Rotherham Gulliver's Valley Theme park opens

The attraction will create 120 jobs and is aimed at children from two to 13-years-old, the company said

A new theme park has opened on the site of a former coal mine in South Yorkshire.

The opening of Gulliver's Valley in Rotherham was postponed earlier in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Julie Dalton, the park's managing director, said "The last few months have been tough to say the least."

The park is to initially operate on a limited capacity with only pre-booked tickets to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

The site's opening will create more than 120 jobs, according to the company.

Covering more than 300 acres the £37m project features about 30 rides and attractions and more are planned, it added.

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Gulliver's Valley is the fourth site for a Gulliver's resort, the first opened in Matlock Bath in 1978

The opencast colliery site was sold to the group by the council in 2015, it housed the former Brookhouse Colliery that closed in 1985.

Temperature checks

Councillor Chris Read, the leader of Rotherham Council, said: "The site at Pit House West for too long stood vacant, so it is brilliant to see the fabulous project realised in bricks and mortar."

A number of safety measures are in place including temperature checks on arrival, social distancing measures as well as advanced booking.

Ms Dalton said: "It is a beautiful site, well-positioned for the road network but it has been a very frustrating time.

"There's no guidebook for opening a business, let alone a new park, during a pandemic.

"We are just making sure everybody stays safe."

The family-owned attraction is aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old.

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