Can Wicksteed Park be saved? New company launched to try to save historic park

Wicksteed Park Limited has gone into administration with the loss of 115 jobs
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Wicksteed Charitable Trust is backing a new company and has launched a fundraiser to try and save the park after its parent company went into administration.

Kettering's beloved park is owned by the charitable trust but is run by a subsidiary company, Wicksteed Park Limited.

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In a statement, Wicksteed Park said: "Wicksteed Park Ltd has been unable to avoid going into administration, with the loss of 48 permanent staff and 67 part-time and other jobs, due to the huge financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The park's beautiful pavilionThe park's beautiful pavilion
The park's beautiful pavilion

"The decision to call in administrators comes after the government announced the closure of the hospitality and leisure industry, hitting seasonal businesses particularly hard."

In an effort to save the park, a small group of employees has formed a new, smaller company backed by Wicksteed Charitable Trust and people are being asked to donate to a fundraiser which can be found here.

Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of Wicksteed Charitable Trust, said: "We are all devastated by what has happened and the effect this will have on our staff, their families and our visitors.

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"We fully appreciate the effect this decision will have on staff members who have already been through months of uncertainty and difficulty due to Covid-19 and we are working hard to ensure they have access to the support and advice they need at this time."

The chairman added: "The new company, funded by the Trust, is a much streamlined business aimed at getting the park through to next spring when it can hopefully start to re-open fully but we need people’s help, support and understanding in order to try and make that happen.

“The costs of the old business were crippling and could not be sustained with the huge loss of revenue already suffered this year. Even if park rides opened in July, the costs of social distancing measures and the reduced capacity at which the park would have had to operate, would have meant it was unlikely to be financially viable.”

The park has struggled to make money in recent years and Mr Wicksteed revealed that 400,000 out of 850,000 annual visits generate no income for the park because it is free to access.

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He said: "If we want it to stay for many millions of people in the future to enjoy then we need to find a way to protect and preserve it."

Wicksteed Park had been left with no income for months apart from a small parking revenue and had made a loss of £820,000 in 2018/19.

Mr Wicksteed said that huge investment in the park over recent years had also affected profitability and that with no prospect of being able to make a profit for the whole financial year, the Government's Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) was not an option.

Mr Wicksteed said: "There has been no meaningful Government support for charities such as ours (apart from the furlough scheme)."

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Even with the furlough scheme, the company was still falling short every month and was struggling to operate just the park, let alone the rides and attractions.

Mr Wicksteed said: "Ultimately, Wicksteed Park is a private park which costs a great deal of money to maintain if we are to continue to open for people to use free of charge, as we have for the last 99 years.

"The Trust receives no regular external financial support or public funding unlike other national or council owned parks, but still makes a contribution to the local economy of at least £11million each year.

"We now need people, not least the Government, to recognise all we have done for the many millions of people who need our park and our work supporting the community."

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Despite the financial woes, the charitable trust is aiming to continue funding the opening of the park so people can still enjoy its open spaces. The charity is also pledging to honour any bookings for forthcoming events as well as annual passes.

Wicksteed Park is loved by many in Northants and Mr Wicksteed said: "The sacrifices that people are having to make during the current crisis are extraordinary and in some ways Wicksteed Park and its future are nowhere near the top of people’s priorities, as they become ill, lose loved-ones and struggle to make ends meet financially.

"But millions of people across the country and generations of families love Wicksteed Park and have scores of happy memories made here.

"It is a touchstone in their lives and a representation of the fun times they have had - and when the country comes out of the other side of this crisis, as it inevitably will, it will be one of the places that people will want to return to as a sign that normality has returned."

Wicksteed Park has a JustGiving page available here.