St Annes Splash park to stay dry this year

Fylde Council has announced that the Splash! water play park on St Annes Promenade is to remain closed for the rest of 2020 because of the pandemic restrictions.

The council said in a statement: “We are sorry to announce that Splash! will sadly not reopen for the remainder of the 2020 season.

“The facility is currently unable to meet the Government’s safety guidelines. We have been reviewing the guidance on water-based play facilities, but the focus of that guidance is geared more towards pay on entry pools, rather than free water play facilities.

“Controlling visitor numbers and social distancing at open-access sites is much more complex and challenging. Each season we are required to recruit and train staff to operate the facility and ensure public safety.

“Safeguarding requirements for the disclosure barring service checks take six to eight weeks, by which time the season will have unfortunately ended.

“We understand this will be a great disappointment to many, and we are disappointed too, however, the health and welfare of visitors remain our biggest priority.”

The Splash! park, aimed at three- to 12-year-olds and free to use, iss a £259,000 joint project between Fylde Council and St Annes Promenade Gardens Friends and proved popular from the off after opening in April last year and being available until September.

It had originally been hoped it would open in the latter stages of the summer of 2018, but some complications experienced during the water tanks excavation phase of the work caused the launch to be put back.