Administrators called in at Cornish theme park

A question mark has been left hanging over the future of a popular Cornish theme park after administrators were called in by the owners.

Camel Creek theme park in Wadbridge has been open to the public since 1989 and covers over 111 acres and includes over 40 rides.

Administrators from the financial advisory firm Kroll were appointed on Tuesday.

Geoff Bouchier and Benjamin Wiles have been appointed as joint administrators of Camel Creek Ltd. trading as Camel Creek Family Theme Park.

The park provides family days out focussed on family-friendly rides, indoor and outdoor play areas and animal encounters.

The administrators, who have the support of Camel Creek’s lender, have said they continue to trade the park on a business-as-usual basis.

Camel Creek will remain open as scheduled and all future bookings will be fulfilled. The administrators will be in contact with all those affected as soon as possible.

The administrators will be working with Camel Creek’s leadership team to secure the long-term future of the theme park and further investment in the site.

Benjamin Wiles, Managing Director of Restructuring, Kroll: “Camel Creek family theme Park will continue to operate as normal, with all future bookings fulfilled.  With the support of Camel Creek’s lender, we will work to secure further investment and the long-term future of the park for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

“Camel Creek is looking forward to welcoming lots of families over the summer holiday season and into the future.”

The venue employs around 30 full time staff and more than 220 seasonal staff.

The theme park first opened to the public in 1989 and was originally call the Shire Horse Centre.

The property was then sold to Crealy Great Adventure Parks in 2004.

Following an acquisition in 2015, businessman John Broome purchased the centre and rebranded it as Camel Creek Adventure Park.

It was then bought by Royale Life and is now known as Camel Creek Family Theme Park.

At the same time as purchasing the park, John Broome also purchased nearly 200 acres of land adjacent to it and announced his plans to turn Camel Creek Adventure park into a six-star resort, the first in the UK.

The plans would have created 955 jobs in and around a holiday and leisure park with 236 holiday homes.

After the council granted planning permission for the project in October 2016, work was expected to complete in 2022 but little progress has been made.

A major revamp of the site was announced in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

The planned investment and investment were designed to future proof its business for years to come.

The work was part of a larger development which was designed to transform the park into a £180m leisure resort with lakeside villas, a treehouse hotel, a restaurant, sports and leisure facilities and more rides.

A major overhaul of the park’s IT systems was also planned.

This morning the park’s website is still operating and customers can book tickets.

Both Camel Creek and the administrators have been approached for comment.