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After five years of continuous growth one of Scarborough’s top attractions is hoping for a bumper summer season in 2012.
Tree top adventure assault course Go Ape in Dalby Forest saw visitors numbers grow to 24,000 last year.
Now in its sixth year the bosses at the company are hoping to see another rise for the 2012.
The target is within reach after the attraction brought in similar numbers to last year during the February half term break.
Course manager Nick Mallet said: “We are on target to match last year after our first part of the year.
“We are on par with February half term last year and hopefully it will be the same for the rest of the year.
“Last year was our fifth year and visitor numbers have gone up year on year since we opened.
“We seem to be relatively recession proof for some reason. People are still going out with families. Plus we are lucky in that the area we are in is very tourist based.”
Go Ape in Dalby Forest is one of 27 courses across the country under the Go Ape brand.
The attraction boasts six challenging tree top sections, taking climbers over obstacles of varying difficulty.
The longest crossing measures 15 metres, with climbers reaching 35 metres from the ground at the highest point.
And if the tree top climbing wasn’t enough the get your heart racing there’s a series of high speed zip wires, the longest of which is 250 metres.
Within its location over looking the Vale of Pickering, the business had made a name for itself.
Go Ape was listed as one of Britain’s fastest growing private companies for two consecutive years in The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table.
Further growth is expected at the North Yorkshire site this year with the introduction of a new attraction this year.
Go Ape will be bringing Segways to Dalby Forest from Easter. A special course for the two-wheeled, self balancing machines is currently under construction.
Mr Mallet said: “We are aiming to get more people in the forest, and are hoping the segways will bring an extra 7,000 to 10,000 visitors.
“Over the years we have found a lot of people come to Go Ape in large family groups, however within that group there will be some people that being up in the tree tops just isn’t their thing at all.
“We thought what can we do within our brand, that fits in with what we are about, is eco friendly, and will appeal to people who don’t want to be up high.
“The segways seemed to fit quite well.
“It is great to be able to add another attraction to get people out and about in the forest. We have got a cracking area to utilise thanks to the Forestry Commission.
“We are very much about getting people in to Dalby Forest full stop. There are so many people, even those living close by in Scarborough, that don’t realise what’s here.
“It is a cracking part of the world.”
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Wind direction: North east
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
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MrRealist
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 12:45 PMGo Ape is a great day out and the success of the business (which incidentally is part of a multi-site company, not local as this report may suggest) is commendable. However, how on earth can Scarborough claim to take ownership for it`s success? Last time I looked it was in Ryedale.... Is this an error on the part of the council or is it SEN (again) with their tardy research? Anyway, great bunch of people at Go Ape and good fun too. Just not really anything to do with Scarborough!
trialsta
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:57 AMThey must be in posession of a different map of borough boundaries to everyone else.
EXPSA
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:15 PMGo Ape is a fantastic experience ,but it is pushing it to call it a Scarborough attraction !! Its funny that Dalby can also run out door concerts without a fancy venue - just a field !
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