10 Coinslot June 14 - June 20 , 2013
Amusements
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Families squeezed by park prices
Entrance prizes to the UK ’ s leading theme parks including Alton Towers and Thorpe Park have soared over the last four years , with family passes costing £ 50 or more on average , according to charity 4Children . “ When combined with the escalating costs of attractions and transport , the family day out is increasingly under threat ,” said the organisation ’ s Anne Longfield .
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New ride for Drayton
A new children ’ s ride is set to open at Drayton Manor Theme Park on July 19 . Winston ’ s Whistle Stop Tour is a track ride based around Thomas the Tank Engine .
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Pleasurewood ride given 12A rating
A new theme park ride which claims to be the scariest in the UK is unsuitable for young children , the British Board of Film Classification ( BBFC ) has said . Hobs Pit at Pleasurewood Hills , Lowestoft , has been given a 12A advisory age rating by the film censor .
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Most expensive seaside town identified
The Halifax has named Salcome in Devon as the most expensive seaside town to buy property in England and Wales . None of the traditional seaside resorts associated with the amusements industry featured in its top ten .
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Southend operators victims of parking farce
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Operator Martin Richardson was appalled at last weekend ’ s scenes where over 1,000 mods who had travelled from London to Southend were turned away by over-zealous traffic wardens , starving the resort of some muchneeded revenue .
A n estimated 1,500 mods who travelled from London to Southend seafront were sent packing by traffic wardens last weekend , much to the chagrin of the town ’ s major operators Martin Richardson , Richard Crompton , Peter Kettley and John Remblance .
Richardson , who owns the Happidrome Arcade in Marine Parade , Southend , couldn ’ t believe his eyes when the scooterists , many of whom were in their fifties and sixties , were turned away en masse , despite parking in neat lines along the sea front .
Hundreds of mods of all ages had congregated along Marine Parade and Western Esplanade after arriving from Regents Park as part of their annual Great London Ride-Out .
Richardson believes that the council ’ s lack of ability to think outside the box goes above and beyond the denial of a peaceful
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA , BEFORE THE MODS WERE ASKED TO LEAVE
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA AFTER THE MODS WERE ASKED TO LEAVE
mod gathering . He told Coinslot : “ Despite £ 7.3 million being pumped into the town , there ’ s still a lack of car parking and coach drop-off bays . In years gone by , there would have been 50 or more coaches parked up . On the last Bank Holiday Monday we got two , such is the lack of foresight on the council ’ s part .”
He continued : “ If the mods had been given , say , three hours ’ grace , they could have stayed in Southend and boosted the local economy . They weren ’ t affecting anybody . Instead , they were told to leave by ‘ jobsworths ’ who killed the Great London Ride- Out stone dead . The mods simply upped and went to neighbouring Leigh-on-Sea where they were welcomed with open arms . If Southend Borough Council doesn ’ t start thinking clearly , we ’ re going to go the same way as Margate .”
Also sensitive to the needs of the OAP market , Richardson added : “ None of the money being pumped into the town has gone into bus shelters . How are OAPs supposed to visit the town and take a break from the sun when there is hardly any provision for coaches , and no shelters where they can sit down and have a rest ? There ’ s no pedestrian crossing either , simply because it doesn ’ t fit in with ‘ the outlook ’.”
Local press described the initial scene like “ a flashback to the sixties ” with vintage Lambrettas and Vespas everywhere . However , the celebratory ambience soon disappeared when traffic wardens threatened to issue the mods with parking fines .
Richardson , who has a strong working knowledge of mod culture , added : “ This is held every year , so I don ’ t understand how it could have happened . The seafront was buzzing , the scooters looked gleaming and it was like a scene from the sixties , until they got told to move on .”
He went on to say how the mods simply left in disgust , taking their disposable income with them . “ The council wants people to come to Southend and yet , when they do , this kind of thing happens . It ’ s driving away all our business .”
Speaking to local press , Labour councillor Anne Jones said : “ While we always want to encourage business on the seafront , enforcement officers still have a responsibility to ensure that people park legitimately . They work really , really hard to keep people safe . They ’ re not there to prevent people having fun . If they didn ’ t do something and someone got hurt , then that would be the headline news the next day .”
Sadly for Richardson and Southend ’ s other arcade owners , they were left with headaches rather than headlines .
Skegness receives double boost
RESORTS
Tourism leaders at East Lindsey District Council have spoken of their delight after Skegness Beach was named 12th best beach in the UK by the Sunday Times .
The article , published last week , described Skegness ’ Blue Flag award winning beach as ‘ magnificent ’, while also recognising that the SO Festival and Hames Chocolate Café were just two of the high quality attractions on offer in the town .
Portfolio holder for culture , leisure and tourism at the district council , Councillor Adam Grist , said : “ Coming 12th in The Sunday Times top 50 beaches is an exciting and important acknowledgment for Skegness and the wider district . We are blessed with a wonderful coastline and are proud to be flying Blue Flags again this year at Mablethorpe , Skegness and Sutton on Sea . Being featured in the top 50 beaches can only be good for tourism and confirms what we have known for a long time - that East Lincolnshire is a great place to visit .”
Meanwhile , Skegness ’ iconic Jolly Fisherman statue will continue to welcome holidaymakers arriving at the town ’ s train station after plans to replace it with an exact replica were met with support from the town council . The current statue has shown signs of wear and tear from the last 24 years , leaving it in need of significant repair .