Geoffrey Thompson (businessman)
Geoffrey Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Parent(s) | Leonard Thompson Doris Thompson |
William Geoffrey Thompson
Career
Geoffrey Thompson was appointed managing director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach in 1976, following the death of his father. During his tenure, he bought two separate amusement parks,
He sat on a number of trade agencies, such as the English Tourist Board and the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions, and was appointed an OBE for this work. In 1986, Pleasure Beach became one of the first companies in the UK to register with the Government Profit Related Pay Unit. Under this scheme the company agreed that, where profits exceeded £1 million, 10% would be distributed among the permanent staff according to their length of service.[1] Geoffrey was often in dispute with Blackpool Council over their decision to allow private traders to use land opposite the Pleasure Beach. He won his appeal to clear the land of all trading attractions and the Pleasure Beach has remained unaffected by the situation.
Major installations
During his tenure, many major attractions were built at the Pleasure Beach.
| Attraction | Seasons Active | Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's | 2010's | ||
Steeplechase
|
43 | 1977–present | ||||
Revolution
|
41 | 1979–present | ||||
| Space Invader | 25 | 1984–2008 | ||||
Avalanche
|
32 | 1988–present | ||||
Big One
|
26 | 1994–present | ||||
| Ice Blast | 23 | 1997–present | ||||
Valhalla
|
20 | 2000–present | ||||
Personal life
Thompson married Barbara Foxcroft in 1962, and had three children;
Education
Thompson attended
Death
Thompson died at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on 12 June 2004, while attending his daughter Amanda's wedding.[1] He left Blackpool Pleasure Beach to Amanda. Before his death, he was quoted as telling her: "If you don’t think you’re strong enough to run the business then you’re not the person I thought you were."[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Kenneth Shenton (19 June 2004) The Independent: Geoffrey Thompson obituary. The Independent
- ^ Independent (31 December 1997) The Independent: New Year Honours: The Prime Minister's List. The Independent
- ^ Anna Pukas (30 April 2009) Express: Thompson 'I'll save Britain's tourist industry'. Express