VIDEO: Blackpool Pleasure Beach ready for thrills and spills again.....safely and at a distance

Having opened the doors on the 124 year old amusement park in May, the thrills and spills of 2020 were cut short when the pandemic forced the gates shut on the 42 acre sit in March.

But director of operations Andy Hygate says the staff are eager to welcome back thrill seekers from tomorrow with a vision of delivering all the fun and excitement of a great day out, albeit with a few new processes and adaptations to meet the new social distancing guidelines for theme parks.

Watch our video for a behind the scenes look before the park's reopening, read more: www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/sneak-peek-behind-gates-new-look-blackpool-pleasure-beach-july-4-opening-2903718He said: “One of the biggest changes people will notice is the booking for entry, which is now solely by e-ticket.

"All visitors will need to book in advance online and use their e-ticket on arrival at the park.

"We’ve capped the numbers of guests to enable social distancing from across the park to make it a safe and enjoyable day out.

“Nearly all the rides are open with new queue management systems in place, all marked out and certain areas of the park walkways clearly signed.

“There are hand sanitisers throughout at individual rides and eateries and shops and then one of the other precautions we are insisting upon is face mask coverings on certain rides.

“People will notice a range of new, more frequent and enhanced deep cleaning measures across our park, rides and attractions - bear with us but most importantly we want to be able to deliver on a fun and enjoyable experience for which we are known for.”

Of the 35 rides across the park just two will remain closed along with live attractions Pasaje del Terror and live entertainment shows which remain restricted under government guidance.

Andy said all the staff returning had undergone enhanced training and lot of the team around the park will be equipped with a range of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) with temperatures taken on arrival each day.

A dedicated plan for each ride has been developed in order to enable social distancing between groups.

Park bosses have also had designed a new app for an online food ordering system allowing guests to order and pay for food online which can then be collected at a designated time and location.

Andy who has worked at the park for six seasons added: “In some ways it is almost like the start of the season although we obviously did open for a few weeks in February.

"We're really eager to reopen but in a way which is safe for our guests to experience the park. It's been really strange for the park to be closed and quite challenging especially in July, when theme parks are usually full and people having fun in them.

"But I'm really confident now we'll be able to reopen and offer a great people experience, a great Blackpool Pleasure Beach day out, one that is safe for everyone to enjoy."