Here’s news to make a big splash for North Yorkshire fun-seekers.
The long-closed Alpamare water park in Scarborough could soon be back open – under the management of the team at Flamingo Land.
The Malton leisure company was today named as the preferred operator of Alpamare by North Yorkshire Council.
Council officers are now working with managers at Flamingo Land to agree terms to get the attraction reopened to the public in time for this year’s core summer tourism season.
Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive made the decision to appoint the company yesterday (Tuesday) after a three-week exercise to search for potential operators.
Councillors were told that the business has committed to opening the park this summer until November when operating costs and plans for the winter season will be reviewed.
Council deputy leader Cllr Gareth Dadd said: “We are delighted to be able to announce that Flamingo Land is our preferred operator.
“As a council, we never intended to run this ourselves but instead to find an operator with the right expertise to take it on and get it reopened for the summer season.
“It is a key visitor attraction on Scarborough’s North Bay and makes a telling contribution as a commercial tourism venture. It is great to be looking to work with a well-established, local and trusted operator.”
Flamingo Land’s chief executive and owner, Gordon Gibb, said: “This is an exciting new venture for us.
“It’s a big challenge for us but we are always up for a challenge at Flamingo Land. We aim to get Alpamare open to the public again in July.”
North Yorkshire Council took possession of the site in December last year when the waterpark’s tenant, Benchmark Leisure Ltd, went into administration.
Alpamare opened in Scarborough’s North Bay in 2016 with the help of a £9m bail-out loan from the now-defunct Scarborough Council.
It went into administration last October still owing the council £7.8m.
Now that a short-term operator has been found, work to find a permanent solution on the future operation of the site will begin.
The water park, which is located off Burniston Road, features a wave pool, a splash and play pool, four state-of-the-art slides, two outdoor pools, an alpine themed spa and treatment area, and a café and terrace bar. It was purpose-built in 2016 overlooking the North Bay in the seaside town.
Flamingo Land is based at Kirby Misperton near Malton with its theme park, zoo and holiday homes attracting thousands of visitors every year.
The company has previously run Pleasure Island in North East Lincolnshire and is the preferred bidder for a new adventure holiday development at Loch Lomond.