In this issue: BALPPA CEO exposed Thoughts on EAS and LIW Dates for your diary Quarter 3, 2014 Awesome Autumn Conference! Awards for Drayton Manor and Port Lympne Reserve CEO PAPPED IN COMPROMISING SITUATION Following a very successful start to the EAS show in Amsterdam last month, the unfortunate news has broken that BALPPA CEO, Paul Kelly was found in a compromising situation in a well known part of Amsterdam City. As the news went viral overnight, pictures have appeared on the internet of Kelly looking sheepish outside an adult entertainment centre. Mr Kelly’s response when questioned on his movements that night said, “John Davies told me that this was the way to the EAS Opening Reception”. Well, you won’t find it in that part of town! Mr Kelly’s first wife refused to comment when BALPPA CEO, caught red handed in shown the photographic evidence but simply Amsterdam last month. rolled her eyes. BALPPA drinks reception Prior to this indiscretion, Paul Kelly hosted a BALPPA drinks reception on the eve of the EAS show. This was a hugely popular event, attended by many BALPPA Members. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Vekoma Rides Manufacturing for generously sponsoring this reception. Paul presents Stefan Holtman of Vekoma with the BALPPA We were delighted to see so many of our Members Sponsor’s award exhibiting and visiting the show – we hope it was a successful week for everyone. CADBURY WORLD ATTRACTION UNVEILS ADVENTUROUS NEW ZONE Popular family attraction, Cadbury World, has unveiled an exciting new Chocolate Adventure zone. Launched a few weeks ago, the new zone features a 4D interactive cinema experience which invites visitors to join a host of familiar Cadbury characters on an adventurous chocolate journey. Visitors will get the opportunity to experience the feeling of diving into a pot of melted Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, riding the Crunchie Rollercoaster and taking to the skies in a Cadbury Creme Egg airship piloted by the Caramel Bunny. Seating 60 visitors, the auditorium offers the full 4D experience including a state of the art production, motion seats, surround sound and effects. The new zone, entitled ‘4D Chocolate Adventure’ also features a number of interactive digital games including a ‘Joy-O-Meter’ and ‘chocolate tracing’ game. Families can also have a go at creating their own futuristic bar of virtual 3D Cadbury chocolate featuring exciting new ingredients including glow in the dark chocolate and ever- morphing fondant. Diane Mitchell, marketing manager at Cadbury World, said: “The attraction’s main aim has always been to bring chocolate to life for our visitors and so we’re particularly excited that we’ve now been able to take this to the next level and really give families a Chocolate Adventure they won’t forget! The effects are fantastic and I really felt like I was riding the Crunchie Rollercoaster!” Based in Bournville, Birmingham the attraction offers over 600,000 annual visitors the chance to explore the magic and making of Cadbury chocolate through its fourteen amazing zones including the Aztec Jungle and popular Cadabra ride. Earlier this year it also unveiled a newly revamped Chocolate Making zone where visitors can choose from a range of sweet treats to add to a delicious pot of warm liquid Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, and enjoy traditional chocolate making demonstrations. LIGHTWATER EMPLOYEE REMEMBERS THE FIRST WORLD WAR Steven Fort, Health and Safety Manager at Lightwater Valley Theme Park has rrecently returned from a solo cycle tour of the Western Front following the route of the trenches through Belgium and France in commemoration of the centenary of the first world war and in remembrance of all those who perished. During the 500+miles trip Steven placed commemorative plaques at each of the 200 British and Commonwealth memorials and cemeteries he visited and a special poppy wreath at the memorial to the Pals Brigades on the Somme. EAS CELEBRATES RECORD BREAKING SHOW EAS realized the highest number of exhibitors, the largest amount of exhibit space, and a record attendance by visitors. It is the largest trade show for the attractions industry in Europe and this edition in Amsterdam has been the most successful in the event’s 11-year history. IAAPA Vice President of European Operations, Karen Staley said: “Again Amsterdam has proven to be the right place for our show. With numerous projects going on in the northwest part of Europe and with a strong and dynamic industry in the Benelux-region, we had high expectations but these figures are really extraordinary.” Preliminary counts show that about 10,776 visitors came to the event this year – a 26% increase year on year with visitors from over 100 countries and a record 441 companies from 36 countries showcased their latest products. Parallel to the trade show ran an educational conference with more than 20 hours of seminars for industry professionals about the developments in the industry, the latest trends, and hot topics. The education programmes were led by some of the most successful leaders in Europe. The participation in the education conference sessions was also excellent; more than 1,800 people attended the seminars. EAS 2015 will take place in Gothenberg, Sweden from 6 - 8 October. The conference and trade show will take place in the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre. The interest of exhibiting companies is already very high and additional information is available at www.IAAPA.org/EAS. HALLOWEEN: AN EVENING OF FEAR AND WONDER AT THE VIEW FROM THE SHARD On Friday 31 October the wide eyed and wondrous are invited to a Halloween celebration like never before at The View from The Shard. London’s highest Halloween party promises an evening of ‘Fear and Wonder’ in partnership with BFI , supported by the iconic Crystal Head Vodka, with DJs and a live performance from Wicked. Tickets include a complimentary cocktail from Crystal Head Vodka at their dedicated bar in the level 69 viewing gallery. The View will be decked with the beautiful skull vodka, conceived and created by Dan Aykroyd, legendary Ghostbusters actor and musician. Crystal Head is pure and unadulterated at every stage of it’s creation, and made from Canadian Peaches & Cream sweet corn. As part of their major three month season Sci-Fi: Days of Fear and Wonder, presented together with O2, the BFI will be creating an eerie Halloween atmosphere with projections of iconic scenes from classic films. The unique immersive experience will include clips from Trip to The Moon (1902) by French illusionist and filmmaker Georges Méliès and Metropolis (1927), Fritz Lang’s classic dystopian masterpiece. To welcome in the witching hour there will be a live performance from the lead of hit musical Wicked. In a show-stopping addition to the evening, the multi-award winning production will have their wicked-witch-of-the-west Elphaba sing a spine-tingling rendition whilst literally ‘Defying Gravity’ 800 feet above the city. LIW 2014 BALPPA once again supported Leisure Industry Week at Birmingham’s NEC from 30th Sept – 2nd Oct, 2014. BALPPA hosted a lounge on the show floor and also programmed a series of educational seminars for our Members. Our seminars included, customer service, crisis management and marketing and were extremely well attended. In addition, BALPPA hosted 2 drinks receptions and a luncheon during the show and we would like to take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors of the drinks receptions – Innovative Leisure and KidsPass who James Sinclair of accepted Sponsor awards from our Chairman, Bob O’Connor. Partyman, delivers ‘The Millionaire Clown’ We were also delighted to host an evening of drinks and a BBQ at Drayton Manor on the first evening of the show. This thoroughly enjoyable event was attended by more than 50 of our Members. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Drayton Manor for their hospitality. COLCHESTER ZOO LAUNCHES NEW RAINBOW LORIKEET WALKTHROUGH AVIARY Colchester Zoo is delighted with the success of their recently opened Rainbow lorikeet walkthrough aviary, ‘Australian Rainbows’. The new development was officially opened on the 24th July 2014 during a private event by the Mayor of Colchester. Before being transformed into the aviary this building was used as a theatre for daily shows. Work to transform the theatre into the aviary began in January 2014. The theatre stage and seating were removed and the roof was replaced to give the 'tropical rainforest' atmosphere. Inside the rock work for the new waterfall and large pond were added, complete with water ready for the arrival of the rainbow fish which also inhabit the aviary. Colchester Zoo gardeners also worked hard to plant colourful gardens and living green walls to replicate that of the birds’ natural environment. Colchester Zoo is pleased with the positive feedback received from visitors of all ages who are able to journey through this exotic aviary of lorikeets, with the chance to get up close with these birds whilst feeding them a pot of golden nectar. It is hoped that ‘Australian Rainbows’ continues to be a hit with the visitors as well as a safe haven for the birds and fish to inhabit. WHITEWATER AND VILLAGE ROADSHOW CELEBRATE THE SALE OF SLIDEBOARDING TO WET ‘N’ WILD LAS VEGAS WhiteWater is very pleased to announce that as part of the development of their new Slideboarding product, they have sold the first iteration of this exciting new innovation to Village Road Show and Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas for the 2015 season. Slideboarding is a waterslide that integrates gaming, skill, edge, and competitive sports into an experience that will define waterparks of the future.