Transcript
Yes we were, the only real shortfall in budgeted gate numbers was at Easter where numbers were seriously down on budget. This was attributed to the early Easter, extremely poor weather (snow) and the changing of the schools holidays, which were spread over four weeks in 2008 instead of the usual two weeks. Unfortunately we were unable to recover any of the losses over the Easter period.
Are there any things that left management disappointed?Nothing too worrying. Hornets Nest not running the full season was very disappointing.
Lightwater Wheel was the new ride for 2008, are management pleased with it to date?We are pleased with Lightwater Wheel as it sits well with our target audience and is a good family ride. We always knew this is not a ride that everyone would want to go on first but it fills a gap in the offering, which has a thrill factor for the younger ones and everyone can enjoy it together.
We also mustn't forget that Lightwater Wheel wasn’t the only new ride for 2008. The park also brought in a new carousel. What was the thinking behind the like for like switch?The new Carousel is a bigger model than the one we had and is easier to operate and maintain. The previous model was built in 1875 and suffered from old engineering practices. The new model is 10 years old. The Carousel remains to be very popular with the family and teenage market. Having the chariots also allows our younger customers under a metre to ride.
Reports suggest that Easter was particularly challenging for LWV this season. Has this left a significant impact on the annual turnover and attendance figures?Yes I am afraid it did impact, any shortfall in numbers will have an affect on the turnover and profitability of the company which ultimately effects investment in the future.
2008 saw admission prices and season tickets rise in price. Will 2009 see further increases despite the current financial climate?Unfortunately costs continue to rise; energy costs, minimum wage, rates, insurance etc. If numbers through the gate remain the same, there will be a need to generate more revenue to keep the business trading successfully. There will be an increase in 2009 to fund the introduction of the new ride amongst other things. However, we still remain very competitively priced and offer great value for money, compared to other theme parks.
In addition, how has the credit crunch affected LWV and the way it operates? Are you confident you can see through these difficult trading times?The next 18 months are going to be very difficult and an unknown as to what to expect. Early indications are that more people will holiday in this country instead of going abroad and day trips will increase. The weakening pound will also make the UK a more desirable holiday destination for foreign visitors. Good value for money, focus on quality and customer service will be paramount; something I believe Lightwater Valley can offer.
Hornets Nest is still proving problematic. What is the current situation regarding the ride and can we expect it to be operational in 2009?Hornets Nest was not the best purchase we’ve made. The ride came with a lot of hidden faults / problems and after sales service from the manufacturers is painfully slow. On reflection and because of the aforementioned, I can now add that we have taken the decision early to withdraw Hornets Nest with immediate effect as other serious technical problems have been identified which would require major investment to rectify. Investment we feel could be spent better elsewhere.
The park launched M-Ticket this season which gave the consumer discounted entry on production of an on-screen mobile voucher. Did this scheme prove successful?We received a good response from this and may consider using it again this year. It also helps us to monitor the level of response from radio and television advertising where there is no voucher to cut out and bring along.
It is well-known that the park had their appeal for a holiday village turned down this year. Just how important was this development for LWV?The development is very important to the future of the park as it gives us another dimension and bigger catchment area to attract visitors. It could also allow us to trade longer throughout the year. It's all about being competitive.
Do you expect to submit a new application for a smaller scale village?We will at some point be submitting a new application which we hope the local residents of North Stainley, Ripon and the planners will support.
It is known that the park will relocate Caterpillar Coaster and The Wave should you ever get a holiday village. Have the park identified areas for these rides to be placed, and if so, where will they go?This is still to be decided as the new planning application will determine where things go.
Food prices are often negatively picked upon in visitor reports left on theme park discussion websites. Many feel £6.50 for a standard fast-food meal is overpriced. What would you say to these comments?We believe that we are no more expensive than other similar attractions. We are looking at introducing a Crunch Buster Value Meal for 2009, which is in line with our action packed value strap line and positioning.
Following on, would LWV ever consider inviting franchise restaurants such as McDonald's to set-up an outlet in the park?We have considered using a McDonald's franchise but found the cost of doing this outweighed the benefits to the business and the customer.
A few members feel that some of the park’s older rides such as The Ladybird and Sewer Rat are neglected and are starting to show their age. What would you say to these comments?I agree unfortunately. There is only a limited period of time to carry out maintenance over the winter period and we prioritise all safety critical items before aesthetics. We do realise appearance means a lot and try to have a rolling programme which means rides are completely overhauled every 5 years. Time, cost and weather are also considerations as we only have a small amount of time in winter.
LWV is one of the most difficult parks to get to by public transport. Would you ever consider starting up a shuttle bus from the park to somewhere like Ripon?We have been trying to get public transport to the site for several years. There is a bus service on the hour which passes the gates on the main road but then there is the long walk up to the site to consider. Families and older people find this a bit challenging and there is of course the walk back to get the bus home again. In the summer we do have a bus service on Sundays from Ripon which actually comes to the site car park. Any future planning application for the resort will address this shortfall of public transport.
The park enforces double rider rules on both Black Widows Web and Falls of Terror. Whilst this helps increase capacity, do you not think it alienates single riders or people in groups of an odd number from riding, whereas other parks welcome single riders?We are reviewing this again as we do every season. There are very good reasons why we have these rules which are mainly related to health and safety. When you see someone fit on a ride and they are alone it can be quite stressful for both the operator and the customer. We are however considering over 1.5m as single riders.
Live entertainment is certainly something LWV could improve on. With a magnificent theatre in your “backyard”, why has the park gone so many seasons without a show of note?We had shows in the Theatre for several years but we seem to find it difficult getting families in doors on a glorious sunny day. As the Theatre can hold 300 people the atmosphere is lost if the room is empty therefore a smaller venue is better for the customer experience. Shows are also very expensive and if the demand is not there we feel it is money wasted which can be used to make improvements elsewhere.
Grizzly Bear and The Sewer Rat both have relatively low throughputs to start with, so why do the park continue to operate cars with back seats filled up with water bottles?The older rides do not cope well with extremes of temperature change and greasing can increase rolling resistance in colder weather. Therefore light loads do not produce the friction required to get round the track. These problems are usually experienced in the early season and late season when temperatures suddenly drop. You will be pleased to know Grizzly Bear is no longer at Lightwater but is travelling to Holland.
Will you please bring back on-ride photos on Falls of Terror and Sewer Rat? Many people have photos from The Twister and The Ultimate and we’d like to see more on offer.Ride photography is very expensive to set up (equipment). The return must be justifiable and old rides unfortunately don’t have the demand of newer more prestigious rides like The Ultimate and The Twister.
Why did park close the shop/arcade that is adjoined to Sewer Rat’s exit?We considered it no longer a viable option.
Would you ever consider reopening King Rat’s Picnic Circle that is found behind the Sewer Rat’s outdoor queue line?King Rat’s Pinic Circle is now a new paintball shooting gallery and proving very popular.
Would the park ever consider purchasing their own theme music to play over the entrance area like Alton Towers? It would give the park its own much needed character – something that pop music can never achieve.Lightwater is looking to improve its music on site in 2009 and is currently in talks with an organisation to create Radio Lightwater, a live on-site broadcast for 2010 but its early days.
During the summer when queues are at their highest, long waits are made ever more unbearable by the blistering Sun. Would the park consider erecting all-weather roofs on queue lines for the more popular rides such as Eagles Claw and The Twister?Not at this stage but possibly in the future.
Does the park keep in contact with previous owner Robert Staveley and is it true that he still owns the land at LWV?Lightwater Valley Attractions Ltd has a 99 year lease agreement with Mr Staveley on the land. I am a very good friend of Mr Staveley, having worked for him for over 15 years and speak to him regularly, although he has no interest in the business.
Is LWV still planning on giving The Ultimate renovation work in the near future?Yes.
Would you ever consider extending The Ultimate to make it the world’s longest rollercoaster yet again?Yes we are considering this, it would be useful to get some feedback on what riders might like to see and experience.
Why have the park decided to remove The Grizzly Bear?The Grizzly Bear is quite an old rollercoaster and we felt it was time to change it for a newer family ride.
Valley Mania member, Dee4leeds, asks will you keep the wooden bears that surround the ride? They could make for nice theming elsewhere.Yes we are using them elsewhere. See if you can spot them!
Wild River Rapids is the new ride for 2009 – why have the park opted for this ride and how will the lease deal effect the duration of its stay?The ride will only be here for one season although we are in negotiation to purchase the ride if it proves to be popular with families. A recent customer survey vindicated our ride decision. Our customers love it!
Is the park still planning on giving Grand Prix Go Karts a new track for 2009?No we feel it is the wrong time to be doing this as charging extra in the current economic climate. We are focused on offering great value for money.
And what about the £3 charge? Is this still pencilled in and are you not worried it decreases the park’s value for money?We will need to re-consider our options on this one if we decide to move forward.
Are there any other changes planned for 2009 – such as ride removals, refurbishment work etc?There are a few small changes but we can’t give everything away.
If you could bring any ride in the world to LWV, what would it be?There are so many rides on the market that I feel we would need to do some research before making a decision but I would like to see a launch coaster.
And finally, how long have you been LWV General Manager and did you have any previous experience in the theme park industry prior to this?I have been at LWV for 25 years. I started work as a seasonal member of staff working my way up through the organisation to Director in 2008. I have worked and been departmental head of all departments at some point for two to three seasons including maintenance. I also project managed The Ultimate from start to finish, building the lifts and installing the track. I originally lived very near to Alton Towers and visited many times as a child when donkey rides and a train was the star attraction. Theme parks are in my blood!