Call for Flambards village to reopen for farewell

Flambards' Victorian village had recreations of period shops and homes, as well as life-like mannequins in vintage clothes

A Flambards fan whose parents were involved with the attraction when it first opened in the 1970s has set up a petition asking for the theme park's historical exhibits to be reopened for one final weekend.

Fran Terry, who grew up in Helston, wrote to Flambards managers after hearing that the attraction had closed on Monday and set up a Facebook Group and online petition calling for a "farewell weekend" for the Victorian village and Britain in the Blitz exhibits.

Mr Terry said he had expected some support locally, but he had been inundated with messages from across Cornwall and further afield.

A spokesperson for Flambards said they had no specific plan to reopen the village for one weekend, but had shared the request with directors.

Fran Terry has set up an online petition calling for a farewell weekend for the Victorian village

Mr Terry said: "I grew up with the place, I used to go there every single weekend."

While he started visiting for the rides, the park's exhibitions awakened his interest in history, he said.

He said he found history a "dry" subject at school, but at Flambards he could see it with his own eyes.

"The history envelopes you and makes you think 'what a time this would have been'," said Mr Terry.

Facebook users were quick to get behind the campaign, with the group reaching 1,000 followers within its first 24 hours.

Chris Dormer, who was at the park's original opening, wrote in the group saying he would "love to visit for the last time".

Fellow group member Alison Marchant said Flambards was her "favourite attraction" in the UK, adding it was "such a beautiful, special place that really does hold a piece of my heart - the way it makes me feel when I'm there is extraordinary".

Family connection

Mr Terry's parents were friends of the park's original owner, Douglas Hale MBE, and took the first photos of the Victorian village for the theme park's official postcards when it first opened in the 1970s.

Mr Terry said his mother, Averil, developed a life-long dislike of mannequins during the photoshoot, as she was helping to set up the photos but was "freaked out by these dead things", especially when some of their arms fell off.

His father, an engineer at Goonhilly Satellite Station, also put together an exhibition of prototype satellite dish designs he had helped design, Mr Terry said.

And his grandmother donated some Victorian items to the village when it opened, he said.