April – October (7 days) November – March (weekends)
Attractions
Total
7
Roller coasters
1
Water rides
0
Website
www.thebigsheep.co.uk
The site was originally Barton Farm,[1] a busy sheep farm owned by six generations of the same family. Due to challenges in the farming community, owner Rick Turner decided to bring in more profits by turning the farm into an attraction in 1988. The site started with an animal park and restaurant. After its initial focus on agriculture yielded disappointing returns, the park began to add entertainment attractions as well.[2] The park gained attention for its daily sheep races.[3] The park suffered substantial losses in the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.[4] In 2012 the park drew attention when Turner claimed that "needlessly pessimistic" weather forecasts by the Met Office were driving tourists away from local attractions.[5][6] It also gained more exposure in March 2016 when it launched its new roller coaster but erected signs to state "no screaming" after complaints were made by local residents during the planning process.[7]
Attractionsedit
The Big Sheep features an indoor playground, animal shows, brewery, gin distillery, animal barn, Battlefield Live laser tag, outdoor playground, shops and 2 restaurants. There are also currently 8 rides including a roller coaster, farm safari ride, train ride, twister ride, piggy pull along, swan pedalos, tractor school, carousel and pony rides.
During the first few months of the roller coaster's operation in 2016, it was named "The Big One". It is now named "Rampage". The roller coaster was made by Zierer and was formerly located at Metroland, the defunct indoor amusement park of the MetroCentre shopping centre in Gateshead.[8][9][10]
Throughout the year the park also hosts many live events.
^"One year on: 'We were losing £3,000 a day'", BBC News, 19 February 2002.
^Richard Smith, "Miserable Weather Forecasts Have Left Me In Sheep Depression: Theme Park Boss to Sue Met Office"[dead link], The Mirror, 4 October 2012
^Ryan Hooper, "Tourist attraction boss considers suing Met Office over 'pessimistic' weather forecasts", The Independent, 3 October 2012.
^"No screaming on Rollercoaster says Devon Park Big Sheep", BBC, 30 March 2016.
^Hodgson, Barbara. "Metroland ride gets rolling again - and North East fans can enjoy a free ride in DEVON". Newcastle Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
^ "Devon's Biggest Coaster at The Big Sheep". ThemeParks-UK. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
sheep, amusement, farm, park, located, abbotsham, devon, england, duck, trials, sheeplocationabbotsham, bideford, england, united, kingdomcoordinates51, 015712, 244019, 015712, 244019opened1988operating, seasonapril, october, days, november, march, weekends, a. The Big Sheep is an amusement farm park located in Abbotsham Devon England The Big SheepDuck trials at the Big SheepLocationAbbotsham Bideford England United KingdomCoordinates51 00 57 N 4 14 38 W 51 015712 N 4 244019 W 51 015712 4 244019Opened1988Operating seasonApril October 7 days November March weekends AttractionsTotal7Roller coasters1Water rides0Websitewww wbr thebigsheep wbr co wbr uk The site was originally Barton Farm 1 a busy sheep farm owned by six generations of the same family Due to challenges in the farming community owner Rick Turner decided to bring in more profits by turning the farm into an attraction in 1988 The site started with an animal park and restaurant After its initial focus on agriculture yielded disappointing returns the park began to add entertainment attractions as well 2 The park gained attention for its daily sheep races 3 The park suffered substantial losses in the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease 4 In 2012 the park drew attention when Turner claimed that needlessly pessimistic weather forecasts by the Met Office were driving tourists away from local attractions 5 6 It also gained more exposure in March 2016 when it launched its new roller coaster but erected signs to state no screaming after complaints were made by local residents during the planning process 7 Attractions editThe Big Sheep features an indoor playground animal shows brewery gin distillery animal barn Battlefield Live laser tag outdoor playground shops and 2 restaurants There are also currently 8 rides including a roller coaster farm safari ride train ride twister ride piggy pull along swan pedalos tractor school carousel and pony rides During the first few months of the roller coaster s operation in 2016 it was named The Big One It is now named Rampage The roller coaster was made by Zierer and was formerly located at Metroland the defunct indoor amusement park of the MetroCentre shopping centre in Gateshead 8 9 10 Throughout the year the park also hosts many live events References edit The Big Sheep Bideford DEV The Big Sheep Celebrates 25 Years North Devon Journal 1 August 2013 Perrott Phillips Ghostly goings on that stir among the cream teas The Herald 5 January 1998 One year on We were losing 3 000 a day BBC News 19 February 2002 Richard Smith Miserable Weather Forecasts Have Left Me In Sheep Depression Theme Park Boss to Sue Met Office dead link The Mirror 4 October 2012 Ryan Hooper Tourist attraction boss considers suing Met Office over pessimistic weather forecasts The Independent 3 October 2012 No screaming on Rollercoaster says Devon Park Big Sheep BBC 30 March 2016 Hodgson Barbara Metroland ride gets rolling again and North East fans can enjoy a free ride in DEVON Newcastle Chronicle Retrieved 2019 03 18 Devon s Biggest Coaster at The Big Sheep ThemeParks UK Retrieved 2019 03 18 Family Rides External links editwww wbr thebigsheep wbr co wbr uk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Big Sheep amp oldid 1187126373, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
