THE sun has official set on Adventure Parc Snowdonia but there is hope the 40-acre site could one day be repurposed.

Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism, said the closure of the world’s first inland surf lagoon in the Conwy Valley presented an opportunity to "reinvent, reimagine, and reintroduce fresh ideas".

He said: “Through their tireless efforts and money invested by the Ainscough family supported by Welsh Government this once-dormant land emerged as a hub of adventure, attracting visitors from all over the world and contributing to our claim as the ‘Adventure Capital of Europe’.

“It is disheartening for everyone involved, especially considering the previous staff redundancies at the Hilton Garden Hotel that were done to accommodate the Home Office, and now with the activity park team also facing redundancies.

“Let’s hope it is short lived as every setback presents an opportunity to reinvent, reimagine, and reintroduce fresh ideas. Hopefully a new contractor will be found soon for the activity side, which hopefully will breath new life into its activities.

“I still believe that Adventure Parc Snowdonia holds immense potential, to providing visitors with unforgettable experiences that we’ve come to expect in North Wales.”

Janet Finch-Saunders, MS for Aberconwy, said: "I was supportive of the development from the outset. I loved the innovation, but it just hasn’t worked out for several reasons.

“The whole site has been fraught with frequent problems, such as the wave pool breaking down, and staffing concerns, but I am however disappointed that this is the end of the pioneering business.

“My heart goes out to the very loyal staff who are now being made redundant.

“However, tourism and the hospitality industry under the Welsh Labour Government is facing many pressures, through lack of ongoing support for the industry. As part of their cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru there is now a real sense of an anti-tourism agenda. Recent reports show that there are 30 per cent less visitors into Wales. There is a real threat that more businesses will follow unless the Welsh Labour Government and Plaid Cymru wake up to the fact that the tourism tax could be the final nail in the coffin to our much valued industry.

“I do hope that other ideas are coming forward for the re-purposing of this site.”

Situated in Dolgarrog, the £12 million complex boasted a surfing facility which was transformed into a ‘multi-activity water parc’.

Also on offer was indoor activities such as high ropes, climbing, zip line, ninja assault and soft play for younger visitors.

The Welsh Government put £4 million towards the development when it opened eight years ago. The site was previously home to Dolgarrog Aluminium. The factory closed in 2007.

The inland surfing lagoon used technology called Wavegarden to drive waves that were generated every 90 seconds.

In a statement on social media, Adventure Parc Snowdonia said: “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce the immediate closure of our parc. To all who’ve been part of this journey, we’re truly sorry.

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“We are bitterly disappointed that once again excellent employees are being made redundant. The sad reality is that despite the joy and adventure our waves brought to many as a world-first innovation, the machine has cost us a fortune in downtime, repairs and loss of business.”

“More importantly it has cost us a loss of reputation with our employees, people we’ve worked closely with since the start of this journey in 2015.

“We’ll be exploring options for an exciting new chapter from 2024 and beyond.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the developments at Adventure Parc Snowdonia and our thoughts are with those affected. We continue to be in touch with the company and are closely monitoring the situation.”

Both the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia, which opened in tandem with the Wave Garden Spa, remain open to guests.