Paultons Park celebrates 40th anniversary

STAFF and friends of Paultons Park have joined a celebration to mark the attraction’s 40th anniversary.

Since its launch in 1983, the New Forest-based theme park has expanded from an ornamental bird garden and adventure playground to one of the biggest tourist attractions in the UK welcoming over a million visitors a year.

Now run by second and third generations of the founding family, the park covers 140 acres, has more than 80 rides and activities, and draws visitors from across the UK and over 60 countries.

Rated by Tripadvisor as the 10th best attraction in the world, Paultons Park has also been named the top theme park in the UK for five years in a row.

Managing director Richard Mancey said: “We set out to deliver an exceptional experience for our guests, to create an environment where family memories are made to last a lifetime.

“Looking back at the past 40 years, I am proud to see that we have achieved that. With our children now stepping into leadership positions and shaping the business, I am even more excited about what the future holds for Paultons Park.”

Paultons Country Park and Bird Gardens opened on 17th May 1983 after the site was bought at auction in 1979 by John and Anne Mancey and their son Richard with the aim of opening a family attraction.

It was formerly part of what was known as the Paultons estate, a vast 3,000-acre site, ownership of which dates back to the Domesday Book when it was called the Manor of Ower.

Three years after opening the site the Mancey family invested in a number of new attractions, and from 1986 onwards a new ride was opened at the park every year.

Richard and his wife Sara took over running the park when John and Anne retired in 1995.

In 2011, Peppa Pig World opened with seven themed rides, and the expansion continued with the opening of the dinosaur-themed Lost Kingdom in 2016 and the 1950s style Tornado Springs in 2021.