Tower Park
Encyclopedia
Tower Park is a leisure destination in Poole
, Dorset
, England
. It was one of the first complexes of its kind when it opened in 1989, and it still continues to attract thousands of people from throughout the area. It is named after the large concrete water tower
that sits at the top of the hill on which the complex is built. The complex is owned by X-Leisure who own a number of similar sites across the UK including the Xscape
brand.
The site's main attractions include Splashdown - a waterpark boasting 12 slides, and Bowlplex
- a 24 lane bowling
alley previously known as Megabowl
. The bowling centre has had a £1.25m regeneration, with the introduction of many of Bowlplex's sub brands including The Pool Pit and Video-World. There is also a Gala Bingo venue and a cinema with sixteen screens which was formerly owned by UCI
, but as a result of a ruling by the Office of Fair Trading
concerning the merger of UCI and Odeon Cinemas
the theatre was sold to Empire Cinemas
. There is also a video arcade
and numerous restaurants, fast food outlets and free parking facilities. The complex's Burger King
restaurant was rebuilt in 2005 after it was burnt down following an arson
attack. Also onsite is a Tesco Extra which has its own parking facilities. There was formerly an ice rink
at Tower Park called 'Ice Trax' but this was replaced by Gala Bingo in the mid 1990s.
Tower Park has undergone a modernisation programme to expand its facilities. This includes a new, larger KFC
, four new restaurants including TGI Fridays, Nandos, Chiquito
and Flame, and the recladding of the existing buildings. The new restaurants are partially built on the site of the Splashdown tower, the former Colonnades building and some of the old car park, which have been demolished. More recently (in 2011), Pizza Express
joined the site in the old Flame building
In early 2008 the cinema was bought by Empire Cinema and later in 2009 the company refurbished the whole cinema with costs of around 2 million pounds. In 2011, the cinema added 7 'Studio screens' for films with less showing times to be shown in.
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was one of the first complexes of its kind when it opened in 1989, and it still continues to attract thousands of people from throughout the area. It is named after the large concrete water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
that sits at the top of the hill on which the complex is built. The complex is owned by X-Leisure who own a number of similar sites across the UK including the Xscape
Xscape (building)
Xscape buildings are large, strikingly designed and unusually shaped buildings. Typically they contain a real snow indoor ski slope, leisure facilities and related shops...
brand.
The site's main attractions include Splashdown - a waterpark boasting 12 slides, and Bowlplex
Bowlplex
Bowlplex plc is a bowling and leisure corporation that own and operate 18 "total entertainment centres" across England, Wales and Scotland.Bowlplex was formed in 1976 to acquire the Branksome Bowl, although it was not until 1984 that current Managing Director, Tracy Standish became involved with...
- a 24 lane bowling
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
alley previously known as Megabowl
Megabowl
Megabowl is a trading name of Tenpin Ltd, a subsidiary of Essenden PLC .The "Megabowl" brand has gradually been replaced by the new "Tenpin" brand, with only a handful of Megabowl branded sites remaining....
. The bowling centre has had a £1.25m regeneration, with the introduction of many of Bowlplex's sub brands including The Pool Pit and Video-World. There is also a Gala Bingo venue and a cinema with sixteen screens which was formerly owned by UCI
United Cinemas International
UCI Cinemas is a brand of cinema, currently operating in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Brazil...
, but as a result of a ruling by the Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...
concerning the merger of UCI and Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
the theatre was sold to Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas Limited is a multiplex cinema chain in the UK. There are 17 Empire Cinemas with 141 screens in total, including the flagship Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London which hosts various film premières and first-runs.-Ownership & Management:...
. There is also a video arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
and numerous restaurants, fast food outlets and free parking facilities. The complex's Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
restaurant was rebuilt in 2005 after it was burnt down following an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack. Also onsite is a Tesco Extra which has its own parking facilities. There was formerly an ice rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
at Tower Park called 'Ice Trax' but this was replaced by Gala Bingo in the mid 1990s.
Tower Park has undergone a modernisation programme to expand its facilities. This includes a new, larger KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, four new restaurants including TGI Fridays, Nandos, Chiquito
Chiquito (restaurant)
Chiquito is a UK-based restaurant chain specialising in Mexican food. The company was established in 1989 and has 68 restaurants across the country. It dubs itself as 'The Original Mexican Grill & Bar' and has been described as the United Kingdom's best-known Mexican chain...
and Flame, and the recladding of the existing buildings. The new restaurants are partially built on the site of the Splashdown tower, the former Colonnades building and some of the old car park, which have been demolished. More recently (in 2011), Pizza Express
Pizza Express
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
joined the site in the old Flame building
In early 2008 the cinema was bought by Empire Cinema and later in 2009 the company refurbished the whole cinema with costs of around 2 million pounds. In 2011, the cinema added 7 'Studio screens' for films with less showing times to be shown in.