Why do smaller theme parks in the UK seem to struggle more than similarly sized equivalents abroad?

[rob666]

Magna with coasters.

 

[CrashCoaster]

I've often thought the same regarding the dying British steel industry. Massive plots of ex-industrial land now looking for a new use. Surely anyone can agree a theme park would be more photogenic (and likely quieter) than a massive steel plant and/or power station?

Idk man, it's a question of would I rather go to and/or stare at Sellafield or Alton Towers. Very tough decision...

 

[Matt N]

I think theme parks utilising some of these plots of land would be great, and quite feasible; I know Corby steelworks was considered by Tussauds in the late 1980s for a theme park that would have competed with Alton Towers!

 

[roomraider]

The problem with using those sites is land remediation. There was one old British Steel plant quite recently where the estimated cost to decontaminate the land occupied by the plant was around 250million pounds. And I can't imagine coal power plant sites don't need a ton of land remediation either.

Can't see anyone seriously looking at a site to build a park on would want to pay quarter of a billion just to get the land to a point where they could start building.

 

[Gazza]

Question for UK members, is there much widespread public support for your strict development rules?
It seems it's a source of constant complaints and makes doing business quite costly.
Part of the narrative of brexit was avoiding red tape, but development restrictions in the UK seem to be an embodiment of this meme TBH: