Well, I'm going to don my hard hat and suit for a proper flaming but...
Pleasure Beach is a beautiful old family-run establisment and since the death of Geoffrey Thompson a few years back, has severely struggled to stay afloat - especially against such competitors as Merlin, who have recently bought over the Tower - direct competition.
They have implemented a few 'crazy' ideas over the years, but they had to. What's the alternative? Have you seen what happened to it's sister park in Southport? Rides, and I mean very very old heritage rides ripped up and chopped up, lots of jobs lost and the town left with an ugly strip of land where a carnival sits. A very sad affair.
So to stop the old favourites(which have been operating for over a century now and are some of the most original rides in the world. Rollercoaster - now named Nickelodeon Streak in it's latest attempt to stay afloat - selling part of the land off to a conglomerate, last thing anyone wanted - is the original example of a rollercoaster and all rollercoasters in the world are built on this model) Hiram Maxim's flying planes, Noah's Ark - you will struggle to see examples elsewhere - extremely old and well-loved going to seed at the hands of a building company or being ripped up to make way for modern invention, they've had to do what seems crazy. Rides cannot get heritage status, as their parts must be replaced every so often through wear and tear. If the park doesn't protect them, nobody else will!
So, £5 pass charge implemented at the gate. Outrage at first - Pleasure Beach was always prided on being a free day out. Have to say though, 2 years in it's working. PLeasure Beach, by doing this and other things, such as not renewing some expensive health and safety certificates and thus putting a Standing But Not Operating order on some rides for a while (another outrage at the time, but making perfect business sense) is looking healthier than it has done in years.
I was saddened by the state of Blackpool this year, I really was. But by golly, Amanda Thompson, although ripped to shreds for making what looked like crazy decisions to us outsiders has got it right so far.
And actually, having dined in Pleasure Beach myself this year, their food is very reasonable, there is a great variety - we ate at a lovely sandwich bar - at very reasonable prices.
There's an Oyster and Champagne Bar, Pizza pasta and salad restaurant, sandwich bar, the usual takeaway crap and some gorgeous fruit stalls during the summer months.
IMO Pleasure Beach are just getting in there, as everyone else is. Except they are a family business trying to make ends meet (and trying to clear the massive defecit ther dad left them in when he suddenly passed away. Merlin etc are the ones who are really fleecing you.