Blackpool Pleasure Beach has moved to firm up the date of the reopening of the Valhalla dark water ride to 12 April.
Previously the Lancashire amusement park was advising that the Intamin ride would re-open “after 7 April”.
The ride has not operated since 2019, when it was closed for refurbishment works. Its reopening has seen repeated delays.
As of yesterday the Pleasure Beach was still responding to guest queries by saying the ride would open “after” 7 April, which is Good Friday.
But late this afternoon the park said that what it calls “technical rehearsals” will begin from 12 April.
Criticism
The late announcement on the eve of Good Friday has been met with considerable criticism from customers on social media.
The Pleasure Beach responded by saying its original announcement stated “after the 7th” and that “no definitive date” had been given until now.
The park said that it was sorry for any inconvenience caused by the late announcement.
Adam Slevin, Director of Creative, Design & Experience, previously said: “We are initially opening Valhalla for technical rehearsals which means that the ride may operate intermittently throughout the day and some elements of the attraction may not be functioning.”
Upon closing the 2000-built ride for refurbishment in 2019, the Pleasure Beach said that sustainability was a large reason for the work, amid widely-understood high running costs.