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What happens when two theme park creatives take their work home with them at Halloween? In this Halloween episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by twins Jason and Gavin Fox, collectively known as the Flippers, Creative Directors in Framestore’s Immersive team and the people behind Death to the Flippers. By day, they’ve helped create major attractions for the likes of Disney, Universal, Merlin and Lionsgate, working across everything from Jurassic World to The Twilight Saga. By night, or at least for a sizeable chunk of every year, they design and build increasingly elaborate Halloween experiences at home.  We’ll look at what keeps them curious about the attractions industry, how that curiosity turns into a new Halloween haunt each year, and what they learn from building something entirely by themselves. We’ll also get into the charities they choose to support, and why Halloween has become such an important fundraising moment for them.   Topics Covered Jason and Gavin Fox’s journey into immersive attraction designCreating major attractions for Disney, Universal, Merlin and LionsgateThe story behind Death to the FlippersBuilding an annual Halloween haunt in their front gardenImmersive storytelling, jump scares and audience psychologyBalancing spectacle, interaction and age-appropriate scaresHands-on creativity and learning by makingRaising money for Cancer Research UKDesigning Halloween experiences on a limited budgetReusing existing attractions and spaces for seasonal events  Show References  Gavin Fox - Creative Director at Framestore, Death to the Flippers https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinfox/https://www.framestore.com/gavin-fox   Jason Fox - Creative Director at Framestore, Death to the Flippers https://www.linkedin.com/in/mynameisjasonfox/ https://www.framestore.com/jason-fox   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Credits:Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

Today, we’re looking at the world of virtual experiences, digital twins and immersive technology and asking a pretty interesting question: how far can technology take us when it comes to designing, experiencing and even operating attractions? Andy Povey is joined by Calum Smail from Voxel Studio, a company working at the intersection of 3D, technology and immersive experiences. Voxel Studio is doing some fascinating work around digital environments and virtual experiences, so today I want to explore what’s happening beyond the physical attraction – how technology is changing the way attractions are designed, marketed and experienced, and whether virtual worlds could actually make physical attractions better. We’ll get into how you build a digital version of a real-world environment, where technologies like digital twins and 3D visualisation are heading, and what this could mean for operators looking to create more engaging experiences both before and after a visitor walks through the gates.   Topics Discussed Immersive technology and virtual experiencesGuest experience and creative storytellingDigital twins and 3D visualisationSpatial audio and interactive attractionsAI, robotics and privacy concernsSmartphone use and visitor engagementImmersive theatre and experiential marketingFuture trends in attraction designBalancing technology with physical experiencesCreating memorable experiences on a budget   Show ReferencesVoxel Studio: https://www.voxelstudio.co.uk/Calum Smail on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calumsmail/  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Credits:Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)  Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by Cassie Poland, Joint Managing Director of Drusillas Park in East Sussex. Drusillas started life in the 1920s as a tea cottage where motorists could stop on their way through the Downs. A hundred years on it's a zoo and a ride park on the same ten-acre site, and it's been in the Smith family since Cassie's parents, Laurence and Christine, bought it in 1997. In 2022 Cassie took over as joint managing director alongside her brother Ollie. Their sister Caroline runs Amazon Adventure in Tunbridge Wells, the soft play centre the family opened in 2024. And this April they acquired Urban Jump, a trampoline park in Heathfield, reopening it rebranded as Go Wild! and reopened on the fourth of July. Cassie is also BALPPA's first female Vice Chair - which means she'll become its first female Chair. They talk about running a zoo and a ride park as one business, going from one site to three, and what she wants to do with the chairmanship when it comes.  This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.    Show references:    Cassie Poland — Managing Director, Drusillas Park https://www.drusillas.co.uk/https://www.drusillas.co.uk/drusillas-director-joins-balppa   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Laura Baxter is joined by Richard Mancey, Owner and Managing Director of Paultons Park in Hampshire.  Paultons opened in 1983 as a country park and bird gardens, founded by Richard's parents John and Anne. Forty years on it covers 140 acres, and the introduction of the world’s first Peppa Pig World in 2011, changed everything. In May this year it opened Valgard: Realm of the Vikings - a twelve million pound land and the park's biggest investment to date. It's also consistently rated among the best theme parks in the country, is the current reigning “Best Theme Park” at the UK Theme Park Awards, and has been ranked among the best in the world, on guest reviews alone. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:    Our Guest Host in partnership with BALPPA: Laura Baxter - Founder of YourCMO https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-baxter-4a756466/ BALPPA - https://www.balppa.org/    Our Guest:Richard Mancey — Managing Director, Paultons Park  https://paultonspark.co.uk/  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)   Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by Anna Warnecke, CEO of Kynren in Bishop Auckland - an attraction that doesn't really look like anything else in the UK. Kynren began in 2016 as an open-air night show telling 2,000 years of English history on a seven-and-a-half-acre stage, performed by a cast and crew of a thousand local volunteers, and built as part of a wider mission to regenerate a County Durham market town. This July, it went a step further and opened Kynren - The Storied Lands, a daytime park built entirely around live shows and immersive experiences rather than rides. They talk about what changes when your product is performance rather than throughput, what an experience-led attraction can teach a traditional operated site, and what the first few weeks of a brand new park have really been like. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:  Anna Warnecke — CEO, Kynren https://www.linkedin.com/company/kynren/https://kynren.com/  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by Eddie Kemsley, CEO of Dreamland in Margate – one of the oldest surviving amusement park in the country, and one of the most reinvented. Dreamland dates back to 1880. It closed in 2003, and reopened in 2015 as a vintage amusement park. Since then it has become something harder to categorise: a park, a six-and-a-half-thousand capacity outdoor music venue, an indoor events space, a wedding venue and a filming location, all on sixteen acres of seafront. At the end of 2023, LN-Gaiety - the Live Nation and Gaiety Investments joint venture - took a controlling stake in the business. Eddie now leads the boutique festival side of the business, she has served on BALPPA's Management Committee and still sits on the marketing sub-committee, helping shape the association's marketing seminars. They talk about diversification as strategy rather than accident, what the events and filming side really contributes, and what the industry network gives an operator who sits beyond the usual categories. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:    Eddie Kemsley - CEO Dreamland, Margate https://www.dreamland.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddie-kemsley-59926110/   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)  Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Laura Baxter is joined by Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver's Theme Park Resorts - and the head of what is, remarkably, the only multi-site theme park brand in this country that isn't owned by a corporate. Gulliver's began in 1978 as a model village on a fifteen-acre hillside above Matlock Bath, built by Julie's parents Ray and Hilary Phillips - Ray a builder by trade, making the miniature houses himself. Warrington followed in 1989, Milton Keynes in 1999, and in July 2020, of all the moments to open a theme park, Gulliver's Valley in Rotherham. Four resorts, more than fourteen hundred staff at peak, and a stubborn focus on the same audience it started with - families with children aged two to thirteen. They talk about what it takes to run four sites as a family rather than a corporation, opening a park in the middle of a pandemic, and why so much of Gulliver's is still built in-house. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:    Our Guest Host; in partnership with BALPPA: Laura Baxter - Founder of YourCMO https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-baxter-4a756466/ BALPPA - https://www.balppa.org/    Our Guest:Julie Dalton — Managing Director, Gulliver’s Theme Parks https://uk.linkedin.com/in/julie-dalton-636084166https://www.gulliversworldresort.co.uk/   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Laura Baxter is joined by Gary Smart, chairman of Harbour Park in Littlehampton and a man who has spent his entire working life in this industry. The park opened in 1932, built by Billy Butlin on the site of an old fort and windmill. In 1977 it was bought by the Billy Smart circus family, and in 1994 Gary led the redevelopment that turned Smart's Amusement Park into the Harbour Park we know today - sat right on the beach, next to a working harbour, and free to walk into. Gary has served the wider industry through BALPPA and IAAPA, and was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to leisure parks and tourism. His sons now run the park day to day. This year he also received BALPPA’s Lifetime Membership Award.  They talk about what's changed across four decades, what stubbornly hasn't, and what it takes for a small independent seaside park to still be standing.  This episode is part of our mini-series marking 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry. Show references:    Our Guest Host in partnership with BALPPA: Laura Baxter - Founder of YourCMO https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-baxter-4a756466/ BALPPA - https://www.balppa.org/    Our Guest: Gary Smart — Chairman, Harbour Park https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gary-smart-7413b121https://www.harbourpark.com/ Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this special episode of Skip the Queue, Laura Baxter is joined by our guest, Debs Griffin, Director of Sundown Adventureland in Rampton, Nottinghamshire. This year, BALPPA turns 90. Our guest today runs a park that turns 58. Between them, that’s close to a century and a half of British attractions, and neither got there by accident. Debs Griffin is a director of Sundown Adventureland, the theme park for the under-tens. It started in 1968 in her grandparents’ back garden with a donkey and a monkey called Coco. Today, it spans sixty acres, with rides and a holiday village, and is still owned and run by the same family. Debs, welcome back to Skip the Queue. You heard Debs on the show earlier this year with Andy, where she told the story of how Sundown grew. There’s no need to tell that story twice. Instead, today’s conversation looks at the harder question, and one that doesn’t get asked often enough: not how you grew, but how you’ve kept going. Fifty-eight years, the same family, no outside money. So let’s start there. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:    Our Guest Host; in partnership with BALPPA: Laura Baxter - Founder of YourCMO https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-baxter-4a756466/ BALPPA - https://www.balppa.org/    Our Guest: Debs Griffin -Director of Sundown Adventureland https://sundownadventureland.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-griffin-924161120/  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

To celebrate 90 years of BALPPA, Andy Povey and Laura Baxter are joined by Paul Kelly, Chief Executive of BALPPA, for a look at the organisation’s history, its role in the attractions industry today and what the next 90 years could look like. With more than 30 years working across the attractions sector and at the helm of BALPPA since 2012, Paul has a unique view of an industry that has changed dramatically and of the people and businesses that have helped shape it. In this episode, Paul takes us back to BALPPA’s beginnings in 1936, exploring why the association was formed and how the attractions industry has evolved since then. He shares some of the achievements and behind-the-scenes work BALPPA has been involved in, much of which visitors and even some members may never see. They also explore what BALPPA means to its members today, from lobbying government and representing the industry to perhaps its most important role: bringing operators together and creating a community where they can share knowledge, challenges and ideas. Looking ahead, Paul discusses the issues facing attractions today, what the next generation of operators needs from the association and why he believes there are exciting opportunities ahead for the UK attractions industry. This episode is part of Skip the Queue’s mini-series celebrating 90 years of BALPPA, looking at the people and businesses shaping the UK attractions industry.   Show references:    Paul Kelly - Chief Executive at British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) https://www.balppa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kelly-2714a922/  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your hosts are Andy Povey and Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.   Credits:Written by Laura Baxter (YourCMO)Edited by Steve FollandProduced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

For the next few weeks, we’re teaming up with BALPPA to celebrate a very special milestone - 90 years of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions. To mark the occasion, we’re going behind the scenes with some of the people who have helped shape the UK attractions industry, hearing their stories, exploring how the sector has evolved and looking at what the future might hold.  Andy is joined by co-host for the series, Laura Baxter, as we chat to the people behind some of the UK’s best-known attractions. Across the series, we’ll be joined by:Marc Miller — Managing Director, Stockvale Group / Adventure Island https://uk.linkedin.com/in/marc-miller-9a515121https://adventureisland.co.uk/Gary Smart — Chairman, Harbour Park https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gary-smart-7413b121https://www.harbourpark.com/Julie Dalton — Managing Director, Gulliver’s Theme Parks https://uk.linkedin.com/in/julie-dalton-636084166https://www.gulliversworldresort.co.uk/Eddie Kemsley — Senior Executive / Director, Dreamland Margate https://uk.linkedin.com/in/eddie-kemsley-59926110https://www.dreamland.co.uk/Anna Warnecke — CEO, Kynren https://www.linkedin.com/company/kynren/https://kynren.com/Richard Mancey — Managing Director, Paultons Park  https://paultonspark.co.uk/Debs Griffin — Director, Sundown Adventureland https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-griffin-924161120/ https://sundownadventureland.co.uk/Cassie Poland — Managing Director, Drusillas Park https://www.drusillas.co.uk/We’ll also be joined by Paul Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of BALPPA, for a look back at the organisation’s 90-year history and a conversation about its role in supporting the industry and what lies ahead. Expect stories from behind the scenes, memories from across the industry, insights into how attractions have changed and a look at where the sector is heading next.   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your hosts are Andy Povey and Laura Baxter. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In this special episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is back in Blackpool for the UK Theme Park Awards, speaking to some of the people and businesses recognised for delivering some of the best work in the UK attractions industry.  But this episode isn’t just about celebrating the winners.  Andy explores what it actually takes to create a great attraction and a memorable visitor experience, asking the people at the heart of the industry what they think makes the difference.  From storytelling and guest experience to technology, people, innovation and the small details visitors remember, Andy gets the winners’ perspectives on what’s working, what could be better and where the industry should be looking next.  If you want to know what the best in the business think makes a great attraction, this is the episode for you.  Listen now and hear directly from the winners of the UK Theme Park Awards.    Show references:    UK Theme Park Awards 2026 - https://www.ukthemeparkawards.com/  UK Theme Park Awards 2026 – Interviewees Courtney Baker - Pleasurewood HillsAward: 🏆 Theme Park of the Year – Under 1m Visitors Howard Ebison - Alton Towers Resort / Merlin EntertainmentsAward: 🏆 Alton Towers won 9 awards, including Gold for Best Landscaped Theme Park and Gold for Best Brand Activation – Minecraft: Meet the Mobs https://uk.linkedin.com/in/howard-ebisonDaisy Shirley, Digital Marketing Executive - Crealy Theme Park & ResortAward: 🏆 Crealy won 5 awards, including Gold for Best Theme Park for Toddlers – Sooty Land https://uk.linkedin.com/in/daisy-shirley-240138115Jodie Hodgkins, Sales & Marketing Manager - Crealy Theme Park & ResortAward: 🏆 Crealy won 5 awards, including Gold for Best Theme Park for Toddlers – Sooty Land https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jodie-hodgkins-44499a70Rupert Viney - Merlin EntertainmentsRepresenting: LEGOLAND Windsor, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of AdventuresAwards: 🏆 LEGOLAND – 6 awards; Thorpe Park – 4 awards; Chessington – 3 awards https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rupert-viney-6aba7018aDebs Griffin, Director - Sundown AdventurelandAward: 🥇 Gold – Best Christmas Event – Christmas Spectacular https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-griffin-924161120/James Cox, ICAE, Director of Marketing - Blackpool Pleasure BeachAwards: 🥇 Gold – Best Seaside Park (North); 🥈 Silver – Best New Attraction; 🥉 Bronze – Best Theme Park for Thrills; 🥉 Bronze – Best Halloween Event – Journey to Hell https://uk.linkedin.com/in/james-cox-icaeJosh Haywood, Board Director / General Manager - Crealy Theme Park & ResortAward: 🏆 Outstanding Achievement Award https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-haywood-68463630/Lawrence Mancey, Marketing & Technology Director - Paultons ParkAward: 🏆 Theme Park Personality of the Year https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-mancey-676b87199Owen Ralph, Attractions Industry Journalist / Awards Judge - Kirmes & Park International / Words and AttractionsInterviewed as a UK Theme Park Awards judge https://uk.linkedin.com/in/owen-ralphLawrence Roots, Founder - Theme Park Network / UK Theme Park AwardsInterviewed as the awards organiser/founder https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-roots/Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

This week, we’re bringing you a couple of very special episodes of Skip the Queue. We’re at the UK Theme Park Awards in Blackpool, celebrating some of the very best people, businesses and experiences in the attractions industry.  But before we get to the awards themselves, we wanted to ask a slightly different question:  What happens next?  We’re finding out, straight from some of the best people in the industry, what guests are expecting from theme parks and attractions, where the industry is investing, what role technology will play, and what the people working in attractions think the next big change will be.  Follow along for Part One, and stay tuned for Part Two, dropping Friday 11th September, when we’ll be speaking to the winners, getting their reactions and asking them what they think it takes to create a great attraction.  Topics DiscussedThe future of UK theme parks and attractionsIndustry growth, investment and new theme parks opening in the UKChanging guest expectations and visitor experiencesThe impact of extreme summer weather and the need for indoor attractionsInnovation in ride design, including family-friendly and interactive experiencesCreativity and innovation in attraction development amid financial pressuresMarketing videos, photography and behind-the-scenes social media contentRecognising the teams and creative talent behind successful attractionsFamily traditions, storytelling and creating memorable seasonal experiencesThe economic impact of attractions on local businesses and communitiesTaxation, government support and financial challenges facing attraction operatorsOpportunities for international ride manufacturers in the UK marketThe role of industry awards in celebrating achievements and inspiring future developmentsUpcoming attractions, launches and innovations shaping the next five years  Show references:    UK Theme Park Awards 2026 - https://www.ukthemeparkawards.com/   GuestsDebs Griffin - Sundown Adventureland https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-griffin-924161120/Josh Haywood - Crealy Theme Park & Resort https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-haywood-68463630/Marcus Gaines - Bold Frame Creative https://www.boldframe.co.uk/Laura Baxter - Your CMO / Blackgang Chine https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-baxter-4a756466/Anya D'Hondt - BoldMove Nation in Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/anja-d-hondt-20364b1/Philip Miller MBE - Adventure Island / Stockvale Group linkedin.com/in/philip-miller-mbe-282a20398Oz Austwick - Semantic uk.linkedin.com/in/thatmarketingblokeLawrence Roots - UK Theme Park Awards / Theme Park Network https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-roots  Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

Andy Povey is joined by Stephen Reid, Director of Attraction Brand Consultants, to discuss whether suppliers are the backbone of the attractions industry. They explore operator-supplier relationships, innovation, AI, visitor expectations, human connection, and the future challenges facing museums, theme parks, zoos, and family attractions.   Topics Discussed Are suppliers the backbone of the attractions industry? Operator vs supplier perspectives Building trust and long-term relationships Innovation through collaboration Trade associations and industry culture Why networking matters Learning across different attraction sectors Transferable ideas between museums, zoos, and theme parks The role of suppliers in problem solving Rising operating costs for attractions Competition for guests' time and money Managing visitor expectations Queueing and guest flow challenges AI and platform integration The future of ticketing and operations Technology vs storytelling Why immersive is often overused Human interaction in visitor experiences Theatre and live performance in attractions Lessons from farm attractions and seasonal events The importance of owner-operated attractions Guest reviews and personal service Innovation at the granular level The Sphere in Las Vegas Freedom to fail and experiment Practical advice for attraction operators   Show references:    Stephen Reid - Director of Attraction Brand Consultants https://www.kayelliott.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-reid-37723010/   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Credits: Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster) Edited by Steve Folland Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

How can museums increase revenue without charging mandatory admission? Andy Povey is joined by Andrew Given, CEO of Queer Britain, who shares how Queer Britain's Pay What You Can model generated more than three times the previous donation income while making the museum more accessible to visitors. The discussion covers fundraising strategies, donor psychology, visitor data, inclusive storytelling, partnerships, and why cultural organisations should embrace experimentation and innovation.   Topics Discussed The founding story of Queer Britain Building the UK's national LGBTQ+ museum Operating without government funding Diversifying museum income streams Pay What You Can admission strategy Tripling visitor donations through voluntary giving Donor psychology and visitor behavior Making museums more accessible Collecting visitor data through online bookings Using visitor insights to improve experiences Community engagement and volunteer programs LGBTQ+ history and cultural preservation Museum storytelling and exhibitions Partnerships with major cultural institutions Innovation in museums and visitor attractions Lessons for nonprofit fundraising Sustainable museum business models Improving the visitor journey Simplifying online ticket booking The future of museum innovation   Show references:    Andrew Given - Chief Executive at Queer Britain Museum https://queerbritain.org.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/queer-britain/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/awtgiven/   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Andy Povey. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Credits: Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster) Edited by Steve Folland Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here