Cam-A-Not... ***Image Intensive***

[TeeJF]

The Arthurian themed leisure attraction Camelot closed at the end of the 2012 season though having wandered around it yesterday, just 6 months after closure, seeing first hand how tacky and... well... grotty it actually is, I'm surprised it lasted so long.

A report on the BeeBeeBCeeB had this to say:​

Camelot Theme Park in Lancashire has closed, with the operator blaming a decline in visitors for the decision.

The attraction at Charnock Richard, near Chorley, has been open for 29 years and employs more than 150 people during summer months.

Operator Knights Leisure announced it would not reopen for the 2013 season.

Roy Page, managing director of Knights Leisure, said poor summer weather and events such as London 2012 and the Queen's Jubilee hit visitor numbers.

He said: "Following a number of years of declining visitor numbers, the 2012 season proved particularly challenging.

"Whilst we have become used to inclement summer weather in the UK during the past few years, a combination of the wettest summer for 100 years, the Queen's Jubilee celebrations followed by the spectacular television coverage of the Olympic Games during our busiest months of the summer and the school holidays had a major impact on visitors to Camelot.

"I would like to thank all the staff who have helped to make Camelot Theme Park one of the region's most entertaining visitor attractions and our many loyal visitors for their continued support over the past 29 wonderful years."

Lindsay Hoyle, MP for Chorley, said: "I think it's sad. Camelot seems to have had a troubled history in recent times, but it's still popular, people still turn up and come from all over the country.

"I think it does need new investment to revitalise it. Obviously we have had a new owner - people said it was a new beginning for Camelot, but obviously it has not worked out."

There's not much else to say about this place so on with the piccies...​

The car park leads in to the main entrance...

...and away to the ride areas.

The entrance fee wasn't expensive for Camelot so they made up for it with merchandising everywhere you look.

Beyond yet more merchandising is the Pirate Ship ride.

The height of sartorial elegance if your name is Jack Sparrow...

Appalling signage or a deliberate pun? You decide.

All aboard me hearties

The ride operator's aide memoire in his cabin.

The high level dragon monorail.

Such a lovely fella

Pendragon's Plunge, a sort of cross between a water chute and a log flume ride.

This bit sort of reminds me of Jane Mansfield lying down

It doesn't look much of a descent but it's surprisingly long.

The obligatory dizzy making bit...

Arrival time where I don't doubt they took your photo to sell you at a nominal price.

Roll up, roll up! Try your luck and win a wonderful prize.

The jousting ring where knights in shining armour would fight for your delight and delectation.

Part of the high level monorail ride passes overhead.

A corporate hospitality suite where you can pay masses of money to Camelot and stage your own event in impressive surroundings.
You think I'm joking Then zoom in on the sign and see for yourself

This should read "Moses the Tesco beef burger"...

Stained glass photocopies.

Mmmm! Smell that chip fat! A quality environment for the consumption of haute cuisine.

You can have anything you like so long as it is deep fried.

A very rusty big dipper. It's not quite the Pepsi Max but I bet it was a ring twitcher none the less.

Wooooooo Smiffy's Dungeon of Doom. Enter at your peril.

An animatronic dragon...

...complete with moving jaw and laser eyes

He's been here since the park closed last October...

Note to all employees... any staff found acting in a frivolous manner will be banished to Smiffy's Dungeon of Doom.

Quality props...

Just hanging around...

I want my mummy...

Call Time Team, I think we just found where King Arthur was buried

Anorexia is a terrible, terrible problem

Who's this 'erbert? Oh it's TJ

Scarper It's secca




And that moy luvvers is yor lot ​

 

[Stealthstar79]

Cracking report, what a great mooch!
Must have been good fun..
Thanks!

 

[oldscrote]

Ah thanks for that folks,looks like a fun days exploring.I do like a tacky theme park, though I do wonder how long before the idiots get in and trash the place

 

[MrDan]

I've always fancied this as an explore, loved the report with the humour and I can't believe how awful those props are!

 

[TeeJF]

Hee hee... yeah, awful is right where the props are concerned. It makes me laugh that this sort of guff scared me half to death when I was about 8 or 9.

There's very little in the way of trashing as yet though it's clear from the discarded metal cable armour which we found in the bushes that the pykeys are already "at it". It won't take long but then judging by the state of some of the buildings it was well on the way towards dilapidation even before it closed down.

Thanks for all your kind comments guys.

 

[UE-OMJ]

What a brilliant report. Nice one!

 

[sonyes]

Excellent stuff there bud......loved the report, and the pics are excellent as usual.

 

[UrbanX]

Not even heard of this one, well donr for doing it, I bet it will be more popular in the next couple of weeks than when it was open!
Fantastic pics as usual! Cheers for sharing!

 

[night crawler]

Seen the place advertised in the past shame it ended up like that.

 

[muppet]

cracking report and pics look like a good nose thanks for posting

 

[TeeJF]

Seen the place advertised in the past shame it ended up like that.

It was always on the cards mate because it was so tacky and shoddy. Reading between the lines we actually wonder if the place had major safety issues too and that perhaps they'd been told to get their house in order before re-opening with the result that it would cost too much to do so.

We spotted buildings in one part of the site which had bare chipboard walls open to the elements and of course the chipboard was rotten and falling away in lumps. Plus I stepped on part of a walk way out to a ride and it went straight through under my weight. Now whilst my weight is appreciable and admittedly I was stepping on an unsupported section outside the normal walk way the open end of that particular section will wick water through by capillary action so I suspect the entire walk way is severely weakened.

But just looking around the place we were appalled at the amount of pealing paint everywhere.

Thanks for your kind comments guys.

 

[peterc4]

Good stuff must try and get here as it. Has not got long

 

[HughieD]

What a fantastically different place. Great report too. Thank you for sharing...

 

[PROJ3CTM4YH3M]

Nice report mate! Its a good little explore this one certainly a bit different. Visited recently myself and I've found through my research on the place that the other remaining main coaster the Knightmare is sold to an american themepark so I suspect they will follow in the footsteps of the yellow one and be dismantled soon Yopu covered some bits we missed so glad to see those! And how much fun is that ghost train in the pitch black haha

 

[demon-pap]

cracking report this place looks a good mooch, thanks for sharing

 

[Walrus75]

The high level dragon monorail.

I wouldn't fancy a ride on that dragon... what's the thing on the left??


I remember it opening and I could never get my head around what King Arthur and Camelot had to do with mid Lancashire. Very tacky looking place, pleased I never wasted my money there.

 

[tigger2013]

Great report ill be uploading my report shortly but those chp fryers still contained the fat mmmmm yummy

 

[flyboys90]

Thats different! TEEJF

 

[TeeJF]

Thats different! TEEJF

Cheers man!

 

[jhluxton]

Great seeing what it looks like after closure. During the last few years the school where I work used to go to Camelot for an annual day out. It was really tacky and should have closed years ago. No wonder it failed it was open for so few days each year.