The UK themed entertainment industry gathered at Wicksteed Park on Thursday to celebrate the finest theme and amusement parks in the country.
Paultons Park emerged as the big winner of this year’s UK Theme Park Awards, taking home the coveted Theme Park of the Year award among a total of ten accolades. The prestigious awards, now in their sixth year, are the result of a combination of public votes and expert judging, with more than 330,000 votes cast by theme park enthusiasts and guests nationwide.
The awards ceremony, hosted by TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson and renowned master of ceremonies Dave Payne, celebrated the best in British theme parks, recognising excellence across 22 categories. Organised by ThemeParks-UK.com in association with AttractionTickets.com, the event brought together more than 180 representatives from 24 different parks, all of whom had received nominations.
Ten-award winner
The top prize, Theme Park of the Year, was a hotly contested category, but it was Paultons Park in Hampshire that secured the victory. The family-owned park’s success was further cemented by its impressive haul of ten awards in total, more than any other park this year. These included Best New Attraction (Ghostly Manor), Best Theme Park for Families and Best Customer Service.
Speaking on the park’s landmark achievement, Lawrence Mancey, Marketing and Technology Director at Paultons Park, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded 10 awards this year at the annual UK Theme Park Awards, including the prestigious Theme Park of the Year Award.
“These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our whole team at Paultons. We are looking forward to building on our success next year with the opening of our first inverting rollercoaster, Drakon, in our new immersive world, Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, opening May 2026.”
Another key winner on the night was Looping Group’s Drayton Manor, which was voted the Best Value Theme Park and secured six awards in total. The Staffordshire park was praised for offering an outstanding experience that delivers on value for money, a crucial factor for many families in the current climate.
Further recognition
For thrill-seekers, the title of Best Theme Park for Thrills was awarded to Merlin Entertainments‘ Thorpe Park. The Surrey-based park, known for its high-octane rollercoasters and attractions, also picked up three other awards, solidifying its reputation as a go-to destination for adrenaline junkies.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach, an icon of the British seaside, was also a significant winner, taking home four awards. Its ‘Launch Pad’ attraction was recognised as the Best Reimagined Attraction, highlighting the park’s ability to refresh and innovate its classic offerings. Chessington World of Adventures was named Best Theme Park with Animals, in recognition of its combination of family rides and zoo-style experiences.
Rewarding experiences
New categories were introduced this year to reflect the evolving nature of the industry, including Best Use of IP in an Attraction, Best Queue Line Experience or Pre-Show, and Best Integration of Technology in a Guest Experience. Alton Towers’ Toxicator launch campaign won the new Best Marketing Campaign award, demonstrating how creative promotion is increasingly vital for consumer awareness for new rides. The Best New Event award went to the LEGO Festival at Legoland Windsor, celebrating a strong integration of a beloved brand into a new park experience.
The awards ceremony was held at Wicksteed Park, a fitting venue given its century-long history in providing family entertainment. Park director Kelly Richardson expressed her delight at hosting the event, saying: “We are delighted to have been chosen to host the 2025 UK Theme Park Awards, which truly was an amazing event, showcasing everything that is unique and innovative about UK theme parks.
“Wicksteed Park is the home of children’s play. It has been providing fun for the whole family for more than 100 years, so it was the perfect venue, and it gave guests the chance to experience everything that is amazing about the Park, including a ride on our wonderful Water Chute.”
Multiple and new winners
Beyond the major winners, the awards highlighted the diverse and thriving nature of the UK’s theme park landscape. Parks with multiple wins, alongside Paultons Park, included Alton Towers with nine accolades, whilst Legoland Windsor and Drayton Manor both took six awards each. Blackpool Pleasure Beach won four awards. Adventure Island, Blackgang Chine and Crealy each won three awards, whilst Chessington World of Adventures scooped two accolades.
Several parks received their first-ever UK Theme Park Award this year, a testament to the growth and recognition of new players in the industry. These included Bottons Pleasure Beach in Lincolnshire, Drusillas Park in East Sussex, Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, and The Big Sheep in Devon.
The awards also recognised the growing influence of digital content creators within the industry, with awards for both Best Established Content Creator, given to Theme Park Worldwide, and Best Developing Content Creator. These awards acknowledge the vital role that bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, and other social media influencers play in promoting and reviewing theme park experiences. The full list of winners across all categories is available on the UK Theme Park Awards website, where a recording of the ceremony can also be viewed.
The event demonstrated the resilience and creativity of the UK’s theme park industry, which continues to evolve and invest in new attractions and experiences to draw record numbers of visitors. With new attractions like Paultons Park’s ‘Drakon’ already on the horizon for 2026, the future of British theme parks looks bright and full of thrills.
Photos: UK Theme Park Awards
