Fantaseas
Encyclopedia
Fantaseas was a chain of indoor waterparks situated in the United Kingdom
that opened in the late 1980s, but due to various technical and financial difficulties closed in the mid-nineties. The first was opened in Autumn 1989 on the outskirts of Dartford
in Kent
. The building contained six American-style water slides, a lazy river
, wave pool
, an outdoor heated lagoon as well as a cafe and gaming video arcade
. Visible on the skyline from the nearby M25 motorway
the building dominated the local landscape and became quite an icon of the town.
The flumes in Dartford were was follows:
A second opened in 1990 in Chingford
, London
and featured many of the same rides as the Dartford park, albeit in a different configuration. The Chingford park was considered by some to be 'tamer' than its Dartford counterpart, but still contained many of the same styles of water slides as its predecessor.
In the summer of 1992, it was found the foundations of the Dartford site were slowly sinking and were insufficient in the long term to take the weight of the building built on a hillside. Many considered the parks to be fads and typical of the grandiose get-rich-quick scheme
s of the time. In reality, the company encountered significant financial difficulties with a lack of attendance especially outside of the school holiday seasons. There were also several serious accidents at the Chingford park which tarnished the reputation of the company. This, coupled with high maintenance costs, built up debts of over £6 million in an eighteen-month period. In December 1992, after a short life, Fantaseas went into liquidation and both sites shut down.
The Chingford site lay derelict for a decade before Waltham Forest Council built a new indoor pool, Larkswood Leisure Centre, on the site, which is now shared with a private Green's leisure club and a restaurant.
The Dartford site also lay dormant for almost a decade, but remained in remarkable condition and was guarded by security with scheduled checks on the water pumps and other parts. Its fate was sealed in the early 2000s, when the buildings were demolished. The site was used as a refuse dump and remains derelict, with plans to turn it into housing. There is still evidence of the outdoor pool on the site.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that opened in the late 1980s, but due to various technical and financial difficulties closed in the mid-nineties. The first was opened in Autumn 1989 on the outskirts of Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The building contained six American-style water slides, a lazy river
Lazy river
A lazy river is a water ride found in many amusement parks or water parks. They are also found at some resorts and recreation centers. It usually consists of shallow pool that flows similarly to a river....
, wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
, an outdoor heated lagoon as well as a cafe and gaming video arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
. Visible on the skyline from the nearby M25 motorway
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
the building dominated the local landscape and became quite an icon of the town.
The flumes in Dartford were was follows:
- Mind Blower - The slowest flume, suitable for children
- Cyclone - Slightly faster, water traveled down in a "zig zag" motion
- Double Dipper - Fast flume with sharp bends
- Nightmare - Dark black flume, no vision whilst riding down
- Doom Tube - Very fast, small flume
- Wipeout - The fastest flume with sharp bends
A second opened in 1990 in Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and featured many of the same rides as the Dartford park, albeit in a different configuration. The Chingford park was considered by some to be 'tamer' than its Dartford counterpart, but still contained many of the same styles of water slides as its predecessor.
In the summer of 1992, it was found the foundations of the Dartford site were slowly sinking and were insufficient in the long term to take the weight of the building built on a hillside. Many considered the parks to be fads and typical of the grandiose get-rich-quick scheme
Get-rich-quick scheme
A get-rich-quick scheme is a plan to acquire high rates of return for a small investment. The term "get rich quick" has been used to describe shady investments since at least the early 1900s....
s of the time. In reality, the company encountered significant financial difficulties with a lack of attendance especially outside of the school holiday seasons. There were also several serious accidents at the Chingford park which tarnished the reputation of the company. This, coupled with high maintenance costs, built up debts of over £6 million in an eighteen-month period. In December 1992, after a short life, Fantaseas went into liquidation and both sites shut down.
The Chingford site lay derelict for a decade before Waltham Forest Council built a new indoor pool, Larkswood Leisure Centre, on the site, which is now shared with a private Green's leisure club and a restaurant.
The Dartford site also lay dormant for almost a decade, but remained in remarkable condition and was guarded by security with scheduled checks on the water pumps and other parts. Its fate was sealed in the early 2000s, when the buildings were demolished. The site was used as a refuse dump and remains derelict, with plans to turn it into housing. There is still evidence of the outdoor pool on the site.