculation exists that these will form party of a future heritage fairground museum in Blackpool.
Not much is known about the fate of many of the classic rides at Pleasureland, although some have been bought and put into storage for a prospective Dreamland revival project in Margate.
On 31 May 2007, it was announced that Dreamstorm International were to invest £100 million at the Pleasureland site. Pleasureland was re-opened to the public on 21 July 2007 and renamed New Pleasureland. In June 2007, some of the original Pleasureland buildings were demolished, except for buildings around the perimeter. The site re-opened under new management as scheduled, with a temporary travelling fairground. Then, following a successful summer season, the park was kept open (weekends only) until November 2007, when some demolition of remaining unwanted buildings was carried out and refurbishment of other buildings completed. A Pinfari "Zyklon Loop" rollercoaster was constructed on the site where the Traumatizer once stood and was opened at the start of the 2008 season, named 'Storm'. The Traumatizer was moved to Blackpool Pleasure Beach and opened as the Infusion in 2007.
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