Reader TTS

THE RESORT FIRST OPENED ITS GATES 40 YEARS AGO AND WAS CONSIDERED A RITE OF PASSAGE FOR MANY 11:44, 21 May 2025 Earlier this year, the news that Oakwood Theme Park, one of only two theme

parks in Wales and the largest, was closing down left many heartbroken. The park, which has been a source of joy for families and children for 40 years, announced its immediate closure on

March 4. The Spanish leisure company, Aspro Parks, owns Oakwood among its 68 other attractions across Europe. However, one determined Welsh local is keen to see it return. For him and many

others who grew up in Wales, the theme park "was a rite of passage". The resident, who did not want to be named, has established an organisation named Richens Leisure Projects

(RLP). They have proposed a plan to resurrect the beloved theme park, fuelled by their own cherished childhood memories of Oakwood. They said: "I grew up in west Wales. I remember every

queue, every hill climb, every first drop. "Oakwood wasn't just a theme park - it was a rite of passage for kids in this country. You didn't just go there. You remembered

it." The park's owners stated that shutting down was the only feasible solution after grappling with financial troubles and a declining visitor count over the years, reports Wales

Online. RLP's new proposal aims to stimulate employment in the Pembrokeshire area, where the park has lost some of its iconic rides, with projections of creating over 100 seasonal job

opportunities. RLP announced they've drawn up a phased capital reinvestment strategy aimed at reviving infrastructure at their site in order to 're-establish Oakwood as a national

leisure destination'. Explaining their intentions, they said: "This isn't about nostalgia - it's about rebuilding pride. It's about giving today's kids the same

memories we had, only with something stronger behind it: community ownership and a long-term plan." They also expressed a willingness to engage with the current owners, saying:

"If the park's future is undecided, we'd welcome the chance to speak to the owners. We're not here to pressure - we're here to restore what still means

something." They added: "This has been a quiet, locally driven effort to put a serious and respectful proposal forward for Oakwood. It's about long-term sustainability,

community benefit, and giving a much-loved Welsh destination a proper future - not a rebrand or a quick flip." Commenting on the status of their offer, they added: "Right now, the

proposal has been submitted to the current owners and remains open. We've tried to do things properly, without noise or pressure. But when something this significant sits dormant - and

there's a credible route forward - it's natural that people start asking questions." While keeping details under wraps, the spokesperson assured: "I'm not in a

position to disclose financials or backers while the ownership remains unresolved - but the figures are solid, the strategy is backed by real modelling, and the ambition matches the scale of

what Oakwood could be. This isn't a concept. It's a prepared, actionable plan that can move the moment a conversation opens." RLP has reached out to the current owner of the

park with its proposal, but a formal response is yet to be received. Aspro Parks, the current owners, have also been contacted by WalesOnline for comment but have not responded. The

announcement of Oakwood's closure sparked mixed reactions, with some arguing it should have shut down years ago, while others mourned the loss of the once thriving attraction. Article

continues below Following the news of the closure, a petition was launched in a bid to save the theme park.