Oakwood Theme Park Closes After 40 Years Amid Rising Costs and Declining Visitors

Oakwood Theme Park, the largest in Wales, has shut its doors for good after nearly four decades of operation. The surprise announcement came on March 4, 2025, with the park closing immediately rather than opening for the 2025 season as planned.

Economic Pressures Force Closure

Spanish firm Aspro Parks, which has owned Oakwood since 2008, cited “unrelenting economic challenges” as the primary reason for closure. These included:

• Rising electricity costs
• Increased expenses for ride parts
• Food and beverage inflation
• Higher National Living Wage requirements
• Changes to national insurance thresholds

Combined with declining visitor numbers, these factors created an unsustainable financial situation despite significant investment over the years.

“Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward,” Aspro Parks stated. The company plans to repurpose assets from Oakwood to improve its other attractions and relocate staff where possible.

£25 Million Investment Couldn’t Save the Park

Aspro Parks invested more than £25 million since rescuing Oakwood from previous financial difficulties in 2008. Despite these efforts, the park couldn’t overcome the mounting economic challenges.

“In the entire history of Aspro we have never closed any park or attraction,” the company noted in its statement, emphasizing the gravity of the decision.

Community Impact

The closure will affect up to 200 employees, according to the park’s LinkedIn profile. Samuel Kurtz, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Member of the Senedd, called the closure “deeply sad” and noted the park had a “special place in the hearts of many.”

First Minister Eluned Morgan urged Aspro Parks “to do everything possible to support their employees” including “exploring redeployment opportunities within their wider business.”

The Welsh government has stated: “We stand ready to offer support to the workforce affected by this decision.”

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Local Fan Heartbroken

Ryan Hackett, a 64-year-old rollercoaster enthusiast from Milford Haven, expressed his devastation at the news. Hackett has ridden the park’s Megafobia rollercoaster 6,200 times and had hoped to reach 7,000 rides during the 2025 season.

“As a rollercoaster enthusiast, it’s the last thing you want to see – a park closure,” he said. “I just hope there’s a buyer. I joked on social media earlier – can someone lend me £100m?”

Troubled History

The park faced scrutiny in 2004 when 16-year-old Hayley Williams died after falling approximately 100 feet from the Hydro water ride. A 10-year-old boy, Martin Rothwell, was also injured in the incident.

While a coroner ruled out unlawful killing, the park’s then-owners were fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 in costs in 2008 when it emerged that staff had widely ignored basic safety procedures on the ride. The attraction was later renamed “Drenched.”

More recently, in July 2024, passengers on the “Bounce” drop tower attraction reported minor injuries after the ride experienced an emergency stop procedure while in mid-fall.

Company Profile

Aspro Parks operates 68 leisure attractions across Europe, including aquariums in Cheshire, Portsmouth, Newquay, Fife, Bristol, and Tynemouth. In Hastings, the company also owns ancient caves and a castle attraction.

The Treasury commented that while the closure was a commercial decision, “we understand this will be a concerning time for workers at Oakwood Theme Park and their families.” They added that the recent Budget meant “more than half of employers will either see a cut or no change in their National Insurance bills.”

For generations of Welsh families and visitors, Oakwood represented a cherished destination described by its owners as “a rite of passage for many young visitors.” Its closure marks the end of a tourism landmark that has been part of Wales’ recreational landscape since the late 1980s.