A FAMILY favourite fairground attraction has announced that it’s closing its doors for good.
Dingles Fairground museum was home to the national fairground collection, which featured fairground art, historic rides, fairground organs and vintage fairground rides.
AlamyThe attraction is home to vintage fairground attractions[/caption]
AlamyIts collection includes several vintage fairground games[/caption]
AlamyIt also has a working carousel among several rides[/caption]
However, the Fairground Heritage Trust has now confirmed that it has had to close the museum.
The trust claimed that the pandemic and its remote location were among the main reasons that left the trust feeling like it had “no viable future” .
What’s more, the museum’s lease is due to expire shortly.
With rent increases expected, the trust said Devon was no longer a suitable place for it.
As a result, the museum will close its doors after the 2024 season, which will finish after the October half-term.
The trust said it was saddened to be leaving its current site and thanked both its staff and volunteers.
In a statement, the Trust said: “With deep regret – we announce that 2024 will be the final season of Dingles Fairground Museum that has been our Devon home for nearly 20 years.
“The Trust is very sad to be leaving Devon and our wonderful staff and volunteers, but the financial realities of continuing to operate a museum in a large rented space in a remote location have finally forced our hand.
“There are insufficient words that can be said to thank all of those who have contributed to making Dingles what it is today and whom will continue with us to the end of the season in October.”
The majority of the items housed in the collection will now be moved to the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
Some others will be relocated to Hollycombe Working Steam Museum in Hampshire for short term storage.
The trust added: “We warmly invite all past visitors, enthusiast friends and preservationists to come and see us for one final season at Dingles.
“For those whom haven’t visited before, this year is your last chance to see our wonderful collection all under one roof in Devon. It is not to be missed.”
Fans of the museum were upset to see the news of its closure on social media.
Theme Park Tips
Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.
One commented: “This is such a shame, it’s a brilliant place and myself and friend group had an amazing time when we visited with our children.”
Another said: ” So very sad to read this. We come every year and it’s always the highlight.”
A third added: “Absolutely gutted to hear this news. Such a wonderful, fun place to visit. You will be missed.”
It’s not the only UK attraction closing this year, with others announcing that they will be shutting their doors in 2024.
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is closing its dungeon this year and re-imagining it as something else in time for its October Scarefest event.
In an update from divisional director, Bianca Sammut, it was revealed that the experience is going to close in the summer, before its refurbishment.
Leeds
The Thwaite Watermill in Leeds was built back in 1823 on a small island on the River Aire.
With some of its history dating back to the 1600s, it opened to the public as a museum in 1990 and is now part of the Leeds Museums and Galleries, one of nine attractions.
However, the attraction will close this summer after reporting numbers as low as 11,000 back in 2022.
Kidzania, London
Having first opened in 2015, the 75,000sqft Kidzania attraction also closed back in January at short notice.
The London attraction, which lets kids play out adult jobs and interactions in a fake town, confirmed it had closed its doors at Westfield shopping centre.
The website stated: “After 8 years of operations and 2.5million visitors, KidZania London closes its doors until further notice.”
Meanwhile, this nature attraction in the UK was also forced to close its doors earlier this year.
And this museum is set to reopen in 2026 after moving locations.
AlamyThis year will be the museum’s final season before it closes[/caption]
AlamyThe museum trust said Devon was no longer a viable place to keep the museum[/caption]
AlamyThe fairground museum is set to close for good from October this year[/caption]“}]]