Flambards Theme Park in Helston announces the closure of some rides

A tourist attraction in Cornwall has announced it is closing some of its rides.

Flambards theme park in Helston said a “continued shortage” of specialist parts for maintenance had forced the closure of rides, including four of its flagships.

It announced a temporary closure from June 10 to July 1 as the machinery was removed and a reduced ticket price on reopening.

A spokesman for Flambards told the BBC there was no further information they could provide.

In the post on the Flambards website, the company said: “After many years of faithful service, we are sadly withdrawing a number of thrill rides.

“This includes the Thunderbolt, Sky Swinger, Sky Force and Hornet Rollercoaster, some of which will be leaving the site soon.”

It said the decision “was not taken lightly” but that the safety of its guests “is and always will be our top priority.”

Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Major Visitor Attractions, told the BBC: “We knew that the recovery of the visitor economy, including attractions, would take a long time after the lockdown was lifted.

“Tourism has reopened to rising inflationary costs, huge energy bills and a cost of living crisis, with visitors spending less and visiting less frequently.

“The challenge to return visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels and profitable sustainability is across the UK.”

Locals had speculated about possible reasons for the changes in the park.

Helston car dealer Mike Hill said: “I think they probably just don’t have the funds to fix the cars and bring them up to safety standards.”

Resident Chris Jolly said: “I would say selling your biggest rides is not a good sign, really.”

He added that the theme park has employed many young people over the years who would be affected if the site were to close.

On social media, the announcement received more than 1,500 comments in less than 24 hours, with people sharing their anger, disappointment and memories of the theme park.

The theme park said it was looking forward to welcoming visitors when it reopened next month for “an exciting summer season”.