Harbour Park
Encyclopedia
Harbour Park is an amusement park
in the coastal resort of Littlehampton
, West Sussex
, England. Opened in 1932, it is situated on the beach, adjacent to the working Harbour & Marina. The Park Features traditional rides plus other modern attractions.
The park was started in 1932 by Billy Butlin
on the site of the old east bank fort and windmill It was easily spotted from a distance by the presence of a large roller coaster on the roof known as "The Wild Mouse
". Early pictures of this can be viewed in the West Sussex past pictures archive reference numbers PP/WSL/PC005524 & PP/WSL/TC001729. A picture of the old site prior to construction is also available reference number PP/WSL/PC005512.
During the war the park closed from 1941–1945 and the building was used for storage and the gathering of troops going overseas. The building suffered bomb damage during that time; but was repaired and reopened after the war as part of the Butlin's Empire, that were later purchased by the Rank Organisation
.
In 1977, the park was bought from the Rank Organisation
by the Billy Smart Circus family and was re-named Smart's Amusement Park. They set about re-equipping it into a family Amusement centre with a selection of indoor rides, including a hall of mirrors
In 1994 the current owner, Gary Smart oversaw a sizable redevelopment of the site. The name changed from Smart’s Amusement Park to the contemporary Harbour Park, which reflected the theme running throughout the site and its unique location on the seafront and riverside. Over the next few years major works were undertaken and the final phase was completed in the year 2000. The roller coasters were removed during this time.
Harbour Park entered the new millennium with a new look, whilst managing to retain the Smart family values of providing a friendly, fun and entertaining family venue. In fact, Billy Smart still watches over the park in the form of a magnificent bronze statue located in the main building.
2007 saw another major investment of £750,000 including the addition of a log flume. Supplier DPV Rides of Italy developed a water ride that would feature a 6.5 metre drop, inside a 34 x 14 metre footprint.
In 2009 the indoor artificial skating rink was replaced by the soft play area.
(RCDB).
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in the coastal resort of Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England. Opened in 1932, it is situated on the beach, adjacent to the working Harbour & Marina. The Park Features traditional rides plus other modern attractions.
History
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Harbour Park | (1995 to Present) |
| Smarts Amusement Park | (1977 to 1994) |
| Butlins Park | (1932 to 1976) |
The park was started in 1932 by Billy Butlin
Billy Butlin
Sir William Heygate Edmund Colborne Butlin, , was a British, South Africa-born entrepreneur whose name is synonymous with the British holiday camp.American Heritage Dictionary 2004, p. 135.Scott 2001, p. 5...
on the site of the old east bank fort and windmill It was easily spotted from a distance by the presence of a large roller coaster on the roof known as "The Wild Mouse
Wild Mouse roller coaster
A Wild Mouse roller coaster is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars that seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces...
". Early pictures of this can be viewed in the West Sussex past pictures archive reference numbers PP/WSL/PC005524 & PP/WSL/TC001729. A picture of the old site prior to construction is also available reference number PP/WSL/PC005512.
During the war the park closed from 1941–1945 and the building was used for storage and the gathering of troops going overseas. The building suffered bomb damage during that time; but was repaired and reopened after the war as part of the Butlin's Empire, that were later purchased by the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
.
In 1977, the park was bought from the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
by the Billy Smart Circus family and was re-named Smart's Amusement Park. They set about re-equipping it into a family Amusement centre with a selection of indoor rides, including a hall of mirrors
In 1994 the current owner, Gary Smart oversaw a sizable redevelopment of the site. The name changed from Smart’s Amusement Park to the contemporary Harbour Park, which reflected the theme running throughout the site and its unique location on the seafront and riverside. Over the next few years major works were undertaken and the final phase was completed in the year 2000. The roller coasters were removed during this time.
Harbour Park entered the new millennium with a new look, whilst managing to retain the Smart family values of providing a friendly, fun and entertaining family venue. In fact, Billy Smart still watches over the park in the form of a magnificent bronze statue located in the main building.
2007 saw another major investment of £750,000 including the addition of a log flume. Supplier DPV Rides of Italy developed a water ride that would feature a 6.5 metre drop, inside a 34 x 14 metre footprint.
In 2009 the indoor artificial skating rink was replaced by the soft play area.
Attractions
There have been a large variety of indoor and outdoor rides and attractions. Some of the rides are described at the Roller Coaster DataBaseRoller Coaster DataBase
The Roller Coaster DataBase is an extensive roller coaster and amusement park database. RCDB was started in 1996 by Duane Marden, who still operates the site...
(RCDB).
| Attraction | Type | Suitable for | Height range | Added | Removed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CaterPillar Coaster | Wacky Worm Wacky Worm (roller coaster) Wacky Worm is a kids' roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. It first appeared in the Americana section of the park in 1993. It is now in the Camp Snoopy section, although it never changed positions... |
Family | Min 0.8m Accompanied Min 1.1m Lone Rider | 23/3/2008 | RCDB Data available | |
| Dodgems | Family | |||||
| Hiccup | Family | Min 1m | Mini-drop tower | |||
| The Pony Gallopers | Carousel Carousel A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders... |
Small Children | Small Children Only, Not appropriate for infants | |||
| Logger's Revenge | Log Flume Log flume (attraction) Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats... |
Family | Min 1m accompanied Min 1.2m Lone Rider | 2007 | Water Chute with a 7.5m waterfall drop | |
| Waltzer | Waltzer Waltzer A waltzer is a fairground ride that consists of a number of cars which are free to spin individually while rotating around a central point like a carousel. The floor of the ride is not flat and the cars rise and fall gently as the ride spins, the weight of the riders causing each car to rotate... |
Family | Type W43 | |||
| The Spinning Barrels | Teacups Teacups Teacups is an amusement ride characterized by cup-style spinning vehicles atop a turntable-like floor.-Operation:Typically, each set of four teacup vehicles has a circular floor or a motor capable of turning 360 degrees. The circular floor or motor sits within a larger, turntable-like floor... |
Youngsters | Small children only | |||
| The Flying Fantasy Animals | Family | Min 1m Accompanied Min 1.3m Lone Rider | ||||
| The Crazy Bikes | Teens+ | Min 1.5m | Pedal as fast as you can to take a 360 degree spin around | |||
| Formula 1 Circuit | Youngsters | Small children only. Not suitable for adults or older children | Youngsters can beep the horn on the Barbie Car or ring the bell on the Fire Engine etc. | |||
| Fantasy Train | Youngsters | Small children only | ||||
| The Bouncy Aquarium | Children | Up to age 11 max. | ||||
| Trampolines | Children | Up to age 11 max. | ||||
| The Giant's Slide | Family | Min height 90 cm. Min age 4 years. | ||||
| House of Mystery | Family | PG advised | Formerly Horror Hotel | |||
| Sharkesville Crazy Golf | Family | Shipwreck themed 9 holes | ||||
| Miner's Gold Rush | Family | Collect the pieces of gold you find and trade them in for a prize at the weighing station | ||||
| Indoor Soft Play Area | Children | Up to 1.58m max. | includes an over 3's section and a separate 3 & under section. This allows older children to run round and enjoy multi-level platforms, cannon ball blasters, ball volcano, ramps and rope swings. Whilst, the toddlers, can be at ease in a mini ball pond, see-through observation tunnel, mini slide and soft toys. | |||
| Indoor Skating Rink | Family | 2009 | Replaced with the soft play area | |||
| Amusement Arcade | Family | The main building arcade has video drivers, shooters, pushers, prize games and cranes. The fishing village building is home to skill prize ticket games. | ||||
| Farmyard Friends Chicken Show | Family | sing-a-long with the chickens to scare the Fox off! This show is free every hour during school holidays |
Refreshment Areas
- A maritime themed Galley Restaurant & Tea Rooms (serving tea the old-fashioned way with real leaves)
- The Harbour Coffee House, which offers a selection of hot and cold food, and frothy hot chocolate with marshmallows
- The Riverside Parlours serving hot fresh doughnuts, ice creams & other light refreshments.