Local Information

We are also close to the town center with its fine selection of pubs and restaurants.

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Wicksteed Park is an amusement park in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. Opened in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed for the people of Kettering, it is believed to be the oldest leisure park in the UK after Blackgang Chine. Over 1 million visitors pass through its gates each season, with Bank Holidays and high summer weekends being extremely busy. It is located 2 miles from the A14 and is signposted from the M1 & A1 and located near the Midland Mainline railway line between London and Sheffield.

Wicksteed purchased 147 acres (595,000 m²) of land in 1913 with the vision of building a village on the site, however this never came to fruition and instead led to the park. One of the first features to be opened in 1921 was the 30 acre (120,000 m²) man-made boating lake.

Today the park has many amusement rides, many of which were designed and built by Wicksteed's own engineering company, including the Laser Dome by VEQTOR, but unlike most larger theme parks such as Alton Towers it does not charge for entry. Wristbands can be purchased which allow unlimited access to most of the rides on the day of your visit, or tickets can be bought for individual rides. Open all year round, the children's playground is free to use, and one of the largest in Europe.

Of historical interest is the Water Chute, which was built in 1926 and, having undergone major renovation (in 2002), it is the oldest working ride in the UK. Another popular attraction is the narrow gauge railway which runs around the lake. At Christmas time the railway becomes Santa's Reindeer Express, to the delight and wonder of local children.

The park is owned by the Wicksteed Trust, a registered charity set up by Charles Wicksteed in 1916.

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Rockingham in Northamptonshire is one of the UK’s best kept secrets. This inspirational venue offers an amazing backdrop for your corporate events.

Within easy reach of London, this motor racing playground has a toybox brimming with supercars and unique trackside conferencing facilities, with five-star banqueting options.