Blackpool Tower operator Merlin Entertainments shares fall after poor figures
Blackpool Tower operator Merlin Entertainments saw its shares plunge by a fifth as peak summer trading woes after UK terror attacks took the shine off a worldwide Peppa Pig deal.
Its latest trading figures confirmed a “difficult” summer for the company’s London attractions and UK theme parks after a spate of terrorist attacks, which saw group like-for-like revenue edge up 0.3 per cent in the 40 weeks to October 7. Poor late summer weather across Europe and Florida was also blamed.
Merlin has struck an agreement with Entertainment One - which owns the rights to Peppa Pig to develop new attractions and themed accommodation outside the UK based on the pre-school favourite.
Figures showed like-for-like revenues fell 2.1 per cent across its theme parks in the 40 weeks so far of its financial year, although Legoland parks notched up growth of 3.4 per cent.