Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales, closed its gates permanently in March 2025 after 39 years of operation, citing "unrelenting economic challenges" as the reason. More than a year later, the site remains abandoned, with vegetation gradually reclaiming the area and its future still undecided.
A beloved attraction's rise and fall
The park first opened on 14 April 1987 as a modest leisure attraction, featuring a narrow-gauge railway, go-karting, water slides and a bobsleigh. During the 1990s, it introduced the legendary Megafobia rollercoaster, built at a cost of approximately £1.7 million, followed by a series of larger, more daring rides that drew visitors from across the UK.
In 2006, Oakwood added Speed: No Limits, which at the time was the steepest rollercoaster in the UK. After the park's closure, this ride was acquired and moved to Walygator Sud-Ouest, an amusement park in Agen, France.
Rides removed, others remain
Some attractions have been dismantled or are still standing in fragments, while others have been given a second chance, including Drenched, Treetops, the Pirate Ship and Snake River Falls. The site remains under the control of Aspro Parks, a Spanish leisure conglomerate that owns 68 other parks across Europe, suggesting this Welsh site may not be a top priority.
Aspro acquired the park from the McNarma family in 2008, who had established it in the 1980s to diversify their land holdings. The family business grew into a thriving operation until it became financially unviable.
Official statement and local impact
Aspro issued a statement saying: "In the entire history of Aspro we have never closed any park or attraction. We, and our dedicated team of staff has strived to overcome numerous challenges to continue to bring joy to families and visitors across the region and country. Unfortunately, we could no longer see a sustainable way forward and will seek to improve our other parks using the assets and, where possible, team elsewhere. We are aware that Oakwood has been a much-loved destination for generations and a rite of passage for many young visitors. It is for this reason we feel such a sense of sadness."
Di Clements, county councillor for Pembrokeshire's Martletwy ward, said: "Locally there has been little discussion and comment about the future of the old Oakwood site. No plans have been made public or any that I am aware of. Other local attractions have, over the years, become popular with visitors and locals alike, so Oakwood's closure didn't really have that much of an impact locally, and it had been in steady decline anyway. Whilst some of the old rides have been removed, there are still a number of structures prominent to the skyline. Ideally, if there are no future plans for the site as a theme park, these should be removed. It's not particularly attractive to have rusting and rotting structures visible in such a beautiful area."
The councillor suggested that an "all-weather attraction" would benefit the region. Meanwhile, speculation continues that the site could be redeveloped to extend Bluestone National Park Resort, a holiday destination in the same county.
