Halloween crowds boosting footfall at theme parks

Legoland Windsor has introduced new attractions this year as part of its Brick or Treat event

The rising popularity of Halloween means October is fast becoming as busy as August for UK theme parks, according to resorts giant Merlin Entertainments.

It used the example of Legoland Windsor, which has been marking Halloween for several years but is now expanding its offering.

Merlin Entertainments, which also owns Thorpe Park and Alton Towers, said August now accounted for about a fifth of its annual profit - but October was catching up.

Other venues across the country have also reported growing demand.

Linsey White, head of public relations at Legoland Windsor, said Halloween had become "incredibly important" to the venue.

"It's one of our most exciting and popular events of the annual calendar," she said.

"In the last several years, we've seen footfall significantly increase.

"October alone this year will see thousands of guests enter our resort on a daily basis."

To meet growing demand, new attractions have been added to the annual Brick or Treat event, including a Lego pumpkin display and a live disco show hosted by Lord Vampyre.

Legoland's Linsey White told the BBC Halloween was becoming one of the venue's busiest times

Merlin chief executive Fiona Eastwood said October was "as significant" as the peak summer season for the attractions giant, which also owns theme parks in the UK and overseas, including Chessington World of Adventures.

The BBC also visited Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire to see the impact the annual celebration was having on footfall.

Pippa Shirley, the manor's director, said it had embraced Halloween over the past decade.

"[Interest in Halloween] has definitely been increasing year-on-year – I'd say probably in the past five to 10 it's really been picking up pace," she said.

"In America Halloween has always been a huge thing… and it sometimes takes a little while for these trends to make their way across the Atlantic."

'Lost the meaning'

She said "the real appetite" for the celebration meant there were plans to invest more in Halloween events in the future.

But while Halloween is big business, some fear its original meaning is being lost.

Rev Mark Nam, from St John The Evangelist Church in Reading, said: "I don't think it's frustrating so much that Halloween has become commercialised, but it's sad because it reflects that people have lost the meaning behind it.

"From my understanding, the origins of Halloween are actually with the church.

"They used to call it All Hallows' Eve, and the whole point was that it was the night before All Saint's Day, where we celebrate light."