The End of The Story for Storybook Gardens?
It's not a surprise to anyone that London's Storybook Gardens is in financial trouble and it has been for years. City Councillor Joni Baechler recommended that the City look into closing Storybook Gardens. In 2003 the park had a 7 million dollar overhaul that didn't help at all. In my opinion and I have said before " Storybook Gardens lost it's direction" even though it held on to it's name the park is a mess. You have a water park, slides, skating and a zoo which is ok but very little of the park has to do with fairy tales.
To revamp a park the way the City did, they should have given it a new identity because people are going expecting one thing and coming out feeling let down. When I go to Storybook with my 2 boys they run past everything directly to the back of the park where there is a large play area, they don't like the water park(to cold) they don't look at the animals at all. These are the attractions that cost a lot of money to keep up. If my children went thinking they are going to a zoo then they would be geared up to see animals, this park has no theme anymore.
I'll have to admit sadly, maybe it is time to close the old park down. Just like Orchestra London, you can't keep bailing water out of a sinking ship because eventually it will sink. So Joni, you may not be to popular right now but you are right, London does need a new plan dealing with Storybook Gardens and soon.
Kids can go to Harris Park a use the water park for free and Londoners know that. Half the animals in the Storybook Zoo you can see walking through a forest. As for the rides, I admit the big slide is cool but truth of the matter is it's all just park equipment which kids can play on anywhere. In a nutshell people are paying a lot of money for............nothing. That's why the attendance keeps dropping and dropping.
Like all fairy tales, they do have to come to an end and maybe it's time for Storybook Gardens to follow suit. My memories of the park from childhood will always be fond ones as others will agree. It's a nice park and could be used for many things but I recommend whatever you do London, pick a theme and stick with it. Don't try to be the "everything park" because you really don't have a target audience when you do that.