quarter 1, 2016 - ABC Engineering AG

QUARTER 1, 2016
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
BALPPA’s busy year so far
Welcome to our new Members
BALPPA celebrates its 80th year in style!
Developments at West Midlands Safari Park
£200k re-vamp at Dudley Zoo
HAPPY 80TH ANNIVERSARY BALPPA!
This year BALPPA celebrates its 80th Anniversary. Established in 1936, the
organisation has been looking after the interests of the theme park, pier and
visitor attraction sector ever since.
There have been many changes over the years within the leisure industry and
BALPPA has been there every step of the way to assist, support and lobby on
behalf of its Members to help them develop their businesses.
Paul Kelly, BALPPA CEO said, “It’s a great achievement to reach this milestone
and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our Membership.
BALPPA continues to grow and work with our Membership and other agencies
to support and develop the industry.
“We have had a busy start to the year with our Annual General Meeting,
Annual Dinner, Visitor Attractions Expo at ExCel and Parliamentary Lunch. All
events were a great success and I would like to thank all of our Members who
were in attendance and those who supported VAE. This is our 80th year and
we have some exciting things planned – in particular our 80th Anniversary
Summer Conference which will be taking place in June at Europa Park.
Bookings are already strong and I hope that many more of you will be signing
up for the event!”
BALPPA KICKS OFF ITS 80TH YEAR IN STYLE
BALPPA kicked off 2016 in style with its
flagship black tie event – the Annual Dinner.
The 2016 event took place on Tuesday 12th January on
board Sunborn London – a sleek 108-metre yacht,
moored at Royal Victoria Dock, just outside London’s ExCel. This SOLD OUT event
was a great success, enjoyed by all those in attendance! We would also like to
take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors:
Thank you to everyone who attended the evening – we were delighted to
receive such positive feedback from many of you.
Our evening in pictures……………………
Bala
McAlinn,
Boo
receives Sponsor award
from Marshall Hill
Stefan Holtman, Vekoma We would like to thank our guest
receives Sponsor award of honour, John McReynolds,
IAAPA Chairman for attending the
from Marshall Hill
dinner
Table 1 enjoying the evening
EAG INTERNATIONAL AND VAE
DELIVER A SOLID PERFORMANCE
Organisers have confirmed that
visitor numbers held strong for EAG
International 2016 and the Visitor
Attraction Expo. The shows took
place side by side at London’s ExCel
from 12th – 14th January.
Speaking about the 2016 event, Organiser Karen Cooke revealed some interesting trends in the final figures; “We felt
certain from exhibitors’ comments that it had been a good show. In the final analysis, the total number of unique visits
was 5,236, almost identical to the previous event, whilst total attendance (including the visitors who attended on more
than one day) has in fact grown. Effectively this means that visitors are finding more value from the show and investing
time during their visit,” revealed Karen.
“We’re particularly pleased that, in spite of uncertainties in several European markets, the percentage of international
visitors to EAG and VAE has increased, at a time when our exhibitors are emphasising the importance of overseas
buyers,” continued Karen.
The results demonstrate a further strengthening of the shows’ position as an important fixture in the amusements and
attractions industry calendar, a view echoed by many of the shows’ exhibitors.
Several exhibitors, including Bridgend-based SB Machines had increased their stand space for 2016. SB’s Paulo Sidoli
was very happy, saying, “This is our largest stand ever. It has a great location and we’re delighted with the results. This
has been our best show for a long time and has provided the perfect opportunity to enforce relationships. It’s all about
quality and that’s what we have. We’ll go for a bigger stand next year. Italian manufacturers are seeing the importance
of the British market,” explained Paulo.
The positive mood was also echoed at the VAE. First time
exhibitor Rhian Gordon, Regional Director for Espresso Essential
was impressed: “The most eclectically successful show we’ve
ever done. We’ve had leads from across the board,” confirmed
Rhian.
Exhibitor Berg Toys premiered at the event whilst also helping to
raise funds for charity: “An excellent debut for us at VAE. We’ve
had fun raising funds from industry members for Help for Heroes.
One of our best shows ever,” informed Sales Manager Peter Shaw.
The high levels of satisfaction reported by exhibitors and participants will not, however, deter organisers from seeking
continuous improvement. Karen Cooke explains, “Both EAG and VAE exist for the benefit of their
respective industries and as such, will evolve to suit their stakeholders. We’ll now be working hard to ensure that
views are taken on board. In a constantly changing environment there will always be things that can be improved,”
assured Karen.
Paul Kelly, BALPPA CEO said, “We were very pleased with how the 2016 show went. Moving our Annual Dinner to the
first day of the show meant that more BALPPA Members visited VAE. We have had some great feedback and I would
personally like to thank all those who supported VAE 2016”.
For 2017, EAG International and the Visitor Attraction Expo will take place at ExCel London from 17th-19th January. For
more information please contact:
Visitor Attraction Expo is organised by SWAN EVENTS Ltd
10, Clare Lodge, 41 Hollybush Lane, Harpenden, Herts. AL5 4AY
www.swanevents.co.uk
T: +44 (0)1582 767254 M: +44(0)7545 970200 E: [email protected] W: www.attractionsexpo.co.uk
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016
BALPPA’s Annual General Meeting took place at the Visitor Attractions
Expo on Tuesday 12th January.
During the meeting, we updated Members on BALPPA’s activity during
2015, our financial position and Mike Blakeney from Interel also gave a
lobbying update.
A link to view the minutes from the AGM is below. Please note that the link will take you to the BALPPA website and
you must be logged in as a BALPPA Member to view the minutes:
http://www.balppa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/BALPPA-AGM-2016-Minutes.pdf
We also held a Management Committee Member vote. To view the results of the vote and to see the BALPPA
Management Committee for 2016, please click the link above.
We wish the 2016 BALPPA Management Committee a successful year and would like to thank all Members who put
themselves forward for a position on this year’s Management Committee.
Following the AGM, BALPPA Members enjoyed a lunch on the BALPPA stand on the VAE show floor.
HELP FOR HEROES CHARITY EVENT AT VAE
At the 2016 Visitor Attractions Expo at London’s ExCel,
BALPPA in conjunction with new Member BERG Toys ran a
charity pedal event to raise funds for the BALPPA
Chairman’s chosen charity, Help for Heroes.
Teams of 4 people competed to undertake 2 laps on BERG pedal go-karts around the BERG inflatable pedal go-kart
track. The pedal was timed and there was a great prize for the winning team. We were delighted that so many people
were keen to take part.
The Chairman’s Team, led by BALPPA Chairman Marshall Hill took 1st place.
Along with team mates; Terry Monkton, Patrick Lamb and Jeroen Nijpels
they scored a winning time of 1:46:16. In 2nd place with a winning time of
1:47:19 was the Noisy Boys Team, consisting of Chris Field, Darren Jackson,
Lisa Wheatley and Aidan Dunphy.
Teams from Katapult, S&S Worldwide, BALPPA and many others also took
part and we have decided not to reveal everyone’s times with a view to not
embarrassing the team that came last!
Above: The official winning team
photo
We are also delighted to announce that across the 3 days of the Visitor Attractions Expo and at the BALPPA Annual
Dinner we raised more than £1,400 for Help for Heroes! Thank you to everyone who supported this event and donated
to the charity.
INNOVATIVE LEISURE ENJOYS MORE
SUCCESS AT LONDON’S VAE TRADE SHOW
Offering what was again the largest stand at this year’s VAE in
London in January, Innovative Leisure enjoyed a very busy show and
provided visitors with four different attractions to view.
Among these was the brand new Klime Wallz, being introduced to the European market for the first time. The brightly
coloured Klime Wallz are available in a variety of heights and styles, are an excellent introduction to climbing for
younger children and are available in both static and mobile models.
Also on display was a fully operational mobile DigiWall, the
interactive climbing wall which offers a variety of computer
based climbing games and challenges. This attraction is now
available to rent so that potential purchasers can try it out
before committing to buying their own.
Joining the Klime Wallz and DigiWall was one of the popular
Innovative Leisure climbing walls, the model on display
featuring coloured hand and foot holds with multi-coloured
LED lighting, as well as an example of the company’s Sky Tykes
Junior Ropes Course.
Specially designed for children under 1.2m in height, Sky Tykes
is suitable for both indoor and outdoor installation and can be
designed to fit into almost any space. It has proved to be a
successful addition to many different venues, including play
centres, farm parks, theme parks, FECs and more.
Above: The Innovative Leisure team at VAE
included
(from left) Richard Morris, Rod
Leishman (Spectrum Sports), Phil Pickersgill,
Emma Booth and Simon Cockerill.
STRONG GROWTH FOR NEW MEMBER, SYX
AUTOMATIONS
Since the beginning of 2015, the sales team of Syx
Automations convinced more than 35 new ReCreateX
customers to buy our solution. This now brings us to over 500 additional new ReCreateX users.
We are proud of our customers using ReCreateX and we are pleased to welcome some new clients, these include:
Dreamland, The View from the Shard, Horniman Museum & Gardens, Train World, Paul Delvaux Museum,
Stripmuseum, Antwerp City Brewery, Memorial Museum Passchendaele, Wintertuin Ursulinen, Anne Frank House,
Philips Museum, museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Brouwerij Timmermans, municipalities of Duffel, Lint and Putte, 's
Hertogenbosch. We also welcomed some Zoos to our customer base, they have chosen the full ReCreateX solution and
these include: Pairi Daiza, Dolfinarium and Boudewijn Seapark. The brand-new subtropical swimming paradise S&R
Olympia in Bruges has also chosen Syx.
Edwin Hemkes, Sales Director of Syx Automations says: “With a team of 140 people we are optimising our software
application ReCreateX on a daily basis, and always attach great importance to our customers’ input. In addition to our
valuable municipal sports and recreation market, more and more international museums and day attractions have also
taken an interest in our products and services in the last few years. ReCreateX allows these market sectors to serve
their customers better when it comes to ticket sales and bookings. By means of continuous innovation our company
focuses increasingly on visitor experience by developing apps, self-service kiosks and online functionality. In the future,
ReCreateX will evolve further to more than just a ticketing and booking system. ReCreateX will become the tool that
facilitates the total ‘visitor journey’, from the pre-visit through marketing tools and online shopping to the post-visit
allowing to improve customer retention by means of business intelligence and CRM tools.”
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS!
We have had several new business join the BALPPA
Membership in the last year and we would like to extend
a warm welcome to them all.
Bearing Traders Ltd
Benjo Bags
Bensons Fruit Juice Ltd
BERG
Best Constructors Ltd
Brean Play at Brean Leisure Park
Camel Creek
Crazy Tykes Ltd
Fabbri Group
Figment Productions Ltd
Gerstlauer Amusement Rides Gmbh
HJM Funstation Ltd
Hulabaloos
Jump Nation Ltd
Katapult Ltd
Lockyer Insurance
Ollie’s Fun Shack Ltd
PIB Ltd
PL Composite, DBA Concept 1900
Safari MK Soft Play and Party Venue
Scruffy Dog Ltd
SM Systems UK
Syx Automations
Urban Legacies Limited
MEMBER ONLY AREAS – BALPPA WEBSITE
All Members are reminded that some areas of the
BALPPA website are exclusively available to BALPPA
Members only and therefore you must be logged in to
the website as a Member in order to view them.
We update our website regularly with news and events as well as other important
information and therefore encourage all Members to apply for access. To obtain a
website password, please click on the link below:
http://www.balppa.org/members/obtain-balppa-password/
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNTIES
Advertising opportunities are now available on the BALPPA website, exclusively to
BALPPA Members.
We can offer a space for an advert which appears at the bottom of every page of our
website. We can also offer a “click through” link to direct visitors to your own website or
URL of your choice. With over 1,000 visitors per month, this is a great opportunity!
For more information, please contact [email protected]
MOVE OVER T-REX… SPINOSAURUS HAS
ARRIVED!
A ginormous spinosaurus dinosaur has set foot at
West Midland Safari Park, bringing the total
number of life size, moving and breathing dinosaurs
in the exhibit to 40.
Reaching a huge length of almost 50 feet, the new addition to the “Land of the Living Dinosaurs” is one of the
largest and longest dinosaurs in the exhibit, staying true to scientists’ belief that spinosaurus was the largest
predatory dinosaur to ever roam the Earth.
Complete with long claws, a ferocious crocodile-like head and large pointy teeth, the new arrival is a
commanding presence.
Head Dinosaur Keeper, Emily Brooks said, “Spinosaurus is an incredible addition to the Land of the Living
Dinosaurs. It was ginormous, bigger than t-rex by a good margin, but it would rarely have been seen on land.
It is one of the first dinosaurs palaeontologists have come across that is perfectly adapted for an aquatic life.”
She continued, “The most striking feature of this dinosaur was its
enormous sail, which was brightly coloured and as tall as a person. This
would have been used to communicate to other animals that it was the
‘top dog’ in its area.”
Although both spinosaurus and t-rex ruled the earth during the
Cretaceous period, they would never have had a ‘Jurassic Park’-esque
battle over food or territory, as they lived on completely different
continents and were alive millions of years apart.
Spinosaurus’s closest predatory contender would have been a 25 foot long sawfish! For further information,
visit the Park’s website: www.wmsp.co.uk
GATEWAY TICKETING SYSTEMS UK HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO PARTNER WITH
DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK.
Recently implementing the Galaxy® Product Suite at its venue, Drayton
Manor Theme Park can now sell tickets, season passes and other products
at the front gate, over the
phone and online with integration into its existing CRM solution. This will play an integral role in growing the
attraction’s business and building stronger relationships with guests in the future.
“Gateway has a proven track record with some of the biggest theme parks and resorts in the world so the decision to
appoint them as our ticketing supplier was an easy one. I have no doubt that visitors will really benefit from this,” said
William Bryan, MD at Drayton Manor Theme Park.
The Galaxy® Product Suite will allow Drayton Manor to focus on
increasing advanced sales and ensuring data collection is maximized at
every touchpoint.
Drayton Manor Theme Park is home to many rides and attractions
including Europe’s only Thomas Land™ as well as a 15-acre zoo,
campsite, the Drayton Manor Hotel and conference facilities. The
Galaxy® Product Suite with CRM integration will allow Drayton Manor
to improve customer experience and build stronger relationships with
its guests.
BALPPA’S PARLIAMENTARY LUNCH 2016
On Monday 14th March, Members of BALPPA along with MPs and
Lords met for the key event in BALPPA’s lobbying calendar – the
Parliamentary Lunch.
This event was generously sponsored by:
th
As is usual, March heralds BALPPA’s Parliamentary Lunch for 2016. This year though, was a special 80
anniversary celebration, and we had a number of senior politicians in attendance.
The Principle Speaker was the Shadow Tourism and Gambling Minister Clive Efford MP, who spoke
about the importance of the tourism industry and committed himself to holding the Government to
account over the triennial review of gaming machine stakes and prizes. He was introduced by a
member of the Government, the former Tourism Minister and now Cabinet Office Minister John
Penrose MP, who spoke about his long commitment and genuine love of the sector. Also in
attendance from the Government was the Schools Minister Nick Gibb MP.
Alongside them at the lunch were
three members of the Culture,
Media
and
Sport
Select
Committee: Damian Collins MP,
Nigel Huddleston MP and Chris
Matheson MP, as well as both CoChairs of the Tourism All Party
Group, Lord Lee and Mark
Pritchard MP.
Principal speaker, Clive Efford MP
John Penrose MP addresses our guests
As always, the event is a great opportunity for operators who work on the ground to get the chance to
speak to politicians who have a great deal of influence over the industry. BALPPA Chairman, Marshall
Hill, introduced the lunch by telling MPs and Lords present about the importance of maintaining the
six-week summer holiday. He also spoke of the significance of the triennial review to many parts of
the sector, and the added importance it holds given extra burdens being placed on the industry in the
form of the Apprenticeships Levy and the National Living Wage. Marshall also talked about the extra
financial stress borne by piers, who bear the weight of not only this, but the maintenance and
insurance required for unique heritage structures too.
Overall it was an excellent day, and BALPPA’s lobbying will
continue. As always we will maintain our contact with the Lords
and MPs who were present in order to advance the interests of
BALPPA members. We would also like to take this opportunity to
thank Simworx for their generous sponsorship of the event.
Right: Terry Monkton of Simworx receives Sponsor award from
Marshall Hill.
SEARCH FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THE LAST EVER RIDE ON WICKSTEED PARK
PIRATE SHIPS
Thrill-seekers are being given the chance to win a place for the last ever
ride on the Wicksteed Park pirate ships after the attraction was given a
12-month reprieve from closure.
The search for 32 lucky people to climb aboard for the final time
later this year was launched to mark the opening of the park’s
rides and attractions for 2016 on Friday March 25.
It was announced last year that the ride, which has been operating
since 1982, would have to close due its age and high maintenance
bills.
Wicksteed Park Managing Director Alasdair McNee said: “Sadly,
we are having to say goodbye to the pirate ships but we want to give them a memorable send off and so we
have given them one final year.”
SIMWORX ½ PAGE AD
The park is hoping to replace
the pirate ships with a Wave
Swing that accommodates up to
40 people at a time.
For 2016 the park has enhanced
the RUSH activity tower to
include an Air Bag Jump. Also
new this year will be a Sky Walk,
a 90-metre enclosed treetop
walkway of activities and
obstacles. There will also be a
circular maze, a new garden by
the aviary and an underground
tunnel experience.
YOUR
INVITATION
80th ANNIVERSARY SUMMER
CONFERENCE 7th - 9th JUNE 2016
BALPPA is celebrating its 80th anniversary and we are making this year's Summer Conference the
best ever! Come and join us at Europa Park in June for a the thrill of your life!
We would like to invite all BALPPA Members to help us celebrate this milestone year.
With thanks to our generous sponsors:
Pricing
The 2016 BALPPA Summer Conference is a fully inclusive package which covers 2 nights’ accommodation, entrance into Europa
Park, an escorted trip to the Mack Factory, including travel and food and beverage as specified within the conference itinerary.
The conference is priced at £495 per person based on single occupancy room or £435 per person based on double occupancy
room. Please note that the price does not include flights or airport transfers. As this package falls under the TOMS scheme, there
is no VAT chargeable.
Golf Day
Priced at £145.00 per person and includes overnight accommodation on Monday 6th June, transport to the course and back to
the hotel and 18 holes of golf on Tuesday 7th June. Golf club hire is not included in the package but is available for an additional
charge and hire fees must be paid directly to the club.
To book your place at this great event please click the link:
http://www.balppa.org/events/conferences-regional-meetings/80th-anniversary-summer-conference/
Please note that booking for this event closes on Friday 15th April 2016. Sponsorship opportunities are also available exclusively
for BALPPA’s Trade Associate Members. We look forward to seeing you at Europa Park! If you have any queries please do contact
us at [email protected] / 0207 403 4455 / 07442 493091.
LIVINGSTONE LODGE WINS AGAIN:
PORT LYMPNE’S OVERNIGHT SAFARI EXPERIENCE
WINS GOLD AT NATIONAL TOURISM OSCARS
Livingstone Lodge, the UK’s original and authentic overnight safari experience at
Port Lympne Reserve has scooped a coveted gold award for Tourism Experience
of the Year 2016, in the prestigious national tourism awards, run by
VisitEngland.
Bob O’Connor Managing Director said: “We are absolutely delighted to win a gold award for Livingstone Lodge again. It’s
wonderful to be recognised as the UK’s Best Tourism Experience and it’s an absolute credit to all the teams here who
work so hard to make Livingstone Lodge an exceptional product.”
Livingstone Lodge is the only authentic overnight safari
experience in the UK offering guests a magical night under the
stars, fine dining and safari’s at dusk and the following
morning. Livingstone Lodge at Port Lympne Reserve, has been
awarded many accolades since its launch in 2007, including
numerous gold and silver awards in both national and regional
awards.
Bob added: “Livingstone Lodge is so popular with guests because of its authenticity - it’s a window to Africa, a
wonderful experience which underlines the importance of conservation. As our guests sit on their balconies, watching
the sunset over the watering hole with giraffe, black rhino, zebra and wildebeest wandering past the lodge – they can
imagine they are in the heart of the African savannah.”
The accolade was presented at a glittering awards ceremony, held on 8th March 2016 at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool
and represents the highest award for excellence in English tourism that VisitEngland can give.
Sally Balcombe, CEO of VisitBritain and VisitEngland said “We received hundreds of applications of an exceptionally high
quality making the competition for a Gold Award extremely tough. It is therefore a tremendous achievement for
Livingstone Lodge at Port Lympne Reserve to win a Gold Award, the highest accolade for Excellence in Tourism which
VisitEngland can bestow. They have raised the bar for excellence for others to aspire to and I warmly congratulate
them on their exemplary contribution to tourism in this country.”
KATAPULT NAMED AS TOP 50 CREATIVE COMPANY
Katapult has been named as one of the country’s most creative
companies, becoming the only marketing agency to make the list. This
incredible accolade came from an index compiled by Creative England, an
organisation instrumental in investing in England’s future by nurturing and
developing our country’s creative and digital leaders.
The Creative England 50 highlights individuals and businesses from the creative industries who are “inventive,
innovative and brave” with an ability to turn creative ideas into commercial success.
On the judging panel were leading industry figures including Karen Blackett,
Chairwoman of MediaCom UK, Steve Hatch, Facebook's Regional Director for the UK &
Ireland, and Rebecca Burn-Callander, Enterprise Editor at The Telegraph.
We're delighted to have received this recognition. Katapult have been actively involved
in supporting and promoting the creative industries since the business started in 2001,
so it means a lot to us that leading industry figures see the impact we’re making.
One of the key factors to our success has been evolving our proposition around results-driven creativity: Marketing
technology has changed everything in recent years, and we’ve embraced it; Creative combined with technology is
informing and shaping customer experience across a breadth of sectors. http://blog.katapult.co.uk/katapult-namedas-a-top-50-creative-company
LOST KINGDOM OPENS AT PAULTONS PARK
With the opening of Lost Kingdom just two months
away, the new dinosaur theme park world is
nearing full completion and has taken on a
phenomenal transformation.
Operational rides now include suspended family coaster Flight of the Pterosaur, boomerang coaster Velociraptor and
safari jeep ride the Dinosaur Tour Co. among others.
A range of attractions for young adventurers are also
nearing completion including our mini-coaster Dino Chase,
demolition derby ride Boulderdash and the Little Explorers’
Play Park complete with climbing frames, slides and
interactive footprints.
Theming and landscaping has developed in all areas of Lost
Kingdom and we have of course welcomed a collection of
tame(ish) dinosaurs onto the site including a large
Argentinosaurus, fierce Raptors and the almighty
Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Our two new catering kiosks The Nest and Base Camp are both complete and our new shop Outpost 12 is
undergoing installation and will be filled with an array of enjoyable dino-themed souvenirs!
We couldn’t be happier with the outcome of many months of hard work and look forward to sharing Lost
Kingdom with visitors from 17th May 2016.
For further information, visit lost-kingdom.co.uk
NEWS FROM ABC
ABC Engineering AG is based in Wollerau/SZ Switzerland
with representing offices in Germany, North America,
China and Russia.
Staying in business since 1997 we have a track record of
different successfully operating water and other park rides and
the design of special ride elements, some of which are unique
and can be offered by ABC only.
In 2017 ABC will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Reasonably
enough to be proud of the success of an innovative company
with forward-thinking employees. Highly qualified engineers
and staff have partly over 30 years of experience in the
amusement business and use their know-how to manufacture
off-the-shelf and custom designed rides.
Above: ABC Ride’s Tourbillon Ride
ABC has just introduced the Tourbillon Ride to the amusement ride market. First ride with Public Opening was
in Hong Kong December 23, 2015
Contact:
ABC Engineering AG, Verenastrasse 37, CH – 8832 Wollerau
Urs Zimmermann, Vice President: [email protected]
ALTON TOWERS RESORT TO LAUNCH WORLD’S FIRST
ROLLERCOASTER FULLY DEDICATED TO VIRTUAL
REALITY
In a ground breaking move set to revolutionise the
world of theme parks, Alton Towers Resort has
announced it is launching a rollercoaster entirely dedicated to virtual reality.
Opening in March 2016, Galactica is the world’s first rollercoaster entirely
customised for the full virtual reality experience, transforming riders into
astronauts.
The exhilarating new ride experience uniquely combines the physical exertion
and adrenaline rush of the Resort’s iconic flying rollercoaster, with the
breathtaking emotive experience of travelling through space using cutting edge
technology that has been perfectly synchronised to the thrilling twists, turns
and loops of the rollercoaster.
Each rider wears a specialist VR headset through which an on-board artificial
intelligence guides them from the launch pad up into space, flying and looping
beyond the stars, banking through wormholes and speeding across undiscovered galaxies, revealing the
wonders of the cosmos in stunning clarity.
Speaking of the new attraction, Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Alton Towers Resort said: “There is nowhere
else in the world that people can experience the feeling of a flying rollercoaster combined with soaring
through the universe. For two minutes, our guests will be transported into space and we believe Galactica
showcases the future for theme parks around the world – it’s a complete game changer!”
SM SYSTEMS ARE ON BOARD AND ROLLING
After a very successful EAG16, SM Systems
have decided to become part of the BALPPA
family.
If you don’t remember, we are the guys with the interactive playground for children called BEAM. It is the
unique and innovative way of transforming a flat surface to a magical moving platform that inspires kids of all
ages... now let’s be honest if I recall some of you guys were playing with it too.
What’s New with us? Additional offices in
London, coupled with a brand new
website, (currently at it is final stages).
We are also excited to announce, new fun
and innovative tech to be released in the
very near future.
If you have the desire or need to create the wow factor in your
centre, then please feel free to get in touch regarding “BEAM – The
playground of the future”
So watch this space!!!
CLARENCE PIER CASTS FRESH EYE OVER CITY
Landmark attraction Clarence Pier, Southsea
has today confirmed the arrival of a 32-meter
high GIANT Ferris wheel to be in operation
for Easter.
The £750,000 attraction, dubbed “The Solent wheel” has been manufactured in Italy by world class ride and attractions
company TECHNICAL PARK.
Jill Norman Director said, “The Solent Wheel represents a significant investment in Clarence Pier and we are very
pleased to be able to be able to make this long awaited announcement today.
We have not had a Ferris Wheel at the pier since 1990s and it is something visitors want to
see back. Passengers will be able to take in the breath taking views of Portsmouth
harbour and Southsea and beyond, whilst enjoying a pleasant and gentle ride”.
The attraction features 24 ‘gondolas’, each seating 6 passengers with one especially
designed accessible gondola and a VIP gondola , as well as a classically styled, state of the
art lighting system. The ‘Solent Wheel ’is expected to be open year round (with limited
opening out of season) and will be available for group bookings, special VIP events and
private parties alongside general admissions.
For more information contact Clarence Pier via [email protected] or contact 02392
821455.
GREEN PLAY CAFE
HPW have designed a number of successful indoor play and cafe facilities
including Peppa Pig World. Using their knowledge in the leisure sector and
working with play equipment experts, Russell Play, HPW created an innovative,
low energy facility with low running costs and highly efficient operation
minimising staffing costs.
HPW’s Part 1 Architectural Assistant, Connor Nicoll, completed
much of the design work along with the design team at Russell
Play.
The concept is adaptable to indoor / outdoor play and
designed to sustainable best practices to achieve low energy
consumption and a healthy building.
1. Wildflower roof provides thermal insulation / increases biodiversity.
2. Overhanging roof prevents unwanted solar gain.
3. Sustainable, glue laminated timber structural frame.
4. Off-site flat packed construction reduces assembly time / emissions on-site.
5. Sustainable Urban Drainage System collects water from wildflower roof and surrounding hard standing providing
grey water for toilets / roof irrigation.
6. Integrated photovoltaic / PVT panels offset annual electricity and heating.
7. Super-insulated building envelope with FSC sourced soft timber cladding.
8. Low energy taps/fittings & waterless urinals cut water consumption.
9. Recycled materials used in construction wherever possible.
10. Natural / passive ventilation and natural illumination throughout.
11. Skylights allow more efficient diffused daylight and reduce need for daytime lighting.
PETER RABBIT™ ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
OPENING AT WILLOWS ACTIVITY FARM
Stars of the animated CBeebies series ‘Peter
Rabbit’ will be officially welcomed to Willows
on Saturday 2 April 2016, with the opening of
the new Peter Rabbit Adventure Playground.
Chief Executive of Willows, Andrew Wolfe said: “We’re incredibly excited-it's the first of its kind and we’re
keen to make use of our natural landscape and have incorporated a 100 year old ash tree as the Peter Rabbit
Secret Treehouse”
Visitors can enjoy areas such as the Lily Bobtail Nature Discovery, Mrs Tiggy-winkle Kitchen and Mr. Bouncer
Great Invention, which includes state-of-the-art sensory gaming play.
The playground is opening in the year of the 150th anniversary since the
birth of Beatrix Potter, author of the Peter Rabbit children’s books,
published by Penguin Random House.
The playground is being built in partnership with Silvergate Media, the coproducers and global licensing agent of the CGI animated TV series ‘Peter
Rabbit’, and Lappset Creative, a leading manufacturer of themed activity
attractions.
PETER RABBIT™ © Frederick Warne & Co. Limited and Silvergate PPL Limited 2016. Based on the works of Beatrix Potter. PETER RABBIT
and BEATRIX POTTER are trademarks of Frederick Warne & Co., a Penguin Company. All rights reserved
AIRLINE-STYLE PRICING MAY HELP VISITOR
ATTRACTIONS TO INCREASE REVENUE
As more visitor attractions move to advanced online
ticket sales, dynamic pricing could be the key to
boosting revenues without losing visitor numbers.
While most visitor attractions have seasonal pricing, economists suggest they are missing out on an
opportunity to drive advanced ticket sales or to stir up business during slow periods.
Simon Kniveton, director at ticketing software
specialists Vennersys, said: “By adopting a
dynamic pricing model, attractions can drive
business during slow periods and boost revenue
during busy periods.”
The idea is to provide a tool to shift price-conscious customers to less-busy days. This
should help to boost ticket revenues, and spreading visitor numbers better may help
to improve the customer experience.
Kniveton, added: “As consumers realise that last minute deals don’t pay off anymore,
there are even more potential benefits to attractions.
“Our customers have found that when tickets have been purchased in advance, people tend to forget about
the money spent and are then more inclined to spend more money on the day of visit, leading to increased
levels of secondary spend, or even trading up to an annual pass.”
Visit www.vennersys.co.uk to find the right ticketing software for your visitor attraction.
BREAN CELEBRATES 70TH ANNIVERSARY
Here at Holiday Resort Unity and Brean Leisure Park we are celebrating 70
Years as a family owned and operated business. For 70 years we have
brought great memories and value to our guests!
As well as investing in the maintenance of our existing facilities and services, we have grown our business into
providing new and exciting facilities for our guests to enjoy over the years, and members of the public,
becoming a fantastic offering to our wider community, as well as our residents on Resort.
We have bought 30 new hire fleet caravans this winter alone, in an constant effort to upgrade our offer and
provide quality, modern, comfortable accommodation to our guests. The turnover of Caravan stock on offer
to our guests to buy, also improves and increases consistently with upgrade offers available, and a loyalty
card scheme for residents to benefit from on Resort. We hold many owners events throughout the season,
which brings our residential guests together, and have a bespoke owners accounts manager to see to their
enquiries, and help where necessary.
In 2014 we invested 2.1 million to create a new indoor swimming pool and soft play area, to provide more
facilities for our customers to enjoy whatever the weather. We won awards for this leisure facility last year in
Gold and Silver categories. This new addition has complemented our existing range of facilities which include
a theme park, 18 hole golf course, ten pin bowling, four entertainment venues, and a wide choice of food and
drink outlets to include Wimpy, Southern Fried Chicken, Subway, Starbucks coffee, traditional pub food,
Marshfield Ice cream parlour and, Costcutters Supermarket.
We have recently refurbished our touring blocks, and are in the process of building a new gym on resort
above our recently built Brean Splash Waterpark and Brean play building. We are also concentrating on the
refurbishment of our entertainment venues with stage one to be accomplished this March. We are in the
process of re-developing the land we have adjoining the golf course, to offer caravans and lodges in a
peaceful environment, and to build a new golf club house, offering function rooms, bars, a golf pro shop and
modern changing facilities.
ACTIVITY WORLD CLEANS UP
Activity World is primarily an indoor play area operator but
it also provides a range of equipment and services to the
leisure industry.
It has recently launched a new product which was originally aimed at the play industry but
has turned out to have far greater market. PVClean has been specifically designed to clean
and restore any PVC fabric, so it is suitable for a huge range of uses beyond just play
equipment, including furniture, banners and tarpaulins.
What makes it stand out from any other PVC cleaner is that is does not contain caustic soda,
so it does not need to be washed off. This was a particular issue with using ordinary cleaners
in indoor play areas so now this can be simply sprayed on and wiped it. As it was a new
venture it was decided to test the market, so initially it was decided to only offer it as an
online product which has kept up front costs to a minimum.
All ordering and shipping is automated so there is very little labour involvement. The website can be viewed by going to
www.pvc-vinyl-cleaner.co.uk
SAN REMO – VENICE CYCLE RIDE
On the 9th April a group of cyclists from Lorica
Insurance Brokers are undertaking a charity bike ride
in aid of the Children’s hospital in Sheffield. The plan
is to cycle 450 miles from San Remo to Venice over
the course of 6 days (it does include a rest day!).
In brief, a couple of years ago the daughter of one of our clients was suffering from a
life threatening heart condition that required life-saving treatment. Thanks to the hard
work and dedication of the staff at Sheffield Children’s hospital the little girl is now a
bubbly 3 year old, on her way to recovery and with her condition under control.
Sheffield Children’s hospital is undergoing a 10 million pound extension to provide
new facilities and equipment to help children from across the UK with similar
conditions and our aim is to raise £10,000 which will pay for a new fully equipped
private bedroom within the extension (there are 40 bedrooms being built).
More information about the charity can be found at www.tchc.org.uk The Children's
Hospital Charity, registered charity number 505002.
Above: Team Lorica - Stefan
Puttnam and Carlo Marelli
We have already had some generous offers of support from many of our
friends including the loan of a large van to transport our equipment to the
start point and provide back up support in the event of any mishap. I believe
someone also donated some large tubs of Vaseline!
Any donations would be gratefully received and anyone wishing to sponsor us can forward a cheque made
payable to The Children’s Hospital Charity to me at the address below or via your office. To donate via
Justgiving please click here: https://www.justgiving.com/Carlo-Marelli1/
DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK SWINGS TO NEW HEIGHTS
WITH ITS BRAND NEW TAMARIN TRAIL
This spring, visitors can expect even more monkey business
from Drayton Manor Theme Park’s onsite 15-acre zoo, with
the addition of the brand new Tamarin Trail.
The Tamarin Trail will take adventurers through beautiful planted gardens,
allowing children and adults alike to come face to face with a troop of
mischievous monkeys. During the trail adventure, guests will be able to get
up close and personal with the cute and inquisitive Tamarins and
Marmosets, including the White Lipped Tamarin, Red Handed Tamarin,
Emperor Tamarin, Cotton Top Tamarin and the Common Marmoset, housed
across eight different enclosures. This exciting new attraction is set to open
during Easter and will land just in time for the school holidays.
William Bryan, Managing Director of Drayton Manor Theme Park, said: “We’re really looking forward to the
opening of our brand new attraction. It promises to provide visitors with a unique and interactive experience
and gives people the chance to meet these cute animals in close proximity.
“We’re continuously developing the park, maintaining our status as one of the UK’s leading tourism
destinations and number one attraction for children*. We’re excited for visitors to join in the fun of the
Tamarin Trail and we hope to continue to provide visitors with a day out to remember.”
PETER & ROCKY A TRULY SPECIAL
FRIENDSHIP!
“Rocky” our Amur Tiger has been an
integral personality at Paradise Wildlife
Park.
He celebrated his 18th birthday recently and is very special to the family
run wildlife park, having been hand reared by park owner Peter Sampson &
Rachel. Rocky arrived when he was just 10 days old and was so small he
could fit in the palm of Peters hand and weighed less than 1kilogram.
(Rocky now weighs 190 kilograms).
During the younger years of his life, Rocky stayed at home with Peter and also members of the parks keeper
team in the evenings, building incredible bonds with them. He was regularly walked and used for photo
experiences with public due to being so friendly.
Even though no one has been in with Rocky since he reached full size, he is still
an incredibly friendly big cat, that public love to see and also hand feed as part
of Paradise’s ‘Feed A Big Cat’ experience. His popularity is unparalleled and his
personality for being the big friendly tiger, mainly thanks to his bond with Peter
throughout his life has helped to raise funds to help Tigers in the wild, around
the world with Paradise being the first zoo in Europe to receive a double
platinum award for funds raised for 21st Century Tiger.
He’s a truly special cat that is loved and adored by all that see him, especially
by his old friend Peter!
VECTOR VR MAKING WORLD FIRST APPEARANCE ON ALTON TOWERS’
GALACTICA IN APRIL.
Vector VR is the world’s first fully realised VR motion-synchronisation
system that delivers on real-world operational requirements. It was
developed by Figment Productions Ltd and recently customised in partnership with Alton
Towers for Galactica, the world’s first rollercoaster fully dedicated to VR, opening April 2016.
Vector VR provides practical, bespoke solutions to long standing challenges around the public mass use of
HMDs, taking steps to ensure safety, address hygiene concerns, maintain throughput, and deliver an
amazing guest experience.
The Figment team partnered with some world-class companies to produce
custom hardware engineering and fabric-based solutions as well as bespoke
charging units and electronic components.
Whilst primarily, its uses are in theme parks and other visitor attractions, Vector
isn’t limited to coasters. It can be used on any vehicle that follows a fixed path Rollercoasters, AGVs, Simulators, Pirate Ships, Drop Towers, Entertainment
Robots. The control system architecture enables hosts to operate individual and
group controls such as sending custom messages to each headset, adjust volume,
subtitles and audio description as well diagnostic and monitoring functions. This
level of operational control along with synchronised playback means that Vector
VR is also the system of choice for VR theatres.
For more information please visit www.figmentproductions.co.uk
GREENWOOD FOREST PARK MAKES A
SPLASH WITH UK’S FIRST SOLAR RIDE
The UK’s only eco adventure park,
GreenWood Forest Park, has declared its
new fully solar powered action ride,
‘SolarSplash’, officially open.
Known to be the first solar powered ride in the UK, it boasts a huge water slide
with two wave chutes, each approximately 60 metres long, alongside a spiral
tube chute at 91 metres long. The ride starts at the top of a 12 metre high tower,
reached following a climb of some 64 steps with far reaching views across
Snowdonia, and finishes 80 metres away at ground level.
Visitors will shoot down the super-fast slides in bespoke dinghies made for two
people at speeds of up to 25 miles an hour. With 25 dinghies in use, the ride can
take up to 400 thrill seekers per hour with an age limit starting at three years or
950mm tall. Safe in the enclave of the dinghy, riders will not get wet but will
simply skim the waters on the rapid descent.
High levels of electricity are needed to power the huge water pumps, enabling the water to reach the top of the
chutes. This power is generated on site via a 150kw solar array installed at the Park last summer, enabling SolarSplash
to be a fully solar powered ride. The solar array will not only provide carbon free power for the new ride but should
meet around 80% of the needs of the Park for the entire year.
Stephen Bristow, Managing Director of GreenWood Forest Park said: “It has taken 18 months from first concept to the
commissioning of the ride, but the result is a brilliant new water ride that is powered by the sun, provides lots of fun
and excitement, and, very importantly given our North Wales climate, does not make you wet. It’s a fantastic addition
to the host of rides and adventure activities that we already have here including the GreenDragon Roller coaster,
another world first as the only ride of its kind powered by human energy. We are committed to developing the Park in a
sustainable way that not only provides huge entertainment and fun for children of all ages but that actively promotes
and encourages sustainability on many levels.”
Funding was secured via a combination of private investment, bank funding through Lloyds with further support from a
Visit Wales grant. Construction work started on SolarSplash in September 2015 and is now open to the public. At a cost
of almost £1million, the ride was commissioned by independent experts after a German team spent several weeks at
the site installing SolarSplash, following completion of groundworks by local contractor, Alwyn Jones.
NEWS FROM IMAGE INSIGHT
Image Insight, owned by System Insight (est. 1991) are
specialists in Instant Souvenir and Event Photography, providing
state-of-the-art photo solutions at some of the best sports
stadiums and visitor attractions in the world.
In 2015, we worked with UEFA for the first time, providing the trophy
photo experience for fans at the Champions League Festival in Berlin.
Drawing on our extensive experience, we photographed
approximately 20,000 people in 2½ days! That’s one photo every 15
seconds!
Using our proven VEGA photo solutions, guests were able to
download and share their photos to social media instantly, providing
great free marketing for the client. Our data capture system also
enabled live monitoring of key statistics - useful both to manage ongoing sales and for long-term customer relations and marketing purposes.
CHARITY SHOP WITH A DIFFERENCE GETS A
MAKEOVER
It’s a charity shop, but there are no racks of old
clothes and dog-eared paperbacks here. Instead there
are games, collectibles, cuddly snakes - and
Indonesian friendship bracelets.
The Living World shop at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park has just been refreshed, refurbished and rearranged to
make it more open and more child-friendly. The shop, which opened in 1995, has a floor area of 205 square metres and
carries over 2,700 product lines. It employs 7 permanent full-time and part-time staff and up to 20 in the busy summer
season.
Around 500,000 Zoo visitors pass through every year; crucially, Living World donates a third of a million pounds in profit
direct to charity each year. This is because Paignton Zoo is part of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, the charity
which also runs Living Coasts and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, and which funds conservation work in the UK and
overseas.
Paul Bellingham, Merchandising Manager for the charity’s trading arm, South West Zoo
Enterprises Ltd., explains the changes: “We have de-cluttered the space. There are
fewer lines so products can be displayed in volume and in a more contemporary way.
There’s a lighter, airier feel. We’ve dismantled the old Fair Trade craft hut and mixed
crafts and ethical goods through our whole shop. We hope this will allow visitors to
disperse into the shop as they leave the Zoo and not just funnel straight through.”
There’s also been a considerable injection of colour, with upright wooden poles painted in green, orange and red. Paul
jokes: “The new colour scheme was inspired by a plush snake we sell in the shop!”
The shop - not surprisingly - sells thousands of cuddly animals, along with animal stickers, animal T-shirts and the usual
tourist attraction souvenirs. It will also be selling collectible resin models of some of the life size rhino figures to be
sited around Exeter and Torbay as part of The Great Big Rhino Project. But it also offers one of the largest collections of
Fair Trade and ethical gifts in the entire country. Torbay is a Fair Trade borough and Paignton Zoo is Torbay’s flagship
employer, having participated in the fair trade steering group from the start. Paul:
“Our Fairer World brand offers quality merchandise produced sustainably by small community enterprises across the
developing world. It supports communities, encourages traditional or developing crafts and helps reduce the impact of
those communities on wildlife and the environment. Every purchase in the Living World shop helps wildlife
conservation.”
Staff hope Fairer World products will be more accessible to visitors now that they have been brought out of their shopwithin-a-shop and mixed among the toys and souvenirs. And those Indonesian friendship bracelets? “They are
handmade in Bali by small, family-run workshops.”
ZAMPERLA 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Antonio Zamperla, the founder of ZAMPERLA's Company, began
making amusement park rides in 1962 but the official registration
date of the company was actually in 1966.
So this year the well known Italian manufacturer will celebrate it's 50th anniversary!
These have been 50 years of hard work, creativity, innovation and successes.
Zamperla would not be where it stands today if not for its employees, clients and friends.
Therefore, this is the occasion for them to thank all the UK based customers they have for the collaboration during
these 50 years.
LAND OF THE LIONS
Amazing new experience opening Easter 2016 at
ZSL London Zoo.
ZSL London Zoo’s biggest and most breath-taking experience ever
will be unveiled to the public this Easter - when the doors open to
Land of the Lions on Friday 25 March 2016.
Home to a pride of endangered Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica), the £5.2m Land of the Lions features an
awe-inspiring ‘windowless-view’ of the big cat’s enclosure. As visitors enter the crumbling ruin of an
amphitheatre-style Temple Clearing, the majestic big cats will roam just metres away.
Transporting visitors from the heart of London to the vibrant setting of
Sasan Gir in India and covering an expanse of 2,500sqm (27,000sqft),
people can explore Sasan Gir Train Station - where the odd lion might be
snoozing on the tracks - or embark on a journey on the overhead walkway
to gaze across the lions’ forest home.
Visitors can become part of the story, as they help ZSL’s forest rangers deal
with a ‘lion-emergency’ in the Gir Forest, and lend a hand with the
veterinary team who come to the rescue.
ZSL London Zoo’s designers visited the lions’ wild home in India for
inspiration and ideas, and worked with members of London’s Gujarati
community to ensure the exhibit lives up to the land it emulates.
To find out more visit www.zsl.org/lions
BOOST YOUR SPEND PER HEAD WITH A FUN-FILLED TEDDY-MAKING
EXPERIENCE
“Make your own teddy” wholesaler, Teddy Mountain UK, has launched it’s
new ‘hand stuffing packs’ allowing retailers to provide this magical service
to their little customers without the initial expense of purchasing a stuffing
machine.
Each teddy skin now comes with its own individual fibre pack and can be stuffed by hand
either on location or at home. You can also purchase attractive cardboard display units to
showcase your Teddy Mountain wares!
Director, Ryan Davies, said: “We receive a lot of interest from attractions in providing a teddymaking service, but there are often concerns about having enough space for a full in-store
experience. We have responded to this feedback and there is now no need for a large stuffing
machine and our new display stands ensure our beautiful and colourful bears are clear for all
to see - without taking up too much room on your shop floor.”
It’s an exciting time for Teddy Mountain, with an array of new products introduced in recent
months – including its ‘sweet shop’ bears earlier this year and also the new vibrating heart
beat that really brings your cuddly friend to life.
“If you are looking to make your location stand out from the rest, then please give us a call to discuss
providing your customers with a magical teddy-making experience. With our new fibre packs, there is no
need for expensive equipment or stuffing machines.
Please visit www.teddymountaindirect.co.uk or call Teddy Mountain UK on 01803 559768.
WHERE’S WALLY?
The world’s highest search is on at the top of The
Shard - join the hunt for Wally and friends! This
Easter, rather than the traditional hunt for eggs,
visit The View from The Shard to play a real life
search and find game to spot intrepid explorers
Wally, Wenda, Woof, Wizard Whitebeard and
Odlaw as they journey through the attraction and among the busy city
skyline. Spot them from 19 March to 10 April, only from London’s highest
viewing platform.
Where’s Wally? activity sheets will be available to
collect when you arrive for your visit. Tick off all the
characters and their adventure kit to win a London
adventure of your own.
Families visiting between 19 March – 10 April can
also enjoy a limited time offer and save over 15% by
purchasing a Family Ticket from £74.95 (advance).
The hunt is on!
Terms and conditions: Family Ticket available 19/03/2016 – 10/04/2016 (inclusive). Ticket includes
entry for 2 adults + 2 children, OR 1 adult + 3 children. Children must be aged 4 – 15 years (infants
aged 3 and under do not require a ticket). Family ticket is priced at £74.95 (advance) or £79.95 (on the
day). Play daily from 10am until sunset.
NEW ADDITION FOR SEGA AMUSEMENTS INTERNATIONAL
Sega Amusements International is delighted to announce the
addition of a new operation to its stable with a partnership deal
with long time industry operator and current BALPPA Chairman
Marshall Hill.
Marshall’s well established park and arcade Funland based on Hayling Island has enjoyed considerable
investment from Sega across a range of video, novelty and redemption equipment including branded Sonic
titles and proven video titles Transformers and Showdown.
Commenting on the venture Marshall, clearly ecstatic, stated “I am overwhelmed at the new look arcade, the
equipment, efficiency and service from the whole team at Sega has been second to none. Like many of the
BALPPA members with a diverse business to run, not every area of it can get the investment it deserves and
sadly the arcade in recent years is one that suffered. So the Sega deal is a ‘win win’ situation for everybody
including my customers who will get a better arcade experience”.
From Sega’s point of view Operations Manager David Barnham commented
“as a BALPPA member we are very pleased to have entered this deal with
another member following on from West Midlands Safari Park last year; the
organisation is one we feel is very significant to the UK trade and we are
proud to support it and its members”.
Sega is celebrating the 25th birthday of its iconic mascot Sonic the Hedgehog
this year who will be making guest appearances at various Sega branded
operations across the UK.
IAAPA is also running an EMEA Spring Forum from 23rd – 26th May 2016 at Gardaland, Italy.
Please visit the link below for more information:
http://www.iaapa.org/connect/emea
For information on IAAPA’s Institute for Attraction Leaders which takes place from 29th May –
3rd June in the Netherlands please visit the link below:
http://www.iaapa.org/connect/EMEA
TWO LITTLE PIGGIES ARE GOING TO
ABBOTSBURY CHILDREN’S FARM!
This year a pair of irresistible little micropigs are a new attraction at the Farm,
situated on West Dorset’s beautiful Jurassic
Coast.
Despite their size, the piglets, which weigh just eight ounces when they are born and only grow to the
size of a spaniel, have huge personalities.
They are bound to be a big attraction and add yet another dimension
to a visit to the Children’s Farm, where children can cuddle a guinea
pig, ride a pony, play on a tractor, bottle-feed lambs and even take a
lamb for a walk on a lead!
John Houston, General Manager at Abbotsbury Tourism says: “We
are very excited that the micro-pigs will be joining us this year.
“They are absolutely adorable and having them here will give youngsters the chance to get close-up
to the piglets and find out more about these fascinating and intelligent animals.
“And let’s face it, it’s impossible not to have a big smile on your face when you see them!”
2016 will also see owl flying displays and a Viking invasion at the Children’s Farm. For more details on
all events see www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk
A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR THE LEISURE INDUSTRY
With the New Year came the launch of Play Fitters, the leisure
industry construction company.
The venture originated from the increase in demand for specialist design and build work from leisure
businesses wanting to add new attractions or expand into new areas. Headed up by a group with
decades of experience in leisure, the new firm works exclusively in this industry and has a unique
appreciation for the priorities of operators and the pressures they face.
Play Fitters’ projects are as broad as the industry itself and
include building a complete party business on a mezzanine floor
over existing facilities; creating or reworking multilevel laser tag
arenas; building in kitchens, receptions and party rooms with
theming; bespoke booth seating; UV and 3D illustrations; and
machine carved wooden pieces for themed or branded
embellishments. The dedicated team first visit the site and map
the space before using 3D modelling software to finalise the
design. With the plan approved by all parties the components are constructed in Play Fitters' Leicester
workshops for efficient installation on site. Play Fitters' construction manager works on every build
and has experience of 26 leisure businesses to date.
For more information, see www.playfitters.co.uk
GRAND PIER SHORTLISTED FOR COACH FRIENDLY VISITOR
ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset – The Grand Pier has been shortlisted
in the prestigious National Coach Tourism Awards for 2016’s Coach
Friendly Visitor Attraction of the Year.
The Coach Friendly Visitor Attraction of the Year award is sponsored by Planet Hollywood. Judges are looking
for attractions that go the extra mile to welcome coach visitors and ensure they enjoy a warm friendly
welcome to a resort and attraction.
The awards recognise excellence and innovation across the coach tourism industry. Now in its 11th year, the
2016 event will take place alongside the British Tourism & Travel Show on the 16 March at Vox, Resorts World
Birmingham, NEC.
The National Coach Tourism Awards is the only national awards scheme to specifically focus on coach tour
operators, destinations, visitor attractions, and tourism industry suppliers.
Stuart Render, Editor of Coach Monthly, says: “There are many tourism awards, but only the National Coach
Tourism Awards specifically focuses on coach tourism. That’s the key reason why this awards scheme
continues to attract high levels of support from across the industry.”
Tim Moyle, Grand Pier General Manager, said: "We are absolutely delighted that the Grand Pier has been
shortlisted for this prestigious title. We have worked closely with Coach Monthly and their team to ensure
that we communicate the effort we have put into welcoming our coach visitors who we consider to be the
mainstay of our attraction. Last year, we developed a video brochure which we sent to many national coach
companies to showcase our unique facilities and what we can offer our coach visitors.
We are keeping everything crossed for the final on the 16th March!”
FLYING ACES – INTAMIN’S NEW RECORD-BREAKING
WING COASTER
2016 will be an exciting year for Intamin. The first
good news of the year from an Intamin perspective is
the opening of Flying Aces in Ferrari World, UAE.
This Wing Coaster is themed and designed around the history of the
Ferrari logo. Behind every successful man, there is a woman. Count
Francesco Baracca’s mother gave Enzo Ferrari the idea to put the
prancing horse on his car, so it would bring him good luck, as her son
painted the famous horse on his bi-plane during WWII.
Riding “Flying Aces” would be the same experience as being on board a
bi-plane and feel the same sensation as the pilots. It all begins with the
fastest and steepest (51°) cable lift ever incorporated in a roller coaster,
as if the train would take off. Brought to 63 m height, the run, full of
acrobatic figures, starts with an incredible drop where the train reaches
120 km/h. It goes up again through a non-inverted loop of 52 m –
another world record – to continue with exciting overbanked curves, airtime hills, and high speed humps.
Along the 1.5 km of track, riders experience a “flight” of 2.5 minutes. Thrilling sensations guaranteed!
£200K REVAMP PROJECT FOR FLAMINGOS AND
SULAWESI CRESTED MACAQUES
Dudley Zoological Gardens has unveiled a £160,000
redevelopment for its Sulawesi crested macaques and
flamingo enclosures. The revamp focuses on the
bottom part of the 40-acre site and provides
additional animals and facilities from the moment
visitors step through the zoo entrance.
Costing £120,000 the new-look enlarged flamingo enclosure ‘Flamingo Falls’ includes a running waterfall, bigger den
and new internal pool, where visitors will be able to see the eight birds even when they’re off show outside.
Meanwhile an unused hillside bank has been turned into a paddock for Sulawesi crested macaques, with an adjacent
former shop area transformed into internal dens for the primates. A walk-in viewing window allows visitors to see the
primates at close range.
As part of the £40,000 project, the macaques will also rotate paddocks with
the Gelada baboons in the neighbouring enclosure every few months, which
enables both species the opportunity to explore a bigger area.
Zoo Director Derek Grove, said: “The improvements to these enclosures are
the next stage of our site development plan and will benefit both our
animals and our visitors.
Dudley Zoo’s newest macaque family
“Not only do the animals have extended enclosures, but this in turn provides (mum Jasmine, dad Simon and baby
Summer – born in front of visitors!)
visitors with an improved and more interesting experience.”
FOXLAKE ADVENTURES, DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN
The Foxlake Adventures Park, near Dunbar, boasts Scotland’s first cable
wakeboarding park and the UK’s only rope course constructed over water.
Foxlake realised that all their activities started at 6 years of age and that it would be a great help to
families if there was an activity area for children under 6.
Foxlake wanted a natural looking play area to blend in with its
woodland surroundings. Russell Play’s bespoke timber range was
ideal as it can be carved to create themed sculptures, play
houses and traditional play equipment.
The main feature in the Foxlake play area is the timber play
house called ‘Fox Den’ with a stainless steel slide and sand play.
Carved fox figures feature in the design to tie in with the parks
name as well as other woodland wildlife like owls, rabbits and
ladybirds.
Surrounding the playhouse is a variety of equipment providing a range of activities including swings,
a play tunnel and balancing units. For older children there is a timber and rope climbing frame which
is a junior version of Foxlakes’ over-water rope course.
This well designed and located play area now forms an important part of the day out for the whole
family.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY!
Please check the events page on our website which will be regularly
updated with information and booking forms:
http://www.balppa.org/balppa-events/
ZOO GROUP MEETING
12th – 13th April, 2016
Port Lympne
To book your place email [email protected]
With thanks to our generous sponsors:
WATERPARK SEMINAR
18th April, 2016
West Midlands Safari Park
To book your place visit: http://www.balppa.org/events/seminars/waterpark-seminar/ Thank you to
the generous supporters of this event:
MARKETING SEMINAR
19th April, 2016
Paultons Park
More information and booking details
will be released soon
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SEMINAR
Date and location TBC
More information and booking details
will be released soon
80th ANNIVERSARY SUMMER CONFERENCE
7th – 9th June, 2016
Europa Park, Germany
80th ANNIVERSARY AUTUMN CONFERENCE
Book your place by Friday 15th April:
September, 2016
http://www.balppa.org/events/conferencesBrighton, UK
regional-meetings/80th-anniversary-summerMore details and booking
conference/
details will be released soon
EURO ATTRACTIONS SHOW
20- 22nd September , 2016
Fira Gran Via Convention Centre, Barcelona, Spain
See more at: http://www.iaapa.org/expos/euro-attractions-show/home
Including BALPPA Drinks Reception on Monday 19th September
THE ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF VISITOR
ATTRACTIONS
6th October, 2016
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London
For more information visit: www.vacevents.com
IAAPA ATTRACTIONS EXPO
15th – 18th November, 2016
Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, FL
Including BALPPA Drinks Reception on Monday 14th November
HEALTH AND SAFETY SEMINAR
30th November
Drayton Manor Hotel
More information and booking details
will be released soon
FEC REGIONAL MEETINGS
Dates and locations TBC
More information and booking details
will be released soon
BALPPA SEMINARS AND SUB GROUP MEETINGS
Dates to be confirmed throughout 2016
Marketing, Health and Safety, FEC, HR, Zoo group, Lobbying and Customer Service