Increased profit for Flamingoland

[Ian]

More evidence backing the case that you have to spend money to make money. Although my opinion of Flamingoland's operations has dropped a few notches in recent years, my appreciation for investment and bringing new ride types to the UK is increasing.

Multimillion-pound investment on new rides and attractions has helped increase sales and profits at popular Yorkshire theme park and zoo owner Flamingo Land.

Turnover in the year to 31 March 2014 increased from £20.5m to £22.5m after £5.3m was spent on new rides and attractions, including £2.3m on 'Hero', a roller coaster which opened to the public in summer 2013.

That outlay by the family-owned business was on top off the £2.65m invested in 2012/13 which led to the addition of Junior Twist and Vertical Swing and the continued development of the Holiday Village.

Driven by the growth in sales, pre-tax profit rose from £1.4m to £2.1m. The North Yorkshire-headquartered theme park and zoo owner's directors, Gordon and Vicky Gibb, were paid a dividend of £235,000 during the year.

In a report filed at Companies House, the business said repair costs continued to be very significant with facilities within the zoo, holiday village and theme park kept in good condition to comply with all relevant Health & Safety standards.

The Malton-based leisure group, which employs more than 300 workers, said it aimed to maintain the management policies that had resulted in the company's recent growth and to invest in new rides and attractions as and when necessary.

Quote: http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yor ... 6-85678465

 

[furie]

I hated the operations, but it's good that the park is doing well. I just hope that they start to see the profit as a chance to invest in people and sorting out the problems, rather than sitting back and thinking all is hunky dory.

It's a good sign that there is money to be made from the UK theme park industry - especially if you invest.

 

[STC]

Yeah but the park is an utterly repugnant dump.

 

[Smithy]

Awesome. A £2 million increase in turnover is brilliant when compared to the 100k increase BPB saw.

 

[Dar]

Is that all from the [strike]dump[/strike]park, or does that include the holiday park?

 

[Ian]

Is that all from the [strike]dump[/strike]park, or does that include the holiday park?

I guess so. The penultimate paragraph groups all aspects of the Flamingoland family together.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I don't think mingo is that bad. Their zoo is above average,. They started to make good changes a while back then just... Stopped. Their ops ain't great but its no six flags.

 

[Gavin]

^ Agreed that the park itself isn't bad at all, especially when you factor in the zoo, a decent flat ride collection and some unique, if not great, coasters.

It's the staff, namely the ride ops, that let the place down though; it always has been. They just drive in otherwise unemployable teenagers from the surrounding towns. Most of them are only in it for a season or two, a lot of them don't last more than a few weeks, and there's no real incentive to do a decent job when you can just be arsing around with your mates with few, if any repercussions. If they get sacked, they won't care since it's hardly a "proper job" for the vast majority of staff. Obviously, that's not true of all of them, but it's quite pervasive, or at least it used to be.

The staff in the entertainment and bar departments are generally a lot better as they also work nights, live on site, and, in the case of entertainment, are contracted for the season. The vast majority of ride ops are just bussed in for the day and couldn't give a ****.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Is it in a bad area, much like Thorpe? Making it harder to hire?

 

[owentaylor121]

Not really, they just seem to hire the most unmotivated people in Britain.

 

[Gavin]

Parts of Scarborough, away from the tourist areas, are decidedly a bit rough. York as well.

 

[Pierre]

I think the problem is most of them will come from villages like Malton, Pickering and Kirby Misperton where peoples older brothers are also their fathers.

 

[furie]

Kirby misperton (n.)
One who kindly attempts to wipe an apparent kirby (q.v.) off another's face with a napkin, and then discovers it to be a wart or other permanent fixture, is said to have committed a 'kirby misperton'.

Pickering (ptcpl v)
[Of a toddler] Carefully pondering which one of a selection of expensive antiques to grab and hurl to the shop floor.

 

[T0M]

I love the way so many people spout their hatred of Flaming Go Land, yet they all will come flocking when they open a wooden coaster.

 

[peep]

Ah yes, because a new coaster will change our opinion of how the park is currently run.

Nice to see a UK park doing well though.

 

[nadroJ]

I love the way so many people spout their hatred of Flaming Go Land, yet they all will come flocking when they open a wooden coaster.

Yes, because funnily enough we're coaster enthusiasts. Hell, they opened a bloody kiddie cred and a Volare and we came flocking, because they got two new creds. I don't go to Flamingeland for a nice day out, I go for the plus ones, and I'm sure a lot of people would agree with me on that one. I wouldn't go back until they get a new coaster too.

 

[Martyn B]

Regardless of a new coaster or not, I'll never go back there on a weekend or school holiday. It's a fun park if you go when it's empty.

They just can't handle even the mildest of crowds.

 

[Ian]

I love the way so many people spout their hatred of Flaming Go Land, yet they all will come flocking when they open a wooden coaster.

Yes, because funnily enough we're coaster enthusiasts. Hell, they opened a bloody kiddie cred and a Volare and we came flocking, because they got two new creds. I don't go to Flamingeland for a nice day out, I go for the plus ones, and I'm sure a lot of people would agree with me on that one. I wouldn't go back until they get a new coaster too.

Yes and no. I'm a theme park enthusiast more than a coaster enthusiast - I realised after two-three years of box ticking that I'm missing out the enjoyment of a park by simply cred whoring. Obviously depends on the park. I could enjoy a day out at Flamingoland if they sorted out their operations. As Martyn B said, it's better when it's less busy because it feels less stressful. Until they sort out the operations, it will be a park I'm only interested in for box ticking.

As for a wooden coaster, they've been promising that for years. I'm sure they'll get one eventually.