One of Wales’ most popular theme parks has been sold

Nation.Cymru staff

An award-winning theme park has been sold after opening more than 30 years ago.

The Dinosaur Park, outside Tenby, was built in 1994 and has been a family-owned operation ever since.

However, it was put up for sale last year as owners Simon and Amanda Meyrick decided to retire.

The park, which has more than 90 dinosaur models and 36 rides and activities, has become a firm favourite for local families and holidaymakers since it opened, with more than 650 families having season tickets and a number of school trips visiting each year.

The attraction also features soft and hard play areas, a family fun activity house, a virtual reality area, café and takeaway eateries, and a woodland trail – as well as a guided walking safari through the animatronic exhibits.

The Dinosaur Park was recently ranked one of the best value for money theme parks across the UK and was last year rated among the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide by Tripadvisor.

“As many of you will know the Dinosaur Park has been on the market and it has now sold,” departing owners Mr and Mrs Meyrick said in a statement.

“Time waits for no man or woman and after 32 years of creating and building the Park into the business it is today our bones and brains are creaking.

“To all of our lovely customers we thank you for being part of our journey.

“To our season ticket holders many of whom have become like an extension of our family, to all our staff over the years and our suppliers, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

“It’s been a blast and we hope the park has given you all some treasured memories too.

“We wish the new owners all the very best of luck and are excited to know the park will be in safe hands for the future.”

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Originally put on the market for £4m, the park has been sold to Magic Entertainment Partners for an undisclosed sum.

A spokesperson for the company stated: “We were attracted by the strength of the business, the quality of the attraction, and the opportunity to build on an already successful foundation. Our goal is to invest in the guest experience, introduce new attractions over time, and continue establishing The Dinosaur Park as one of the leading family attractions in Wales.

“We are delighted that Barry Clegg MBE will be joining the business as general manager, bringing significant experience from the UK attractions industry. Most importantly, we want to build on the legacy that Simon and Amanda have created and ensure the park continues to thrive for future generations.”

Dave Morris, regional director of retail and leisure at Christie & Co, the specialist commercial property company who handled the sale, added: “It’s not every day we get a call to sell a Dinosaur Park, but once there, we realised what a fantastic visitor attraction Amanda and Simon had created.

“It is such a beautiful part of Wales and a great business, and we were confident that it would attract a buyer. The team at Magic Entertainment Partners were the successful buyers and have a background in amusement parks in the UK, America and Spain. They hope to further develop the park and attractions to take it to the next level.”

Find out more about The Dinosaur Park HERE