Harbour Park facts for kids
| Previously known as Butlin's Park (1932–1977) Smart's Amusement Park (1977–1994) |
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Harbour Park logo
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| Location | Littlehampton, West Sussex, England |
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| Coordinates | 50°48′12″N 0°32′29″W / 50.80346°N 0.541323°W |
| Opened | 1932 |
| Owner | Gary Smart |
| Slogan | "Where the FUN will never set!" |
| Operating season | March – October (outdoors) All year (indoor parts) |
| Area | approx 9,600 square metres (0.0096 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 14 |
| Roller coasters | 1 |
| Water rides | 1 |
Harbour Park is a fun amusement park located in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England. It opened way back in 1932! You can find it right on the beach, next to a busy harbour and marina. The park has a mix of classic rides and newer, exciting attractions for everyone to enjoy.
History of Harbour Park
Harbour Park has had a few different names over the years:
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Harbour Park | 1995 to today |
| Smart's Amusement Park | 1977 to 1994 |
| Butlin's Park | 1932 to 1976 |
The park first opened in 1932. It was started by a famous person named Billy Butlin. He built it where an old fort and windmill used to be. Early on, the park had a big roller coaster on its roof called "The Wild Mouse".
During World War II, the park closed from 1941 to 1945. The building was used to store things and gather soldiers before they went overseas. The park was damaged by bombs during the war. But it was fixed up and reopened after the war. It became part of Billy Butlin's big company, Butlin's. Later, another large company called the Rank Organisation bought Butlin's.
In 1977, the park was bought by the Billy Smart Circus family. They changed its name to Smart's Amusement Park. They added many new indoor rides, including a cool hall of mirrors.
In 1994, Gary Smart, who owns the park now, made big changes. The park's name became Harbour Park. This new name showed its special spot by the sea and river. Over the next few years, a lot of work was done. The last big changes finished in the year 2000. During this time, the old roller coasters were removed.
Harbour Park started the new millennium with a fresh look. It still kept the Smart family's goal of being a friendly and fun place for families. You can even see a beautiful bronze statue of Billy Smart inside the main building!
In 2007, the park invested a lot of money, about £750,000. They added a new log flume ride. This water ride was built by DPV Rides from Italy. It has an exciting drop of 6.5 meters!
In 2009, the indoor artificial skating rink was replaced. A new soft play area was built instead.
Fun Attractions
Harbour Park has many different rides and attractions. Some are indoors, and some are outdoors. Here are some of the popular ones:
| Attraction | Type | Best for | Height rules | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CaterPillar Coaster | Wacky Worm | Families | Min 0.8m with an adult, Min 1.1m alone | A fun roller coaster for all ages. |
| Dodgems | Bumper Cars | Families | Drive and bump into your friends! | |
| Hiccup | Drop Tower | Families | Min 1m | A mini-drop tower that gives you a little thrill. |
| The Pony Gallopers | Carousel | Small Children | Small Children Only | Ride on a beautiful carousel horse. |
| Logger's Revenge | Log Flume | Families | Min 1m with an adult, Min 1.2m alone | A water ride with a splashy 7.5m waterfall drop. |
| Waltzer | Waltzer | Families | A classic spinning ride. | |
| The Spinning Barrels | Teacups | Youngsters | Small children only | Spin around in colourful barrels. |
| The Flying Fantasy Animals | Flying Ride | Families | Min 1m with an adult, Min 1.3m alone | Fly high on fantasy animals. |
| The Crazy Bikes | Pedal Ride | Teens+ | Min 1.5m | Pedal fast to spin 360 degrees! |
| Formula 1 Circuit | Driving Track | Youngsters | Small children only | Drive mini cars like Barbie cars or fire engines. |
| Fantasy Train | Train Ride | Youngsters | Small children only | A gentle train ride for little ones. |
| The Bouncy Aquarium | Bouncy Castle | Children | Up to age 11 max. | Jump and bounce in a fun aquarium theme. |
| Trampolines | Jumping | Children | Up to age 11 max. | Bounce high on trampolines. |
| The Giant's Slide | Big Slide | Families | Min height 90 cm, Min age 4 years | A huge slide for big fun. |
| House of Mystery | Walk-through | Families | PG advised | Formerly called Horror Hotel, full of spooky surprises. |
| Sharkesville Crazy Golf | Mini Golf | Families | Play 9 holes of shipwreck-themed mini golf. | |
| Miner's Gold Rush | Interactive Game | Families | Find gold pieces and trade them for a prize! | |
| Indoor Soft Play Area | Play Structure | Children | Up to 1.58m max. | A multi-level play area with slides, ball pits, and more. There's a separate section for toddlers. |
| Indoor Skating Rink | Skating | Families | This attraction was removed in 2009 and replaced by the soft play area. | |
| Amusement Arcade | Games | Families | Play video games, prize games, and crane games. | |
| Farmyard Friends Chicken Show | Live Show | Families | Sing along with the chickens to scare off the fox! This show is free during school holidays. |
Places to Eat
When you get hungry, Harbour Park has some great places to grab a bite:
- The Galley Restaurant & Tea Rooms: This place has a cool maritime theme. You can even get tea made the old-fashioned way with real leaves!
- The Harbour Coffee House: Here you can find hot and cold food. They also make yummy frothy hot chocolate with marshmallows.
- The Riverside Parlours: Perfect for a quick snack! They serve hot, fresh doughnuts, ice creams, and other light refreshments.
Gallery
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Entrance to the Main Building from the East
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Rear west side of the giant slides
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The Galley Restaurant
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Bronze statue of Billy Smart that stands inside Harbour Park
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The Waltzer
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The Carousel
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The Giant Slide
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Seamens Club Arcade
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Formula one circuit ride
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One of the indoor rides
