This is for general chat on any WSFP issue. Have you got a QUESTION to pose for other WSFP members? Did you construct a ride at WSFP? Did you work there and you can tell a funny story? Anything other than the straight visitor entries can go here.
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falkor
- plague
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Post: # 2615Post
falkor
Fri May 20, 2011 5:57 pm
| YEAR | OWNER | PAID | comments |
| 1969 | Billy Smart's Circus | unknown | Each of the 3 brothers had sumptious apartments on the 2nd floor of the mansion |
| 1977 | Trident Television | £3M | A former TV executive with no previous experience of wild animals was now put in charge |
| 1984 | Southbrook and City Holdings | unknown | Andrew Haworth-Booth, an intelligent leader with considerable experience took over |
| 1988 | Themes International PLC | £19M | Windsor Safari Park was to be "themed" into an African "experience" |
| 1992 | R E C E I V E R S | £0 | Themes International went bust |
From the marvellous 1994 BOOK "THE ANIMALS CAME OUT TWO BY TWO" by David Taylor
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twinkle
- ROOKIE CREW
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- Location: North Wales
Post: # 2617Post
twinkle
Fri May 20, 2011 9:37 pm
Initially it was Ronnie, David and Billy Smart. Ronnie was the MD while his two brothers toured with the circus. In 1971 the circus closed down. The Smart family owned the park until 1977 when they sold it to Trident TV.
Maurice Vass, who I believe had once been the manager of Radio Luxembourg, because the new MD. Trident were the owners of Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Television and were headed up by a Mr Thomas [cant remember his first name] whose hobby was carriage driving.
The park had had its heyday by the mid 80s and was sold on to a leisure company.
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Rickles
- CREW MEMBER
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- Location: Port Macquarie, Australia
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Post: # 2618Post
Rickles
Sat May 21, 2011 7:48 am
Hi,
When I was there Ronnie and Billy Smart were running the park.
Ronnie I got along with pretty well.
Billy was a different story. He always rode around the park the wrong way in his Rolls Royce.
Regards
Rickles
Port Macquarie
Australia
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Sas
- CREW LEADER
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Post: # 2620Post
Sas
Sat May 21, 2011 9:10 am
I was there when the Smarts owened it and it was the best years when they sold up they new what was coming and jumped ship.
Regards
Sas
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falkor
- plague
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Post: # 2622Post
falkor
Sat May 21, 2011 5:32 pm
they knew what was coming?
what was coming?
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Sas
- CREW LEADER
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Post: # 2623Post
Sas
Sat May 21, 2011 5:58 pm
The expense of up-grading the Park and the Dolphinarium it was going to cost the earth and would have been a Monster task, you would need a Billionair to take it on with very deep pockets you can only imagine how much it would cost today and you need a real Marineland like in the US to get the crowds in to pay for it all.
Regards
Sas
