Press Cutting – Ark heralds a new flood (1995)

BLACKPOOL GAZETTE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1995

Noah's Ark is being all spruced up before the next flood ... of visitors.

The historic Pleasure Beach attraction, which has rocked to and fro since 1922 is getting a facelift as part of a £2million package of improvements at the fun park.

Of this, £1.5million will be spent on the Ark, including opening up the previously hidden space beneath to cope with the park's centenary year.

This is being transformed into shops, information centre and ticket area, designed to handled 10,000 people an hour - even if they walk in two by two!

Work has already started on Project X, the new dark ride destined to open in 1997 on the site of the Fun House which was destroyed by fire exactly four years ago.

And a new £100,000 water attraction, yet to be named, will be installed in the lake that used to house the Tom Sawyer Raft Ride, which was removed when the Big One roller coaster was built.

The carousel in Beaver Creek is being refurbished and re-themed and, following on from the Pleasure Beach's North West Leisure Loo of the Year award. £50,000 is being spent on upgrading toilets by the Space Invader.

Publicity director Helen O'Neill said: "Our Big One Hundred centenary year is going to be an exciting one for the Pleasure Beach and the improvements planned, from creating a new area under Noah's Ark to upgrading toilets, will make a visit even more fun".