The park was opened in 1995 by a company based in London and has since been through the hands of travelling showman Raymond Codona to its current owner, Henk Bembom's Parkware Ltd. Bembom took over the park in 2002 and invested £5 million during his first year there, followed by an additional £2 million in the second.[1] Bembom continued to bring new rides and attractions to the park each year, including another £2 million of investment in 2007.[2] In winter 2006, Parkware moved all their operations and ride stock to Loudoun from their previous storage buildings in Margate.
On 15 July 2007, 18-year-old ride operator Mark Blackwood fell 80 feet (24 m) from a roller coaster he was pushing, the Rat, which had got stuck. He was taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock for treatment but died there on 16 July 2007.[3] After a two-week trial, the jury found the park owners not guilty of failing to provide proper training and supervision at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Saturday 10 October 2009.[4]
In September 2010 it was announced that the park had closed, Bembom stating that it was "no longer economically viable." There were no clear indications as to the future use of the site, whether the current owners intend to sell the business on as a 'going concern' or if they intended to use the site for other purposes.[5] As of February 2011[update] a number of rides were for sale, including Twist 'n' Shout, Goldrush, Barnstormer, Wacky Worm, Crows Nest and Jammy Dodgems.[citation needed] As a Category A listed building, the possibilities for any redevelopment of the ruins of Loudon Castle proper, as opposed to this adjacent theme park, are severely limited by law.
Rides
The Plough and The Rat rides at Loudoun Castle
Many of the rides at Loudoun Castle had been operated at Dreamland Margate in Kent when it was owned by Bembom Brothers. A few of these rides can be seen in the Only Fools and Horses 1989 Christmas Special "The Jolly Boys' Outing", in which the Trotters and many other male cast members visit Dreamland Margate.
