Alton Towers park crash to haunt Merlin Entertainments

Merlin Entertainments said it might be another two years before visitor numbers at its Alton Towers theme park recover to previous levels following a roller coaster crash in June which hit summer trade and took a chunk out of profits.

The steep drop came as regulars and potential first-time visitors stayed away from Staffordshire-based Alton Towers, one of Britain’s biggest theme parks, after the roller coaster accident seriously injured four teenagers and led to two having leg amputations.

Merlin, the world’s second biggest visitor attractions group behind Walt Disney, yesterday said sales at its theme parks division fell 11.4% in the 36 weeks to September 5.