World’s first inland surfing park Adventure Parc Snowdonia is forced to CLOSE just eight years after £11.7m attraction first opened… after its wave machine kept breaking down
- Some staff at surfing park near Snowdonia National Park being made redundant
Adventure Parc Snowdonia – the world’s first inland surfing park – has been forced to close just eight years after opening.
The park, located on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, poured scorn on its wave machine which has been dogged with problems and repeated breakdowns since it opened in 2015.
Bosses said the machine had caused them the loss of its reputation and cost them a fortune. They said some staff will be made redundant but did not say how many would lose their jobs.
Conwy Adventure Leisure splashed out £7.7million on the surfing park eight years ago, while the Welsh government also poured in £4million.
Commercial Director James Wood said: ‘We are extremely disheartened that we are having to let go of exceptional team members yet again.
The wave machine at Adventure Parc Snowdonia has been dogged with problems and repeated breakdowns since it opened in 2015
Bosses said the machine had caused them the loss of its reputation and had been financially draining through downtime, repairs, and lost business
‘Despite the success that we’ve enjoyed since our launch in 2015, the groundbreaking innovation our wave machine represented and the fun and adventure enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world – recent issues have been financially draining through downtime, repairs, and lost business.
‘Even more concerning is the toll it continues to take on our reputation among our guests, employees, the surfing community, and other stakeholders who have been loyal advocates since the beginning.
‘In the upcoming months, we will be re-evaluating our future plans for the Parc ahead of the 2024 season.’
The wave machine malfunctioned last August causing the waves to be switched off for the rest of the year. It relaunched this spring only for it to break down again, reported North Wales Live.
In a message on its Facebook page, Adventure Parc Snowdonia Community announced the closure ‘with a heavy heart’.
‘To all who’ve been part of this journey, we’re truly sorry,’ they wrote.
‘We are bitterly disappointed that once again excellent employees are being made redundant. The sad reality is that despite the joy and adventure our waves brought to many as a world-first innovation, the machine has cost us a fortune in downtime, repairs and loss of business.
‘More importantly it has cost us a loss of reputation with our employees, people we’ve worked closely with since the start of this journey in 2015.
In spring 2021, the attraction reopened with a new 106-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn and an indoor adventure activity centre after a further £3.9m Welsh government funding
The wave machine malfunctioned last August causing the waves to be switched off for the rest of the year. It relaunched this spring only for it to break down again
Some staff will be made redundant but it is currently not known how many would lose their jobs. Commercial Director James Wood said: ‘We are extremely disheartened that we are having to let go of exceptional team members yet again’
The Welsh attraction is 985ft long and 360ft wide (around the size of six football pitches) and had three wave heights when it opened eight years ago to much fanfare
‘For adventurers impacted by the closure, refunds are available. Vouchers for use at the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia and Wave Garden Spa, which remain open, can also be arranged. Please contact [email protected] to initiate this process.
‘We’ll be exploring options for an exciting new chapter from 2024 and beyond.
‘Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. Your support, commitment, and dedication through what’s been an incredibly tough time has been massively appreciated by the team.’
In spring 2021, the attraction reopened with a new 106-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn and an indoor adventure activity centre after a further £3.9m Welsh government funding.
The four-star Hilton Garden Inn cancelled weddings and bookings for three months in November 2022 when it was used as emergency accommodation for asylum seekers .
In October last year, Jim Jones, head of Tourism North Wales, said it would be a disaster for the area if the park closed.
He told the BBC how ‘extremely important’ it is ‘in north Wales because we built our brand as “adventure capital” on the back of Adventure Parc Snowdonia’.
He said: ‘It’s probably one of the biggest attractions in north Wales, the investment in that site has been millions. It’s important not only for the rural areas of Conwy, but for the reputation of the whole of north Wales.’
The Welsh attraction is 985ft long and 360ft wide (around the size of six football pitches) and had three wave heights when it opened to much fanfare.
The giant lagoon features the longest man-made surfable waves in the world, offering waves that are up to six feet high.
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