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Grand From page 22 Their experience in the retail sector paid


enormous dividends at that initial stage, with turnover rising dramatically in those first six months compared to the same period in the previous year. Spend per head also increased four-fold. “So we were having a lot of fun,” states


Michelle Michael. “We both said it was the most fun we’d had in a long time. We knew food and beverage so were able to make a big difference to that at the start, while our retail manager came with us from the garden centre business so knew what she was doing and was able to react quickly to what we needed here.” Things were clearly going in the right direction


at this point but the huge fire in July of the same year quite obviously brought things to an abrupt halt. To their credit, however, they took the decision to rebuild and just a few days later the landward end of the pier was back up and running while a design competition was held to seek ideas from architects for a new pavilion to replace the one that had been completely destroyed. In October 2008 Bristol-based Angus Meek Architects was chosen to design a new pavilion


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building and in March 2009 planning permission was granted for redevelopment. The official investment figure is put at £51 million. Building work began in August 2009 and although various delays have meant a postponement of the original opening date of July this year, the project is now (at the time of writing) almost ready to host its first visitors. And they’ll be highly impressed! Although the new pavilion has been designed


to reflect a modern day version of the old building, the “new” Grand Pier is quite different to the old. Within the new pavilion will be a host of new attractions for all ages, including some of the most up to date rides available. Among these will be a two-seat Robo Coaster from Kuka, a 4D effects theatre from Simworx, two Cruden Formula 1 racing simulators (as used by F1 racing drivers for practice purposes), bumper cars from I.E. Park, a Free Fall tower and Side Winder from Moser’s Rides, a Laser Maze from Funomation and a kids play area from Play Revolution. Additionally, a £3 million package of bespoke


rides and attractions has been designed, built and installed by UK company Gravitron, the largest being a 300m long go-kart track, the biggest of its type in the world, featuring 22 electric


karts, two of which are twin-seaters, capable of travelling at up to 70mph (although their speed will be restricted in this case). As well as this, Gravitron has also built a 12.5m high, twin slide helter skelter, a Ghost Train, a Crazy House with 30 fun obstacles, a mirror maze, a groovy house containing a psychedelic three-dimensional light show and the electric floor for the bumper cars. The company has also built two land trains,


each accommodating up to 32 passengers, which will travel along the 400m pier. As with all the rides made by Gravitron, the trains are electrically operated to ensure low noise levels and no pollution. And appropriately, the seats in the train carriages have been made from timber salvaged from the original pier. “We wanted modern versions of things we


had before the fire,” explained Michelle Michael, “so we literally scoured the planet for some 21st century attractions. We’ll have the world’s first double level laser maze, which will be automated so no attendant will be necessary, and two Cruden F1 simulators which F1 drivers use to practice on. The go-kart track will be twice as long as before and regulated by remote control so the attendants have full control of each kart.


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