Southport Pleasureland is an amusement park located in Southport, Merseyside, England. The park originally operated from 1913 to 2006 as Pleasureland Theme Park under the ownership of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach company. In 2007, the park re-opened under the ownership of Norman Wallis.
The first Pleasureland had operated since 1913 as a sister amusement park to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. In 2005, the park introduced an entrance fee, which proved unpopular and resulted in a serious downturn in the number of visitors. On 5 September 2006 it closed, due to a claimed lack of return on investments.
A number of rides, including the Traumatizer, were moved to the company’s site at Blackpool.
Traumatizer (June 2006)
The park included several historical rides such as the Cyclone wooden rollercoaster; on 14 September 2006, pictures were released onto the Internet of people dismantling the Cyclone, much to the dismay of local residents, Pleasureland fans, and coaster enthusiasts. On 18 September 2006, two protesters climbed to the top of the Cyclone in an attempt to save it. The protest lasted for three hours, after which the protesters came down over police concerns regarding the distraction they posed to passing motorists. There was a petition co-ordinated by a group of coaster enthusiasts to try and save the ride, but this effort also failed. The Cyclone was demolished on 20 November 2006.