Rollercoaster fans mourn 'shock' Oakwood closure

A rollercoaster enthusiast mourning the closure of Wales' largest theme park has been left worried for the future of its most iconic ride.

Charlotte Brandford, from London, travels the world to go on rollercoasters and has reached as far as Japan for her thrill-seeking hobby which she blogs about online under the name Diary of a Rollercoaster Girl.

The 41-year-old said Oakwood's Megafobia was "one of the best" rollercoasters in the UK and is incomparable to other attractions.

Oakwood, in Pembrokeshire, announced it will shut with immediate effect after almost 40 years due to a drop in visitor numbers.

The theme park back in 2016

Ms Brandford said her love for rollercoasters came from her dad, who shared her high adrenaline passion and took her theme parks.

Following Oakwood's closure, Ms Brandford said she was concerned for the future of rides including Megafobia, a wooden rollercoaster which opened in 1996 and has a global following.

Ms Brandford said despite the attraction being a long drive away, the journey from London was always worth it.

"It's one of my favourite parks, especially because it's got Megafobia," she said.

The last time Ms Brandford visited the park was in 2023 - shortly after a £1.6m investment into the rollercoaster.

"I really thought back then the future was bright if they were spending and investing all this money into the park," she said.

"It's fast, it's relentless. It just gives you that good time. There isn't a coaster in the UK that's really much like that."

Ms Brandford hopes someone will save the park, but if that is not possible, she would like to see rides like Megafobia get a new home.

"I would like to see them all have a home, but especially Megafobia. It's just a shame that we might be losing them to mainland Europe," she said.

Ms Brandford said she was concerned less people are visiting smaller parks.

Frontierland and Camelot, which she visited as a child, have closed and now Oakwood has followed suit, she added.

"It is worrying because there's not enough visitors going there. They're sticking to the bigger parks with the more marketing, the bigger parks that are enticing them in."

Ms Brandford said there is a "lot of nostalgia" attached to the smaller parks.

"There's nothing else around Oakwood. It's going to be a long way for them to travel to any kind of attraction," she said.

Ms Brandford said she wished she had "visited a lot more" and questioned what options there would be for families and school trips in the area.

"It's got quite a lot of nostalgia from other rides that they've brought in there. That's the most upsetting part of all of this, that we may be losing some really good rides, and really good costs."

The chairman of the Welsh Tourism Alliance says the closure is a "huge shock"

Rowland Rees Evans, chairman of the Welsh Tourism Alliance, said the closure was "very sad and a huge shock".

He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the decision is a big blow "not just to Pembrokeshire, but to the industry and to the whole of Wales".

Mr Evans added Covid, the cost of living crisis and upcoming National Insurance changes for employers have led to many businesses reaching the conclusion that their future is "unsustainable".

"I think the dwindling numbers is not just to theme parks, it's been happening across the industry and people coming to Wales as well," he said.

"The expense of everything at the moment and once you reduce the numbers the model doesn't work."

A spokesperson for nearby holiday park Bluestone National Park Resort said they were "saddened" a much-loved attraction was closing.

"As a neighbour, we recognise its contribution to local tourism and the many memories it has created for visitors and residents alike," they said.

Speaking at the Senedd on Wednesday, Welsh Conservative Samuel Kurtz MS said it was a "devastating closure" for people across Wales.

"I will now work hard to support the staff into new employment and find a new buyer for the site," he added.

Responding, the Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans said the news was "unexpected" for the Welsh government.

"We found out about it at the same time as others," she said.

The minister added that the Welsh government was in contact with people who "might have a commercial interest in the site".

A Welsh government spokesperson said it wanted to "work closely" with the Welsh tourism sector to help address the challenges businesses face.

"Tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life," it added.