Blackpool's Sandcastle Waterpark given gold award from VisitEngland

The council- owned indoor water park on South Promenade has received a Gold Award from VisitEngland, which is the national tourist board.

First introduced in 2014, the awards are given to businesses which have gone the extra mile in providing a quality visitor experience.

The accolades recognise all aspects of the visitor experience and are awarded in five categories including ‘Hidden Gem,’ ‘Best Told Story,’ ‘Quality Food and Drink,’ ‘Welcome,’ as well as ‘Gold’ for all round top scoring attractions.

Sandcastle Waterpark is among 91 attractions in England to receive an award, and one of just two in the North West to receive the Gold Award this year.

Senior operations manager Richard Halstead said: “Sandcastle Waterpark is fully committed to providing guest service excellence and inclusion for all at our waterpark, and this latest accolade is testimony to the hard work and commitment from our team.

“This assessment took place during one of the busiest trading periods of the year which also highlights the superb levels of consistency that our team strive to deliver every day for our guests.”

Opened in 1986, Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK’s largest Indoor waterpark with more than 18 water slides and attractions, and a range of facilities for guests with disabilities and additional needs.

Leisure giant Merlin, which already operates attractions in Blackpool including The Tower, the Sea Life Centre and Madame Tussaud’s, took over the running of the Sandcastle from the council after being awarded an initial two year contract in September 2022.

Prior to Merlin taking over, former Sandcastle boss John Child had been at the helm for 25 years and oversaw its transformation from a leisure pool to one of the resort’s most popular destinations.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “These accolades are a testament to the outstanding experiences and customer service that attractions in England give visitors.

“They also recognise different aspects of the visitor experience with attractions who really go the extra mile, whether it’s offering exceptional food and drink or magical storytelling.

“The attractions honoured today go out of their way to make visits memorable, creating reasons for people to travel to new locations, also boosting local economies across England.”