Councillors have said the closure of a crucial UK seaside town theme park would “really hurt”. Brean Theme Park in Somerset has been operating since the 1940s, but on January 28 appointed liquidator Nicholas Stafford of Hazlewoods LLP, according to the listing in the London Gazette. But Conservative county councillor, Bob Filmer, told The Express that he is hearing that the park will be open in the spring and summer of this year as it tries to find new owners.

He said: “Tourism in this area is incredibly important… it is a major employer in this patch. So it’s a very important part of our economy.” High running costs have played a part in the attraction’s financial difficulties, Cllr Filmer suggested, as well as visitor numbers being “a bit down” over the past couple of years. He added: “As things are at the moment, obviously, there are a lot of people who are employed, particularly young people. It’s often their first jobs in this area, working in the tourism industry.” The cost of employing people has “just gone up so much recently”, Cllr Filmer highlighted.

If the park were to close permanently, it would “really hurt”, the councillor added. “We’ve got fantasic beaches and the sea, but the theme park itself is something that a lot of people do enjoy. So… it would definitely have an impact.”

Another Tory councillor, Tony Grimes, said: “I think it’s very sad, and I think it will actually affect the local area a great deal.”

“I think it seems to have been a bit of an issue for quite a while,” he added. “But very sad for the area, and certainly for jobs, employment, and, yes, I think it will make a difference.”

Cllr Grimes emphasised the county’s financial difficulties.

The county council’s projected budget gap for 2026/27 has shrunk considerably from £73million in December 2025 to around £41.4million a month later – although the authority still be relying on exceptional financial support from central government to close this gap, Express sister site SomersetLive reported.

There is an increasing demand for services and, the cost of meeting these needs is rising, making it increasingly difficult for officials to balance the books.

Clive Heaphy, the council’s interim chief financial officer, told councillors: “We have probably moved slightly away from a financial emergency, but let’s be clear: we still have deep issues to do with our budget and balancing our finances, and we still have a lot of work to do.”

The authority is “not in the territory” of declaring effective bankruptcy in the next 12 months, he said.

“The holiday season makes a great deal of difference to the area, bringing money into Somerset,” Cllr Grimes said.

“And Somerset’s in a bit of a financial mess at the moment, so it will make a difference.”