The largest theme park in Wales has closed with immediate effect, after nearly 40 years.
Aspro Parks, which owns Oakwood Theme Park in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, said it reached the “difficult decision” due to financial challenges and declining visitor numbers.
The firm said it has invested more than £25m since the park in southwest Wales was saved from closure in 2008.
Aspro Parks said the decision was based on “unrelenting economic challenges ahead, increases in costs, affecting all areas of the operation from ride parts to electricity costs, food and beverage inflation, increases in NLW [National Living Wage] and changes to national insurance thresholds”.
“Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward and will seek to improve our other parks using the assets and where possible team elsewhere,” it said in a statement.
Oakwood opened in the late 1980s and later built four large rides: Megafobia, Vertigo, Speed, along with Hydro – which was renamed as Drenched after a fatal accident in 2004.
A 16-year-old girl died after falling around 100ft (30m) from the top of the ride, and a 10-year-old boy was also injured.
The Hydro ride in 2004 closed after a 16-year-old girl fell to her death. File pic: PA
But a coroner ruled out unlawful killing in the inquest and gave a narrative verdict.
In 2008, the then owners were fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 costs when it was revealed that basic safety procedures were widely ignored by staff overseeing the ride.
The Spanish-owned company says it employs more than 2,000 people at 68 leisure parks and attractions in Spain, the UK, France, Finland, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria.
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The sites include aquariums in Cheshire, Portsmouth, Newquay, Fife, Bristol, and Tynemouth, as well as in Hastings, where the firm also owns ancient caves and a castle attraction in the town.
Aspro said: “In the entire history of Aspro we have never closed any park or attraction.
“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.”
It is not clear how many people are employed at the site in Pembrokeshire or how many jobs could be lost as a result of the closure.
