Established in 1843 on the Isle of Wight, the UK’s oldest amusement park is also the only one on an island. It’s not uncommon for family attractions to start life as something like a picnic spot, boating lake or other simple pastimes. In the case of Blackgang Chine, the park’s roots date back to the discovery of a beached whale near the Needles on the southern tip of the island off the south coast of England.
Alexander Dabell, whose family relocated to the Isle of Wight from the city of Nottingham two decades earlier, spotted an opportunity. Having already started work on gardens leading down the Chine (ravine) outside the village of Blackgang, he bought the remains of the whale, which had become a local tourist attraction. He sold off the blubber, had the bones bleached, and transported it to the location of what is now Blackgang Chine.
Still owned by the Dabell family, this quirky amusement park now has a sister site in the shape of Robin Hill country park. This is located in the centre of the island, about 10 miles from Blackgang Chine.
“Some guests don’t quite get the name,” says Dominic Wray, who served as park manager before taking up his current, wider role at Vectic Ventures. “We like the mystery and mystique behind Blackgang.”
The park’s strapline – Land of Imagination – refers to the various sculptures dotted around the site. They might be more low-tech (sometimes no tech) than the rides. But thanks to their historical status, they hold a special place in many guests’ hearts.
Blackgang Chine – Land of Imagination
“A lot of parents and grandparents have fond memories of sitting on a giant toadstool, exploring Cowboy Town or going inside the Mouth of Hell,” says Wray. “They bring their children or grandchildren because they want to create those intergenerational memories.”
“What I think is unique about Blackgang Chine is that it doesn’t follow the traditional narrative of a theme park, where you have isolated themed zones that transition into other themes. You can see Humpty Dumpty one minute, then walk round the corner and see a T-Rex.”
Some of the park’s dinosaur figures were upgraded a few years ago to animatronic versions. Jonah’s Whale (not the original whale skeleton) now features water effects inside. Other interactive attractions include a giant version of the board game Snakes & Ladders, Hall of Mirrors, Crooked House and a haunted house called Rampus Mansion.
“We’re very much about engaging children in imaginative play,” says Wray. “We have many areas for kids to explore. A lot of it comes from the imagination of our owner, Alec Dabell. In the last few years, we’ve also invested more in rides. That’s because we have identified children want both engagement and thrills.”
Imaginative ride locations
Blackgang Chine’s newest ride is Extinction. The 16-seat Zamperla Midi Discovery swings to a total height of 18 metres. Going right over the top, thrill seekers are rewarded with spectacular views, even if some of them are upside down!
Installation was not without challenge, says James Marsh, Blackgang’s head of site and services. “Transportation, from Italy to the Isle of Wight, was not straightforward. Being on a cliff, the space around the ride area is small. So it proved difficult getting in vehicles and large machinery.”
Historically, the park has suffered from land erosion. Therefore, says Wray, “We have to be quite imaginative where we locate things. There are various attractions within the park that have had three or four different locations over their lifespan. Touch wood, we’re in quite a secure situation at the moment. We also have a lot of space behind the park.”
Extinction’s arrival coincides with the removal of Cliffhanger, Blackgang’s only ever roller coaster. After 17 years of service, the family-friendly model now has a new home at Dreamland in Margate. Yet Wray does not rule out a replacement in future. He notes that the coaster’s footings and foundations are still in place.
Other rides and attractions providing scenic opportunities include the Evolution drop tower (by Moser), Shipwrecked flying carpet (Zamperla) and the tower to the park’s water slides (by Van Egdom), which are ridden in rafts.
Reaching the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is not as remote as those without knowledge of the area may assume. The ferry crossing takes just over 20 or nearer 40 minutes depending on the route chosen. It’s then about a half-hour drive to Blackgang Chine. For those sailing from Portsmouth to Ryde, Robin Hill is even closer.
“We feel we have a responsibility to the Isle of Wight to promote it as a tourism destination, not just our two businesses,” says Wray. “We do quite a lot of out-of-home marketing, and have a good working relationship with the two ferry companies, Wightlink and Red Funnel. So I think a lot of people, when they come to the island, know we are here.”
The typical travelling time for guests to Blackgang Chine is two to two-and-a-half hours; London and all points south.
“We also have visitors from the north of England, who are on holiday on the Isle of Wight,” adds Wray. “We even had some guests from China when we put the new dinosaurs in.”
Then there are the passers-by who stop for a selfie with the smuggler statue outside the park’s entrance. “Even when we are closed, people are constantly coming down the driveway to take pictures,” says Wray. “It’s quite an iconic photo opportunity.”
Changing sales at Blackgang Chine
Whilst Blackgang Chine still receives some walk-up ticket sales, pre-bookings have surged since the pandemic.
“People have to book ferries and accommodation to come to the island. So, we usually have a good idea of how things are tracking,” says Wray. “Those buying a ticket on the door used to be about 85% of our revenue. That’s completely flipped around now, with close to 95% of purchases made online. Yet whereas last year people were booking two months in advance, that’s now dropped down to two weeks to a month.”
Robin Hill, which was added to the Vectis Ventures portfolio over a decade ago, was founded in 1971. Located in the centre of the island, it spans 88 acres of parkland and gardens. There are also a handful of rides. This includes a pirate ship, train ride and toboggan run, as well as a 4D cinema and various playground structures. Poplar with the Isle of Wight residents are the joint park frequent visitor passes.
Both sites operate from March onwards and enjoy relatively long seasons thanks to their respective events programmes.
At Blackgang, there are the Sunset Sessions and Summer Fest, clifftop parties where DJs spin tunes. Rounding off the season are the Halloween events Terror Island and Frites & Sprites. The former features mazes designed by AtmosFear! Scare Entertainment, which also produced the park’s cowboy and dinosaur shows. This brings in an older demographic, mostly from the mainland.
Shining a light on Robin Hill
Once home to the Bestival music festival, Robin Hill now hosts the Isle of Wight Balloon Festival each May. It is also home to hot air balloon Night Glows in August. Light-based events have in fact become something of a calling card for the country park.
Staged over selected dates from October to early November is the Festival of the Dead. In the run-up to Christmas, the popular Polar nights feature enchanting wintery illuminations, the star of which is a bear called Pippa. The site has also hosted light-related activities in February and around Diwali.
“We’ve been doing light events now for 12 years,” says Wray. “We were quite ahead of the curve on that, and have a really talented technical team who produce all the shows and infrastructure in-house. Maybe we should shout about it a bit more.”
Wray adds that: “I’d like to think we are not insular. We might live on an island, but our approach is very outward. We are very keen for staff to go out and see other attractions and attend training courses.”
He has been a beneficiary of this, having attended IAAPA’s Institute for Attractions Managers some years ago in Orlando.
From banking to BALPPA via Blackgang Chine
In January, Dominic Wray was appointed to the management committee of BALPPA – two former chairmen of which, Richard Mancey and Marshall Hill, do business just across the water in Hampshire, at Paultons Park and Funland (Hayling Island) respectively.
“They have been instrumental not just in my personal development, but the development of the company too,” says Wray.
Before joining the attractions operator eight years ago, he worked for Lloyds Bank, and prior to that in property. Born on the Isle of Wight himself, he saw an advert for the managing director position at Blackgang Chine and decided to give it a go.
“I thought if I can manage a bank, I can manage a theme park. It’s been a big learning curve. It’s completely different to the corporate environment I was used to, but a really interesting job.”
Both parks have traded well since the lockdowns were lifted, particularly in 2021. Whilst hospitality businesses on the Isle of Wight, like the rest of the UK, have struggled for staff, Vectis Ventures has had some positive experiences too.
“It’s been a challenge to recruit seasonal staff. But we’ve found the reverse with more senior members of the team,” says Wray.
“A lot of people have relocated to the island as a result of Covid. We’ve been able to attract some really good people in our finance and marketing departments. Some of that talent might not previously have been present locally.”
Future plans for Vectis Ventures
At Blackgang Chine, Extinction is already proving itself as a new attraction. And Wray hints that more thrill rides might be added in future. But this will never at the expense of the park’s heritage which is, after all, is what keeps families coming back.
In the short to medium term, there are plans to add accommodation to Robin Hill after planning permission was secured for treehouses and other high-end offerings. Various options are being considered for Blackgang, too.
“As an island, there are only so many beds available,” says Wray. “That can be a limiting factor for us at times; the available accommodation versus the number of people that are looking to come over. That’s why we’re looking to close that gap in the circle.”
The parks director at Vectis Ventures has already perfected the sales pitch to potential overnight guests. “The landscape and ‘theming’ provided by Mother Nature at Blackgang Chine is fantastic. It’s what sets us apart from anywhere else in the world. I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a lot. But the view when the sun sets over the back of the park is still up there in my top five.”
