Despite its financial woes, things are looking promising for Margate's Dreamland, with the heritage theme park in the UK drawing record attendance for a single day earlier this month.
In an effort to turn its fortunes around, Dreamland
introduced a pay as you play model in June, becoming free-to-enter with visitors paying to use individual rides or opting to buy an unlimited day pass.
That tactic, combined with this month’s warm weather, appears to have paid off, with 10,000 people descending on the heritage attraction on 16 July.
Relaunched on 19 June 2015 following an £18m (US$26m, €23.3m) restoration, the attraction failed to draw enough visitors to the park in its debut year, with its operator Sands Heritage entering administration on 27 May.
Despite setbacks, Dreamland officials have said they are confident of breaking visitor records this summer and autumn thanks to a large events programme and having all of the park’s ride open for business,
notably its 96-year-old scenic railway.