COM: Glenelg Entertainment Complex

[Allkai]

Card costs $2.

[Will]

One of the reasons for the failure of the Beach-house has to be the 'fun card'. Instead of having games which operate on coins, every game in the Beach-house requires you to insert a pre-purchased fun card. The problem with this is, unless you are a regular customer, the idea of having to purchase a fun card in order to play any of the games makes it a cumbersome option. It reduces the likelihood of people spontaneously deciding to play a game. A few weeks ago I had dinner at Glenelg with a few mates and after that we wandered over to the Beach-house. Some of the arcade games looked fun and we were interested in playing them, however we were put off by the fact that you have to purchase a 'fun card' first.

I don't think that the pre-paid card system is the reason this business failed... The card itself is free and easy to acquire and recharge... it is also less cumbersome than carrying around a pocket full of coins...

The card costs $2.

[loud]

Maybe they should be dual-use, so you can use both coins and the FunCard, especially at the Arcade.

I would suspect there are a number of reasons why they aren't dual use or coin operated:

1) being a mechanical device, coin operated is most likely more expensive to repair
2) it is probably also more expensive to acquire

from the operator's point of view:

3) less staff required (don't have to service and empty coin dispensers or arcade machines)
4) once a patron has charged their card up, the operator has their money (irrespective of whether the patron ends up using all the credit on the card that session)

Will, I have never paid for a card (I have gone through a few, as I keep losing them) and it has always been free when I have used one of those vending machines, or it costs $2 when you pay at a cashiers, but you get a "free" lanyard... however, as this company has now gone bust, I wouldn't be surpised if they recently started charging for it...

[Xaragmata]

It's remarkable what can be found in the local Messenger print edition...

A history of beachside fun

THE Beachouse opened its doors in July 2006 on the site where Luna Park had stood between 1930 and 1935.

These days, children can ride Australia's first single-arm ferris wheel at the beachside amusement park, and
marvel at Australia's oldest carousel. ... [Shop Smart advertising feature - Weekly Times p59]

Almost as remarkable as how the ferris wheel was finished, lit up, and full of happy people in last year's
TV adverts, when all I could see was gondolas full of pool salt and unfinished wiring & surrounds.

[hillier51]

THIS HAS JUST BEEN PLACED IN RECEIVERSHP WITH DEBTS OF $16M.
Business as usual while Ferrrier Hodgson put it for sale next month - lets just hope the ferris wheel gets finished...probably helped to send them broke.
Anyone know who owns the land.
What is the chance of a sale and could it become a high rise development site if this concept is not viable?

The land is owned by Peter & Bec Rimington who also own 'The Beachouse'.
The land is owned by Rimhart Nominees (A combination of Pete's surname and Bec's maiden name)
The Business is owned by the Rimington Group.
Both entities are in receivership, With Pete & Bec being Directors of both.

Looks like the whole package will be sold - I hear the land is valued at $30 million alone.

[loud]

THIS HAS JUST BEEN PLACED IN RECEIVERSHP WITH DEBTS OF $16M.
Business as usual while Ferrrier Hodgson put it for sale next month - lets just hope the ferris wheel gets finished...probably helped to send them broke.
Anyone know who owns the land.
What is the chance of a sale and could it become a high rise development site if this concept is not viable?

The land is owned by Peter & Bec Rimington who also own 'The Beachouse'.
The land is owned by Rimhart Nominees (A combination of Pete's surname and Bec's maiden name)
The Business is owned by the Rimington Group.
Both entities are in receivership, With Pete & Bec being Directors of both.

Looks like the whole package will be sold - I hear the land is valued at $30 million alone.

Cheers for the free company search hillier51! do you want to give out their addresses too?

Given that the lifesaving club also tenants this property, I would imagine it would be difficult to redevelop...

Also, a quick flick through the zoning indicates that the council is looking for the following in the area "Interface with Jetty Road. Key family entertainment area, restaurants, tourism facilities and associated development." That doesn't appear to lend itself to another high-rise...

[Xaragmata]

Not really anything new, but article in yesterday's Guardian Messenger has the story on the ferris wheel
stalling & Beachouse in receivership, with hope of a private sale in next fortnight, or open sale otherwise:

Ferris wheel launch stalls

THE opening of Glenelg’s $1.8 million ferris wheel - due to take its first spin next month has been shelved indefinitely after the Beachouse amusement park was placed in receivership.

The Colley Tce complex was last week taken over by receiver Ferrier Hodgson after it emerged owner the Rimington Group was $16 million in debt.

Beachouse operations manager Richard Heath declined to comment on the reasons for the multi-million dollar loss last week but confirmed the opening of the 25m high, single-arm ferris wheel an Australian-first was on hold pending the park’s sale.

“The ferris wheel will still open but we have delayed it for the time being,” he said.

[...]

Source: http://guardian-messenger.whereilive.co ... ch-stalls/

[pushbutton]

Why on earth can these sorts of places not do well in Adelaide?

Dazzleland and Downtown closed down, and now the Beach house isn't making money.

They certainly charge enough, but then maybe that's the problem. They charge way too much.

I can only speak for myself but personally I rarely go to the beachhouse because it costs way too much. If everything was say about a third of the current prices, I would go more than 3 times as often, so they'd make more money from my visits overall.

Sounds simple enough, but for some reason I can't fathom, nobody seems to be able to make things like this work well in Adelaide, which is very disappointing.

I can only hope that they find new owners who are able to do it better.

Maybe another reason could be that they're open at times when it's just not busy enough to be open. Most probably they should re-look at their opening hours and only open at times when there's enough people around.

They should also introduce a better range of offers / packages such as something like pay $25 and enjoy all the rides etc as many times as you like for 1 hour, or a similar thing for 2 adults and 2 kids for say $65. I think that would be very popular and again, those people who took advantage of such an offer would probably NOT spend that much otherwise, so they'd actually be making more money, AND offering people genuinely better value.

They could even offer an annual pass maybe.

[monotonehell]

Adelaide's population seem to have a short attention span for such things. Give it to us for less than two months a year and we love it (Royal Show, Fringe etc), try to sell it all year and we lose interest (Dazzel Land, Beachhouse).

[Xaragmata]

Adelaide's population seem to have a short attention span for such things. Give it to us for less than two months a year and we love it (Royal Show, Fringe etc), try to sell it all year and we lose interest (Dazzel Land, Beachhouse).

I don't have the answer, but until the 1970s, Glenelg & Semaphore both had sideshow attractions over the summer months.
I mainly remember Semi, with the Gee Whizz, Cha Cha, Octopus, and a row of sideshow booths with shooting, arcade
games, food & stuff, & lots of people around enjoying the hot summer nights instead of sweltering in unairconditioned
homes. They could try setting up a mini carnival on the lawn at the front, & draw people to it, with the right mix of
operators.

[Omicron]

Adelaide's population seem to have a short attention span for such things. Give it to us for less than two months a year and we love it (Royal Show, Fringe etc), try to sell it all year and we lose interest (Dazzel Land, Beachhouse).

I don't have the answer, but until the 1970s, Glenelg & Semaphore both had sideshow attractions over the summer months.
I mainly remember Semi, with the Gee Whizz, Cha Cha, Octopus, and a row of sideshow booths with shooting, arcade
games, food & stuff, & lots of people around enjoying the hot summer nights instead of sweltering in unairconditioned
homes. They could try setting up a mini carnival on the lawn at the front, & draw people to it, with the right mix of
operators.

That was back in the days of hugs, rainbows and puppy dogs. These days, we youthful types just want to get drunk and beat each other up. I'd much rather shoot someone I don't know with a spear gun in a dark alley after a mixed brown spirit or seventeen rather than some poxy fluffy bunny rabbit with jangly cowboy music and fake guns.

[cruel_world00]

Semaphore still has those fair like attractions some months... not sure how often they are there but I have been on a weeknight (I think it was summery or warmer) and it was like something out of the O.C.

[Xaragmata]

Adelaide's population seem to have a short attention span for such things. Give it to us for less than two months a year and we love it (Royal Show, Fringe etc), try to sell it all year and we lose interest (Dazzel Land, Beachhouse).

I don't have the answer, but until the 1970s, Glenelg & Semaphore both had sideshow attractions over the summer months.
I mainly remember Semi, with the Gee Whizz, Cha Cha, Octopus, and a row of sideshow booths with shooting, arcade
games, food & stuff, & lots of people around enjoying the hot summer nights instead of sweltering in unairconditioned
homes. They could try setting up a mini carnival on the lawn at the front, & draw people to it, with the right mix of
operators.

That was back in the days of hugs, rainbows and puppy dogs. These days, we youthful types just want to get drunk and beat each other up. I'd much rather shoot someone I don't know with a spear gun in a dark alley after a mixed brown spirit or seventeen rather than some poxy fluffy bunny rabbit with jangly cowboy music and fake guns.

Well it was back in the days of Leapy Lee singing Little Arrows over and over and over, with a few Glenn Campbells
& Beatles in between ... now to search for Youtube videos on spear guns, alleys and deathwishes.

[Xaragmata]

Semaphore still has those fair like attractions some months... not sure how often they are there but I have been on a weeknight (I think it was summery or warmer) and it was like something out of the O.C.

The ferris wheel, water slide, carousel & mini golf are there, near the Palais, and apparently making enough to survive.

[cruel_world00]

Semaphore still has those fair like attractions some months... not sure how often they are there but I have been on a weeknight (I think it was summery or warmer) and it was like something out of the O.C.

The ferris wheel, water slide, carousel & mini golf are there, near the Palais, and apparently making enough to survive.

It's kinda nice to see. Although the shed thing with the merry go round looks like it's out of the opening scenes to a crime show.