ABSTRACT
The years between the two World Wars were, in many ways, the golden age of amusement parks in Britain. The early twentieth century had witnessed a heady rush of investments in American-styled mechanical amusements, with many new ventures proving short-lived (see Chapter 1). The parks which did survive, however, developed into more coherent spaces, following a distinct and highly successful formula. The amusement park phenomenon – which began as a group of eclectic novelties encompassing a diverse range of sites and an even more miscellaneous choice of entertainments – had, by the 1920s, become a clearly defined and well-recognised component of popular entertainment in Britain. Following in the prewar footsteps of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, amusement parks around the country – at exhibitions, seaside resorts and urban pleasure grounds – reinvested profits in impressive development schemes. They grew in size, replaced flimsy temporary structures with larger permanent rides and facilities, and promoted themselves as respectable, healthy and fashionable entertainment.
