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Codona's Amusement Park is an amusement park located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was established by the Codona family in 1970.
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| Location | Aberdeen, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57°9′4″N 2°4′39″W / 57.15111°N 2.07750°W |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Owner | Alfred Codona |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 11 |
| Roller coasters | 1 |
| Website | http://www.codonas.com/ |
The park is located on Beach Boulevard at Aberdeen Beach, adjacent to the Queens Links, on the coast of the North Sea.[1]
History
editCodona family
editFrancesco Codoni, a Swiss-Italian national from the Ticino region next to the Northern Italian border, immigrated to Scotland in the 1790s. Codoni's descendants worked in circuses throughout Europe, but the majority remained in Scotland.[2] By the early 20th century, members of the Codona family operated travelling fairgrounds and entertainment shows across Scotland, including regular appearances in Aberdeen.[3]
During the 19th century, the family toured Scotland with various circus acts. Francesco Codoni's grandson, Henry (Enrique) Codona, founded the trapeze act "The Flying Codonas". The act was featured in various films, including Varieté (1925).[4] The circus film The Greatest Show on Earth mentions both the Codonas and Costellos as prominent circus families.[5]
Once the Industrial Revolution hit the 1860s, the Scotland-based Codonas purchased steam-powered fairground rides and toured as John Codona's Pleasure Fairs, running it until 1960.[2]
Amusement park
edit
In 1969, the Codona family successfully tendered to operate a permanent amusement park on Queens Links in Aberdeen, and the park opened the following year.[3] Alfred Codona took charge of the Aberdeen beachfront amusement park, which eventually became today's Codona's Amusement Park.[2]
In July 2020, Codona's reopened following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, but was forced to close its rides again days later after being classified as a travelling funfair under Scottish Government regulations.[6] In February 2022 it was reported that the amusement park had suffered a loss of £4.5 million due to the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom.[7] In 2024, the park underwent a £1.4 million refurbishment, including upgrades to its bowling facilities, bar and indoor areas.[8] In 2025, Codona's was named "Best Day Out" at the Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality Awards.[9]
Attractions
editRoller coasters
edit| Name | Manufacturer | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Apple Coaster | Pinfari | 2003 | A small, sit-down roller coaster designed primarily for children, featuring a standard Big Apple figure-eight layout. |
Mascot
editIn 2006, the park introduced Dodgem the Dog as its mascot, following a primary school design competition.[10]
References
edit- ↑ "JOHN CODONA'S PLEASURE FAIRS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
- 1 2 3 Bruce, Frank. "Codona's and the forgotten fun of the fair". Leopardmag.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- 1 2 Ritchie, Gayle (5 November 2020). "Codona's: 50 years of white-knuckle fun at Aberdeen attraction". Press and Journal. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "The Codonas". Circopedia. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ↑ The Greatest Show on Earth, 1952
- ↑ "Government apology after wrong funfair advice given out". BBC News. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ Wilson, Kelly. "Aberdeen's Codona's Amusement Park suffers near-£4.5 million hit due to Covid". Press and Journal. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: First look at £1.4 million Codona's 'facelift'". Press and Journal. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ Henderson, Michelle (4 May 2025). "Codona's in Aberdeen among several north and north-east winners of major industry awards". Press and Journal. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Codonas". AboutAberdeen.com. Retrieved 14 January 2026.