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Council update on operator of Alpamare water park

Thursday, 19 February 2026 07:26

By Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

Alpamare Water Park in Scarborough.

'All options' remain on the table in discussions over the future of a popular North Yorkshire water park.

North Yorkshire Council took control of Alpamare in Scarborough after the collapse of the site’s developer, and it was reopened in July 2024 under the operation of Flamingo Land.

Flamingo Land originally secured a contract to run it for 12 months, with an option to extend its lease for a further year.

Commenting on future plans for Alpamare, Gary Fielding, the corporate director for resources, said:

“We are already actively exploring all options for the future of the site, including any potential interest within the wider North Bay area plans.

“Flamingo Land continues to operate Alpamare under the current agreement and will do so until at least the end of October.

“Our priority is to ensure the long-term operational and financial stability of the venue so it continues to contribute positively to Scarborough’s leisure and tourism offer."

NYC previously said that the site’s commercial performance will be reviewed, and in 2024, the council did not rule out subsidising the waterpark in the longer term.

The attraction opened in 2016 with the help of a £9 million loan that was granted by the old Scarborough Borough Council to developer Benchmark Leisure Ltd.

Ten years after the loan was granted behind closed doors, the developer went into administration in October 2023, leading North Yorkshire Council to take possession of the site and write off the £7.8 million that remained unpaid.

Last year, a fact-finding review by the council’s auditor concluded that the decision to grant a loan to Benchmark Leisure Limited was “undoubtedly risky”.

A year ago, NYC soft-launched a marketing exercise aiming to deliver “significant financial returns” by redeveloping Scarborough’s North Bay attractions.

Sites including the former Atlantis Waterpark and Marvel’s theme park, the former Indoor Pool, the Northstead Gardens, and Alpamare water park, could be redeveloped to boost the local economy, the authority said.

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