Oakwood in Pembrokeshire, the largest theme park in Wales, closed its doors suddenly yesterday, citing rising costs and falling visitor numbers.
The location, near Narberth, is owned by the Spanish company Aspro Parks and has been a significant tourist destination for over 40 years.
Aspro said that the decision to close the park was difficult to take, but the financial problems through a drop in footfall and rising costs made it inevitable. The company had sunk £25m into the park since it was rescued from closure in 2008.
Aspro is the operator of other attractions, including the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire, Hastings Castle and Smugglers’ Adventure, also in Hastiings.
It has 68 parks and attractions in Spain, the UK, France, Finland, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria, employing a total of over 2,000 people.
A spokesperson for Aspro said: “In the entire history of Aspro we have never closed any park or attraction. We and our dedicated team of staff have strived to overcome numerous challenges to continue to bring joy to families and visitors across the region and country.
“Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward and will seek to improve our other parks using the assets and, where possible team, elsewhere.
“We are aware that Oakwood has been a much-loved destination for generations and a rite of passage for many young visitors. It is for this reason we feel such a sense of sadness.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedication and commitment of our team members past and present, suppliers and contractors who have loyally supported us and of course all those that have visited Oakwood over the years. We are sincerely grateful.”
