Much-loved Scottish theme park Loudoun Castle, which delighted families for 15 years, was forced to close suddenly and now stands eerily abandoned. Hidden within the grounds of a 19th-century castle, this attraction was beloved by locals and visitors alike, yet when the doors closed, it was left to rot.
A Beloved Family Destination
Kids of the 1990s will remember this family theme park for its thrilling rides and beautiful castle setting, but all that remains now is a derelict site. After 15 years of fun, the theme park had to close its doors to the public, leaving fans devastated and the site empty and unloved.
Loudoun Castle was a theme park based on the grounds of the 19th-century building, set around the ruins in the Loudoun area of Ayrshire, Scotland. It first opened to the public in 1995 after the 594-acre estate was bought by Lands Improvement Holdings plc. They developed the theme park over a few years, and by the mid-90s it was the new and exciting place to be in Scotland.
In 1998, the park was sold to traveling showman Raymond Codona before it was then resold again to Henk Bembom's Parkware Ltd in 2003, and both sales saw major changes to the park.
Investment and Popular Rides
Over the course of this time, it's reported that roughly £9 million was invested into the attraction to fund new rides and areas, making it all the more appealing to families. Some of its best-known rides included the Gold Rush, the four-man bob-style rollercoaster, the Twist 'n' Shout roller-coaster, Barnstormer, Wacky Worm, Crow's Nest, and Jammy Dodgems.
On a Facebook post commemorating the site, people shared their memories and stories of Loudoun Castle. One person said: 'Made many, many, many visits there, family days out, primary school trips and a random Tuesday in the summer holidays lol. It was always a lot of fun; loved the pirate ship that went upside down, and the roller coaster was great.' Another wrote: 'It was the best park for family days out, just wish I could take my grandchildren, sadly there isn't anything like it in Scotland.' One user added: 'Have many happy memories of this place it was a stunning place, and the theme park and animal centre catered for everyone.'
Tragedy and Closure
On 15 July 2007, the amusement park became the scene of a tragedy when an 18-year-old ride operator named Mark tragically died on the site. The teenager fell an eye-watering 80 feet from a roller coaster he was pushing, known as The Rat, after it had gotten stuck on the track. The young man was rushed to hospital for treatment but devastatingly died there on 16 July 2007. The incident was taken to court, where the jury found the park owners not guilty of failing to provide the correct training and supervision at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in October 2009.
The case received widespread attention, and it wasn't long before the park announced its closure, a year later in September 2010. Henk Bembom of Parkware Ltd stated that it was 'no longer economically viable,' and not much else was said on the matter.
Current State
The castle itself remains a Category A listed building, and so the possibilities of any sort of redevelopment of its ruins remain very unlikely. All that exists now of the once-popular theme park are the memories of those who loved to spend their summers adrenaline-fuelled on the many famous rides.
