ADRENALINE junkies have hailed a famous theme park’s closure as an “end of an era”.
The amusement park closed suddenly last year after 49 years in business and is now flogging iconic items from the site.
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Bosses of Flambards Theme Park in Cornwall are bidding farewell to many of the beloved landmarks that gave the attraction its character.
Lay’s Auctioneers in Penzance will oversee artefacts and exhibitions such as the Blitz feature, a full-size Concorde and Avro Shackleton cockpit as they go under the hammer.
Loyal customers have taken to social media to share their heartbreak over the closure.
One paid a final visit to the park before it closed and documented it on TikTok, describing it as the “end of an era at Flambards Theme Park”.
Another commented on the video: “It’s awful seeing it like this.”
A second added: “We went there a week before they announced it was closing. Glad we went one last time, but you could tell things were being wound down.”
A third chimed: “I’m truly gutted Flambards has had to close. Just wish I’d been there a few more times in the final years!”
Another agreed: “It is very sad it’s closed, nothing here for kids to visit now. How long until it’s all flattened and houses are all built there!”
An angry local felt the closure was “ruining” the area.
“This is a tragedy for Cornwall! The Victorian village was one of my favourite places to my childhood and adulthood with my own kids! Cornwall is going to ruin,” they spat.
The theme park’s “Victorian village” is being purchased by Kynren – a tourist attraction based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
Anna Warnecke, CEO of Kynren, shared her excitement about their purchase of the Victorian village, which will form part of The Storied Lands, opening in 2026: “The level of detail and authenticity in the Flambards Victorian Village is simply astonishing,” she said.
“To be able to bring this world to life as part of The Storied Lands is a dream come true.
“The shopfronts, interiors, and artifacts will provide an incredible setting for a truly immersive show that will transport audiences back to the heart of Victorian England.
“We cannot wait to unveil this spectacular experience as part of our new park.”
Flambards Theme Park announced it was closing with immediate effect in November 2024.
The post read: “It is with great regret we have to announce Flambards Theme Park will close its doors permanently with immediate effect.
“This difficult decision was reached only after all possible avenues had been exhausted and we fully recognise the impact of this closure on the local community and the sense of loss that it may bring,
“Despite significant and ongoing investment since its rescue from closure in 2012 by the current owners, rising costs and a steady decline in visitor numbers have made the park’s operation and further investment unsustainable.
“Over the years, Flambards has strived to evolve, overcoming numerous challenges to continue bringing joy to families and visitors from across the region.”
Fans have been left devastated by the closure, with one writing: “Flambards will always have a place in my heart, I went on my first roller coaster here.”
Another person commented: “Awful news, Cornwall will have nothing for children and young people at all.”
While a third person wrote: “Devastating news. Have supported Flambards for the last 5-6 years with season tickets and you could see the gradual decline.”
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My view: ‘It’s the saddest day of the week’
THE Sun’s Katie Weston who spent her childhood visiting the Cornish theme park reacts to the news of its sudden closure.
“The saddest day of the week. Whether it was stepping back in time at the Victorian Village, making a splash at the Colorado River, or taking a spin on the Thunderbolt, Flambards was part and parcel of growing up in Cornwall.
“Set up as an aviation museum in 1976, the park proved itself a family favourite for generations, playing host to countless kids’ birthday parties.
Compounded by the loss of Dairyland – another beloved Cornwall attraction – just weeks ago, Flambards’ sudden closure is guaranteed to come as a hammerblow to locals.
After all, who can forget collecting coupons for season tickets out of the newspaper for the school holidays, or the smell of medicines and varnished wood that greets you when peering into the Victorian time-capsule chemist shop? As one Cornish local simply puts it: “There goes our childhood.”
The only silver lining is confirmation that Flambards’ soft play centre, Ferdi’s Funland, will re-open as a standalone attraction on November 17. But that won’t lessen the blow for locals, for whom Flambards has been a constant in our lives, and will always have a place in our hearts.