Amanda Thompson (businesswoman)

Amanda Jean Thompson OBE is a British businessperson who is the managing director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, president of Stageworks Worldwide Productions, director of Big Blue Hotel and director of the Grand Theatre, Blackpool. She rose to the position of managing director in 2004 after the death of her father, Geoffrey Thompson.^[1] She was also managing director of Pleasureland Southport from 2004 until its closure in 2006.

Career highlights

She went to a private school in Oxford, then worked for Disney before producing her first ice show in 1982.^[2]

Thompson was appointed managing director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach in 2004, following the death of her father and grandmother. During her tenure, she has rejuvenated the park, breathing new life into previously neglected areas. Her brother, Nicholas Thompson became the deputy managing director and Fiona Gilje (née Thompson), a fundamental architect became a director and initial designer.^[1]

Since 2004, Amanda Thompson has removed numerous attractions from the park's lineup in an attempt to make the company profitable. Some of these rides include the Whip, Space Invader 2, Turtle Chase, Black Hole, Super Bowl and Beaver Creek Children's Theme Park. In 2006, under Amanda's leadership, Pleasureland Southport was closed down due to a lack of return on investment. The Pleasure Beach also removed two rides the same season, the Log Flume and Spin Doctor. The Traumatizer ride was relocated from Pleasureland to Pleasure Beach for the 2007 season, replacing the Log Flume.

In 2009, she introduced a new area, Bean Street FY4, to Pleasure Beach. The area houses numerous catering outlets, bars and the £750,000 Spectacular Dancing Water Show. The Sculpture Gardens were opened in 2010, featuring numerous water features and fanciful sculptures forming a welcoming and refreshing entrance to the park. In the same year, Amanda brought in a new dodgems ride to the park, replacing the Whip. The latter part of the season saw the removal of the entirety of Beaver Creek, a children's area towards the back of the park. On 4 May 2011, Nickelodeon Land debuted featuring new rides, characters and reforming a large part of the park.

Amanda's reign has seen the historically important aspects of the park, the overall look of the park and the park branding massively improved and rejuvenated. Amanda has attempted to extend the season, increasing profits, by introducing ice skating at the Arena, Adventure Golf outside the park in 2009 and a Christmas-themed event at Nickelodeon Land in December each year. Amanda also produces the park's acclaimed show, Hot Ice, which runs over the summer season each year. Both Bling and the Gold Mine were removed during the 2011 season, the latter in preparation for the construction of Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic, a brand new attraction for 2013.^[3] Another UK's first is due to open in 2015, with the Red Arrows Sky Force, This ride is now open and operating within the Blackpool area

Major Installations

So far during Amanda Thompson's tenure, she has installed many major attractions at the Pleasure Beach.

Personal life

Amanda Thompson was born in London^[1] and was brought up in the world of entertainment. With more than twenty years experience producing and directing shows, Amanda has brought Stageworks Productions to the very forefront of live entertainment, creating productions for venues worldwide.

In 2007 Amanda received the Commitment to Industry Award at the Lancashire Excellence in Tourism Skills awards, and in 2009 won the Special Recognition Award at the Blackpool Tourism Awards.^[4]

She was awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours.^[5]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pleasure Beach Blackpool.

• Official website