New Palace and Adventureland in New Brighton near Liverpool, which dates back to the 1900s, was the brainchild of rope factory worker George Wilkie
A traditional seaside resort has been crowned the UK’s ‘number one’ by the public. New Palace and Adventureland in New Brighton, a seaside resort town in Merseyside, which dates back to the 1900s, was the brainchild of rope factory worker George Wilkie, who began creating quirky inventions like an aerial ropeway and reversible joy wheel.
He secured a tenancy in the original Palace building, and the indoor fairground quickly became a hit, helping New Brighton evolve into a bustling holiday hotspot that was ‘on the map before Blackpool’. The New Palace Amusement Centre on New Brighton Promenade opened its doors in 1939, costing £11,000.
Nowadays, the outdoor fairground features dodgems, small dippers, a fun house, pirate ship, caterpillar coaster, tea cups, waltzers and circus train. Inside Adventureland, there’s a castle with drawbridge and turrets, a giant six-lane slide, basketball challenge, snakes and ladders slides and rope bridges, inflatables, a goal shoot, a construction area, trampoline, 25ft climbing wall, sensory room, ball pool and toddler play area. There’s also an airsoft shooting range and arcade.
It’s been named number one on the Seaside Heritage Network’s Bucket and Spade List of favourite seaside spots and experiences, as voted for by the public. The list also includes other destinations not too far from Birmingham, such as Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier, Blackpool’s Showtown Museum and the Great Orme Tramway and Goats in Llandudno, reports Birmingham Live.
One enthusiastic supporter speaking about New Palace and Adventureland remarked, “I have been visiting the New Palace since I was five-years-old and now take my grandchildren who love it. The building is iconic and very little has changed in 65 years. It is part of New Brighton’s heritage from an era when New Brighton was the place to be seen. It has everything quintessentially seaside: amusements, ice cream, beachwear, cafes and candy floss.”
While reviews on TripAdvisor are mixed, with some visitors describing it as ‘tired and in need of updating’, others hail it as the ‘best experience ever’. Visitors should note that New Palace and Adventureland only open at weekends outside of school holidays and Bank Holidays.
Representatives from the Seaside Heritage Network were buoyant, with a spokesman outlining, “Several themes came out in the comments from voters and the sense of continuity these places and experiences provide was key. People have a great nostalgia for the things they enjoyed in childhood and they are grateful for the opportunity to pass that on to the next generation.”
The spokesman also added, “Our winners were routinely praised for their family focus and friendly staff too. We firmly believe that embracing the power of seaside heritage to connect with people anew can help coastal places blighted by social and economic problems. It’s brilliant to have such a varied and cherished Top Ten.”
