A popular water park in North Tyneside has been forced to close temporarily amid safety fears over hazardous flooring conditions. North Tyneside Council announced the closure of Whitley Bay water park via social media on Monday.
The timing couldn’t be worse, coinciding with the start of the school summer holidays for local youngsters. Officials confirmed the facility is expected to remain shut for several days whilst repairs are undertaken. The announcement came just days after the council had declared the water park open for business on July 16, reports ChronicleLive.
However, by Monday, July 21, a closure notice appeared on Facebook.
The council’s statement explained: “We’re temporarily closing the Whitley Park Water Park due to concerns about a slippery floor. Our team are looking into the issue, and the site will be closed for a few days until it is rectified. We’ll keep you updated.”
The attraction sits close to the seafront, positioned near Spanish City and within easy reach of the town centre.
Features include various splash zones and spray installations, plus a water channel system flowing into a central pool area.
A traditional playground with swings and climbing equipment sits adjacent to the water facilities.
The closure announcement sparked frustration among residents on the council’s Facebook page. One disgruntled parent commented, “Christ, it’s only just opened.”
Another fumed, “What a joke! Should this not have been done and inspected before the park reopens for the summer holidays?!”
A third simply declared: “Absolute joke!” Another individual chimed in, stating: “If it’s not safe then fair enough. But surely HandS should have checked this before it opened. So I’m guessing NTC might get it sorted before the summer holidays end.”