Lawrence Roots, founder of the UK Theme Park Awards, has officially reached the halfway milestone of a mammoth nationwide road trip aimed at rallying public support for the parks and setting a potential world record.
Over the past seven days, Roots has visited a staggering 18 nominated theme parks across the country, and has greeted park teams and visitors with a 'Vote Now' placard to boost engagement in this year's public vote.
Starting on 20th July at Crealy Theme Park & Resort in Devon, the tour has already covered a huge variety of attractions, ranging from world-famous thrill destinations to historic seaside piers. Highlighting the incredible dedication of operational staff across the sector, Roots has met with dozens of park teams, directors, and managers along the route.
Highlights from the first half of the road trip include:
- Day 1 (Devon & Hampshire): Kicking off at Crealy Theme Park & Resort with team members including Josh Haywood, Jodie Hodgkins, and Daisy Shirley to test their new ride, Rotor, before heading to Paultons Park to meet Rob Griffiths, Rebecca Gilmour, Molly Place, and the team.
- Day 2 (Isle of Wight, West Sussex & East Sussex): A seaside-focused day taking in Blackgang Chine with Laura Baxter and Bryony Butcher, delving into heritage at Harbour Park with Wes Smart, and meeting Pierre the Bear at Brighton Palace Pier with David Chick.
- Day 3 (Berkshire, Surrey & Greater London): A Merlin Entertainments triple-header exploring the LEGO Festival with Rupert Viney at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, braving Hyperia with Ruth Storey at Thorpe Park, and riding Mandrill Mayhem with Amber Phipps at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, supported by Joshua Riley and Daniel Whybrow.
- Day 4 (Kent & Essex): A coastal run visiting Dreamland Margate with Jack King and Tom Perry (Apollo Rides), followed by an afternoon tackling thrill rides at Adventure Island with Emma Dodson, Andrew Renton, and Marc Miller.
- Day 5 (Essex, Suffolk & Norfolk): Exploring Clacton Pier with Tom Lovelock and Harry Turley, touring Pleasurewood Hills with Courtney Baker, Freddy Stokes, Levi Bellis, and Tom Baldry to view recent site improvements, and riding the historic 1932 Scenic Railway at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach alongside Sarah Morris.
- Day 6 (Norfolk & Lincolnshire): Visiting the historic Joyland with Michael and Mikey Cole to experience the 1949 Super Snails and Tyrolean Tub Twist, making a first-ever visit to ROARR! with Charles Adam Goymour, Alex Brighton, and Sarah Smith to try the new Fossil Falls outdoor tubing slide, and wrapping up at Skegness Pleasure Beach with Jimmy and James Botton to see their new pirate ship attraction, The Kraken.
- Day 7 (Lincolnshire & North Yorkshire): Reaching the midpoint with visits to Fantasy Island, where Heidi Watson, Danielle Ashlea Stoakes, and Sean Pickworth joined on the rides, before heading to Flamingo Land Resort to meet Jay Burnley, Stewart Marr, and the wider team.
Reflecting on the tour so far, Lawrence Roots said:
"The first seven days have been an absolute whirlwind, but the welcome from teams at every single park has been extraordinary. From iconic roller coasters to historic seaside rides operating since the 1940s, the diversity and quality of the UK attractions sector is unmatched. I am well on track to hit all 37 parks in 15 days, and I want to extend a massive thank you to all the hard-working park staff who have made the first half of this journey so memorable."
The road trip continues today as the tour heads into its second week, aiming to complete visits to the remaining 19 nominated parks before concluding in early August.
Voting for the UK Theme Park Awards 2026 remains open to the general public until Friday, 28th August 2026. Public votes count for 50% of the final outcome, combined with scores from a panel of 11 expert industry judges. To cast your vote, visit ukthemeparkawards.com.
