Weston-super-Mare monster floats in to fill former Tropicana pool
A monster has floated into Weston-super-Mare, all ready to become the latest attraction at the resort.
A huge 450-tonne former oil platform was transported on a flatbed barge the size of a football pitch to its new home.
It will be transformed into a giant water park attraction at the Tropicana, dubbed the See Monster.
It is hoped it will help bring in more tourists to the North Somerset town, which is dubbed ‘Midlands on Sea by locals because of the number of visitors from our region.
The towering structure will be lifted by crane over the seawall on to preconstructed legs that have been standing since early May.
It is now hoped the attraction will be ready to open on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The retired offshore rigging platform is to be transformed into a giant art installation with its own garden and waterfall – with members of the public able to walk around and explore the impressive machine.
The art installation is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors over its opening period, and is part of Unboxed: Creativity in the UK – a free, national collection of 10 large-scale, public art engagement projects that will showcase the UK’s creativity and innovation to the world.
It will also cement the re-emergence of the Tropicana as an attraction.
Created on the site of Weston’s former open air swimming pool, it was a waterpark for many years before becoming derelict and is now an arts and music venue.
It hosted an installation by renowned street artist Banksy, called Dismaland, back in 2015, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors.
