Camelot Theme Park

The park, which opened its doors in 1983, operated on a seasonal basis until the end of 2012. It was inspired by the legendary tales of 'Camelot, King Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table.' The area was once dominated by Martin Mere, often referred to as the largest freshwater lake in England, which was drained in 1692 by Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall in Bretherton.

According to legend, Sir Lancelot's parents, King Ban of Benwick and Queen Elaine, fled to Lancashire to escape their foes in France. After King Ban was injured, Elaine placed the infant Lancelot on the lake's shore, where he was kidnapped by the nymph Vivian, who took him beneath the waters. Vivian raised Lancelot, and upon reaching King Arthur's court, he was honored as 'Sir Lancelot of the Lake.' This myth has led to Martin Mere being known locally as the 'Lost Lake of Sir Lancelot.'

In 1986, the Granada Group acquired the park, managing it alongside its now-closed sister attractions, American Adventure and Granada Studios Tour. By June 1998, a management buyout transferred ownership to Prime Resorts Ltd. Unfortunately, Camelot experienced a decline in visitor numbers over the years, with only 500,000 guests attending in 1995.

The park made an appearance in a 1994 episode of Sooty & Co., featuring presenter Matthew Corbett alongside Sooty, Sweep, and Soo. One of the park's roller coasters was visible from the M6 near Charnock Richard Services, but as of February 2020, "The Knightmare" has been dismantled after standing unused for eight years.

By 2005, Camelot's attendance had dropped to just 336,204 visitors. Additionally, in August 2006, a survey assessing healthy food options at major UK tourist attractions revealed that Camelot ranked at the bottom, scoring only one point.

In August 2006, a survey assessing the availability of healthy food at popular tourist destinations across the United Kingdom revealed that Camelot ranked at the very bottom, earning a mere one point. By February 2009, Prime Resorts declared that the park was under receivership and would not be reopening for the 2009 season. However, in March 2009, Lavender Hotels acquired the hotel, and by April, it was announced that a buyer had been secured for the park, with plans to reopen in May 2009. The theme park was ultimately bought by Story Group, a construction firm from Carlisle, and was leased to Knight's Leisure, who managed the operations of the park.