New £8.7m Pleasure Beach ride opens to public

An £8.72m ride at Pleasure Beach Resort has officially opened to the public, becoming the tallest ride of its kind in the UK.

Avitkas launches passengers 138ft into the air while reaching angles of up to 120 degrees.

Amanda Thompson, chief executive of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “We have always had a reputation for going big and pushing boundaries and Aviktas is no exception.

“Its size and presence speak for itself. There is simply nothing like it in the UK.

“We wanted to build something that sets us apart and gives guests another reason to visit the park.

“This project is another reminder of our commitment to making Pleasure Beach one of the world’s greatest theme parks.”

The attraction is the resort’s biggest single investment in eight years, following the launch of rollercoaster ICON in 2018.

Pleasure Beach said the new ride forms part of its ongoing investment strategy, following recent redevelopments including Launch Pad and Valhalla.

The park was recently ranked the UK’s best theme park in Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best awards and is celebrating 130 years in operation this year.