Hugely nostalgic UK fairground closes forever leaving fans ‘gutted’ – as owners blame ‘very remote location’

A FAMILY-favourite fairground has closed for the past clip aft 20 years aft struggling with the distant location.

Revellers were said to beryllium "gutted" aft Dingles Fairground Museum successful Okehampton, Devon made the "difficult decision".

Owners of the much-loved attraction said they couldn't spot a aboriginal astatine the agrarian coastal site.

They archetypal announced the planned closure successful March this year, erstwhile the Fairground Heritage Trust said: "A ample fig of factors person combined to unit the trustees to instrumentality this precise hard decision.

"Since the pandemic, it is progressively wide that with a constricted season, a distant tract and a scattered, agrarian section colonisation the tract is not viable arsenic a stand-alone single-product depository attraction.

"In addition, we person long-benefitted from favourable rents and, arsenic our lease is owed to expire shortly, that volition inevitably pb to further outgo increases.

"This, taken unneurotic with aforementioned reasons, we tin spot nary viable way to proceed to run successful Devon."

Dingles closed for the past clip this play and bid fans an affectional farewell connected Facebook.

"The Fairground Museum (Dingles) has present closed for good. We would similar to convey each our visitors and friends for your enactment implicit the past years," they wrote.

"So galore radical person enactment their bosom and psyche into gathering the spot up into what it has go implicit the past 20 years. We are gutted to beryllium closing .

"We are incredibly arrogant of what we person achieved. Our wonderful, affable squad person enjoyed entertaining you, celebrating with you and helping you, our visitors of each ages person fun.

"The postulation volition determination to a much cardinal location, Statfold Country Park, Tamworth, Staffs. It volition beryllium housed successful a purpose-built depository building, successful a state parkland mounting with quality trails.

"There is simply a prime of cafes, constrictive gauge railway, brushed play barn, retro roller disco, mini golf, escaped parking and caravan and motorhome facilities . An approx 3hr 15 min thrust from Exeter, 3 hrs by Rail from Exeter nonstop to Tamworth. Statfold is 3 miles by bus."

Most of the rides volition beryllium moved to Statfold Country Park adjacent Tamworth.

The remaining volition beryllium relocated to a retention facility.

Staff shared a drawback of them connected the bumper cars and thanked visitors for "all their enactment implicit the years".

"We volition miss seeing you smile, proceeding you laughter (and scream) and being portion of making your blessed memories," they added.

People flocked to the remark conception to praise the vintage fairground.

"Such a pity, but we privation you each the precise champion of luck for the future," 1 wrote.

"Thank you truthful overmuch for each the memories and joyousness you brought to maine and my household erstwhile we visited. So galore years we visited during the summertime reliving the enjoyment the rides gave to truthful galore connected determination travels," different echoed.

"Such and astonishing spot a immense nonaccomplishment for Devon but convey you for each the amusive and memories which volition ne'er beryllium forgotten," wrote a third.