Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park celebrates first anniversary and expects busy summer

The theme park next to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham has seen thousands of visitors pass through its gates since it opened last July, with more expected after 'Freedom Day' next week.

Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, said: “What a year it has been! We are thrilled to be celebrating our first anniversary at Gulliver’s Valley and it would be right to say it has been a rollercoaster of a year.

“Our opening was delayed due to the pandemic, and we were unsure how and when our rides would arrive. There was so much uncertainty behind the scenes.

“When we finally got to open our doors, it was such an emotional day. As a family business we’d worked so hard to get to this point and my brother Nick and I both had a tear in our eyes as we watched the faces of our customers light up as they entered Gulliver’s Valley and enjoyed all that we’d created.

“There is no denying that it has been an extremely challenging period for people both personally and from a business perspective but the response we’ve received from our customers has been fantastic and we’ve been so pleased with the positive welcome the South Yorkshire business and local community has given us.

“We are now looking forward to building on this first year with the introduction of events and activities that are popular at our other three parks such as birthday parties and community events and we’ll be looking to the next stage of our development.”

She added: “We’d really like to say a huge thank you to everyone for their support, from our staff teams who worked tirelessly to get the park open and deliver a fun family experience in difficult circumstance to our customers who’ve returned time and time again to enjoy the Gulliver’s fun and the partners we’ve worked with in the local business community – your support has been invaluable.

“We are a family business who has put absolutely everything into this new resort so to have the backing of our customers, who really are at the heart of everything we do, has been so important to us. This is just the beginning for Gulliver’s Valley and there are lots more exciting things to come.”

She said visitor numbers have been restricted to meet Covid guidance, but the family-run business has continued to develop the park with the recent addition of a new Gulliver’s Gears car themed area with new rides and activities.

With short stay accommodation available on site from the princess castle to dinosaur themed lodges, the park team is expecting a busy summer as more people plan to holiday in the UK this year.

Aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old, the Gulliver’s Valley houses more than 30 rides and attractions, including an Apache Falls ride, full-size diggers, the Ghostly Galleon pirate ship and a Lost Jurassic World area.

For further information, visit: www.gulliversvalleyresort.co.uk

PEOPLE: Historic Sheffield FC reveal how to donate to help bring 1859 rule book back home to city

HEALTH: Social care spending down by more than 5% in Sheffield following decade of austerity

PEOPLE: Sheffield stands in stony silence as England’s Euro Final dreams slip out of reach