Geoffrey Thompson OBE

Name 
William Geoffrey Thompson OBE 
Born 
16/11/1936 
Place of birth 
Manchester 
Died 
12/06/2004 
Role(s) 
Managing Director 1976 - 2004
IAAPA Chairman 1996 
WP Table Builder

Geoffrey Thompson became Managing Director of the Pleasure Beach company in 1976 and rapidly expanded the business, fleshing out the undeveloped areas of the Pleasure Beach and diversifying operations with increased activity in Southport, Morecambe and further afield.

The park grew with the introduction of record breaking rides like Revolution, Big One and Valhalla against an increasingly fragmented leisure and holiday sectors. Hospitality and entertainment aspects of the business also saw increased focus.

Geoffrey Thompson was renowned throughout the amusement industry, leading IAAPA during the park’s centenary year in 1996. His final act before his death in 2004 was to begin the transformation of the Pleasure Beach from an amusement park into a resort property, with the construction of the Big Blue Hotel in 2003.

"I’d heard about the first roller coaster to be built over 200ft, that was at a park called Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The year it opened I went to see it, I sat in the front seat early one morning and I went down the first dip and it was just an amazing experience. It was almost like St. Paul on the road to Damascus. I saw a vision and I knew we must have one at Blackpool Pleasure Beach." ... Geoffrey Thompson OBE, Managing Director 1976 - 2004.