PARKLIFE


the dilapidated site into a place where people could go for a much needed day out, the first facilities they introduced being a small restaurant, a tea room, three hand operated rides, six rowing boats, a set of pedal cars and a set of second-hand dodgem cars. Over the years of course, other attractions were gradually


added, including the self-built “snake train” which took guests around the estate grounds, paddle boats and rowing boats, motor driven hire boats, an 18ft. motor boat created from an ex-Army landing craft on a second lake and a self-service cafeteria. This period was, of course, still the post war era and it wasn’t until the end of the 1950s that facilities were significantly increased with the purchase of 13 new rides, including a 19th. century-built carousel, which is still operating on the park today. “As time progressed we became increasingly aware that


Drayton Manor had the potential to develop into a playground for the whole of the Midlands region and beyond,” George goes on, “and decided we would become an ‘inland pleasure resort’. Today, the industry has evolved and we now run a ‘theme park’ – not just for the thousands of thrill seekers who love the big rides, but for the family as a whole.”


A new Chairlift, the park’s first big ride, opened in 1964,


while a trip to Disney World in Florida in 1975 made the Bryans realise that on-going investment would be needed to maintain the momentum of development and growth which was pushing Drayton Manor towards becoming a major player in the UK leisure industry.


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