The American Adventure

[Altonator]

Another article on the This Is Derbyshire Website
AMERICAN ADVENTURE THEME PARK CLOSES BY JAMES COXON

09:30 - 05 January 2007 Bosses at the American Adventure Theme Park have confirmed its closure - just two months after they gave reassurances that it would stay open.

All the rides at the theme park, which is in Shipley, near Ilkeston, are up for sale and its 13 permanent staff and 400 seasonal workers will lose their jobs.

A spokesman for the park blamed a "drastic" fall in visitor numbers for the closure, although exact figures were not available. The park used to attract around 300,000 people a year.

The news comes just two months after director Roger Lloyd announced that 19 staff members would be made redundant at the end of 2006.

He told the Evening Telegraph that the job losses were due to difficult trading conditions but said that the park would not close.

In 2005, the park underwent a revamp in an attempt to make it more family orientated. It also lowered its admission charges as an introductory offer to try to increase visitor number.

White-knuckle rides, such as The Missile, were decommissioned in favour of rides for children aged four to 12, including the Rascal Rocket and Bronco Buggies.

But the image change failed to pay off and yesterday the company announced the park would not reopen in 2007.

A spokesman said the decision was announced with regret and that it followed a period of difficult trading.

He added: "American Adventure Theme Park states that it has invested considerably in trying to make the park a commercial success but a fall in attendances, which has been experienced across the UK theme park market, has proved impossible to overcome.

"The company would like to thank all of its staff and customers who over the years have contributed to making American Adventure a fun family experience."

The remaining staff are helping to market the rides for sale and it is anticipated that the process will be completed during this year.

The leasehold for the park will then revert back to Derbyshire County Council, which owns the site, formerly an opencast mine.

When mining finished, the area was lined with clay and a 32-acre lake was created, around which the 345-acre theme park was built and has operated for nearly 20 years.

A Derbyshire County Council spokeswoman said the authority received notice before Christmas that the theme park intended to surrender the lease from August.

She added: "A list of options for the future use of the land will be drawn up and presented to the full cabinet to make a decision.

"This could happen within the next three months as we would seek to have the situation resolved by the time the lease expires in August."

Susan Form, who lives near to the park in Hassock Lane, said she was not shocked by its closure.

She said: "The last time I went to the park it looked very run-down and seemed like it needed some money spent on it.

"It's a real shame because it used to be very popular."

Andrew Thompson, 42, of Shalfleet Drive, Alvaston, spent 10 years working as a stuntman at the American Adventure, from 1989.

He said: "The park just didn't move with the times and couldn't offer people something unique any more. It's such a shame."

Robert Parkinson, leader of the Conservative-led Erewash Borough Council, said the closure of the park was a blow to the area.

"To hear that people are going to lose their jobs is always sad news and the closure of the park will have a impact on the borough," he said.

"Over the years, the park has no doubt employed a significant number of local people and in the past it has been a very important tourist attraction for this area." jcoxon@derbytelegraph.co.uk

Your Views i went to the theme park a couple of years ago when it was revamping itself as a family theme park. this didn't help become in any way better but worse. all the good rides had dissapeared like the logflume, instead childish rides that even children wouldn't want to ride were put in place. The staff were fine! its the rides!Xin, Oakwood
It is a real shame that the park is closing. I worked at the park for 7 seasons and I loved every minute of it. All the staff made a real effort to make it work..I will have some great memories. It will be a real blow to the local people who work there every summer.Laura, Ilkeston
Im surprised that the park has been able to stay open until now, its always been expensive, disapointing and a bit rubbish. The rides were old and never felt safe (perhapse this says more about me than the rides though) and the overall feeling was that a lot of investment was always needed to get people interested. It always felt like it was on the verge of closing. If you have small kids try Gullivers Kingdom which has got it just right for that age group, otherwise Alton Towers is just up the road, with quality competition so close its no wonder the AA is no more.Dave, Derby
Its a shame the Park has closed. The new Family Park could have been a huge success, as good as Gullivers Kingdom. The family that own the Park own Blackpool Tower, Pontins Holiday Parks and much more, they are just to tight to part with there money to invest into the American Adventure. I was one of the 19 people that lost my job in November. The comments from people saying they are not surprised and that the staff were unfriendly is utter rubbish, we worked very hard to make the Park work with the little money we had, the is only one person to blame and that the owner. It was a pleasure to work there.Private, Heanor
im not surprised its closed.i went there this summer and found the park to badly organised and the staff very unperfessional and ignorant.the food was expensive and cold.steve, heanor

[spark]

[quote=""NickAndrews""]You can view some great Bird's Eye View shots from the following link;

CLICK!

Click on the little button with the buildings on[/quote]

Going back to this, can anyone highlight the path the rally car experience took? Its something that has always bugged me as i didnt know much about it.

Saw the evening news tonight and it showed loads of old footage of the park, back in the very late 80's and then some of NN. Would love to see what other footage Central News have

[Dara]

The rally car basically just went along the service road which is also used for park maintenance vehicles.
It started at the point opposite Nightmare Niagara, went all the way along the service road passing behind the rapids, then when it got to the point which is next to the rapids lift hill in the maintenance area it turned and headed back the same way. This is why the new gate was added in 2003 next to the go carts, otherwise kids could have ran directly into the cars path.
Before 2003 it was only a very old fence of about 3 feet high.
The route that the rally car took was actually really short.

[Nick]

Here's a report from a recent UrbEx outing at American Adventure

CLICK ME!

[Anonymous]

The UrbEx break in more like lol. Great pictures. Sad to see all that good stuff gone to waste. the twin looper was ace. Carnt be that hard to power up lol. Only thing you need is the chain lift lol.

[spark]

I cant believe they broke into the buildings!!

however there are some nice shots of the place, and thats probably the last time we will see any pics taken inside the grounds

[Anonymous]

for people who live locally the loss of the american adventure isnt a shock....its been badly managed and run for years,,for to expensive for what was in it and they always failed to make the most of it..
the american theme just didnt seem to work,especially when they ran down the wild west themes like the saloon show and stuff.
the catering was always to expensive and not very appertising and the staff was obviously low paid so there wasnt much effort made toward being nice and pleasant to the customers.we was once in one of the sparsely decorated eateries,,when the attitude and language from behind the counter was shocking and the kids heard it all,when we put in a complait nobody seemed to care and i think they thought it funny.
they say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
it wont be a great loss to the area....goodbye to the american mis-adventure

[shaun allsop]

I think after all the efforts that were made to try and re establish the park and aim it for the younger market, its a shame that it didn't work out.

It will be interesting to see if the disscusion/meeting of a buyer colin mentioned did happen or what will happen to the site. Although the park is closed it will be interesting to see how it does or doesn't develop.
At the moment it doesn't seem like there in a rush to be removing things.

[Sazzle]

Wow those pictures are amazing! Very well done to whoever managed to capture them, though I don't commend the breaking in :-s.

As for security.. Maybe they got the sack too .

Everyone's aware of the park's closure around Ilkeston it seems, most people reflecting with fond memories of how brilliant it was in the early nineties where many childhoods were spent.

At least the park has something that cannot be sold for love nor money - a legacy.

[shaun allsop]

Forgot to mention after having a browse at those pictures another guy has been down during the day presumably without perrmission lol

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l255/ ... e/?start=0

[Anonymous]

Other Report from the break in gang lol On here with daytime pictures.

[/img]http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/sho ... php?t=7348

[spark]

[quote=""mmoby""]for people who live locally the loss of the american adventure isnt a shock....its been badly managed and run for years,,for to expensive for what was in it and they always failed to make the most of it..
the american theme just didnt seem to work,especially when they ran down the wild west themes like the saloon show and stuff.
the catering was always to expensive and not very appertising and the staff was obviously low paid so there wasnt much effort made toward being nice and pleasant to the customers.we was once in one of the sparsely decorated eateries,,when the attitude and language from behind the counter was shocking and the kids heard it all,when we put in a complait nobody seemed to care and i think they thought it funny.
they say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
it wont be a great loss to the area....goodbye to the american mis-adventure[/quote]

Seeing as your new i wont be to hard on you, If you have time read the whole of this topic, you will find through it that part of the downfall of the AA is that the local residents not allowing planning permission for rides and development in the park!

[haydn!]

[quote=""spark""][quote=""mmoby""]for people who live locally the loss of the american adventure isnt a shock....its been badly managed and run for years,,for to expensive for what was in it and they always failed to make the most of it..
the american theme just didnt seem to work,especially when they ran down the wild west themes like the saloon show and stuff.
the catering was always to expensive and not very appertising and the staff was obviously low paid so there wasnt much effort made toward being nice and pleasant to the customers.we was once in one of the sparsely decorated eateries,,when the attitude and language from behind the counter was shocking and the kids heard it all,when we put in a complait nobody seemed to care and i think they thought it funny.
they say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
it wont be a great loss to the area....goodbye to the american mis-adventure[/quote]

Seeing as your new i wont be to hard on you, If you have time read the whole of this topic, you will find through it that part of the downfall of the AA is that the local residents not allowing planning permission for rides and development in the park![/quote]

Yes, and judging by is final comment. I don't think we'd be too wrong in saying he was one of those residents.

[Anonymous]

im not one the residence,and im fully aware of the situation with the area..some of the reasons i believe the park failed was its failure to make you want to go back.
too expensive,badly organised and run and as mentioned in other reviews on other sites poor staff.
forums are for freedom of speech and open discussion,sorry if i dont share your views.
the park was badly run,,bad staff..simply bad

[Nick]

They only do it because they can't get prosecuted for it. Trespass is only a criminal offense if they cause any damage, and something stupid like if they have more than 6 vehicles on site

[Anonymous]

Good point lol. was looking at the forum and they go to some great places lol. BREAKING IN to the new wembley. That takes balls lol

[Adam]

Another UrbEx visit fom yesterday, this time in the daytime...

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/sho ... php?t=7348

*Adäm

[Nick]

Also some of them have pictures from on top of the Millennium Dome. I think you need the bigger balls for that :P

Anyway I think these guys could provide a great resource for keeping us updated on the latest goings on at AA

[spark]

Yea i signed up to their site, really interesting bunch of guys

[Adam]

I suppose as long as they dont brake anything its alright. And like you said above could be a very interesting insight to whats going on.

I wonder why there is no security in the day time!?

*Adäm