Meet the roller coaster builder based in Merseyside responsible for some of the areas biggest thrill rides

A 29-year-old man in Southport has the best job in the North West – and he loves every minute!  

Zac Bryan has the role of building and maintaining new roller coasters and other rides at Southport Pleasureland. 

Over the past few weeks Zac and his colleagues have been enjoying putting together the park’s newest exciting attraction – a 35 metre high LED-lit observation wheel, which offers passengers breath-taking views across the coast. 

Coming in the next few months will be the construction of a dramatic 260 metre long ‘Thunderbolt’ roller coaster ride, which will be built along the Marine Drive coast road – running parallel with Southport Beach – after planning permission was granted by Sefton Council. The new ride will take people on bends and loops at speeds of up to a thrilling 90 kilometres per hour. 

Maintenance Manager Zac’s role is one of many examples of the unique careers which are available at Southport Pleasureland, ahead of Recruitment Open Days taking place there this weekend. 

Credit: Andrew Brown Media

The park provides jobs for around 150 people at a time each year with opportunities ranging from shifts, part-time, to full-time, and exciting careers with full training given and lots of opportunities for progression. 

Two Recruitment Open Days take place 10am-2pm this Saturday (5th March) and Sunday (6th March) at Casablanca at Southport Pleasureland. All are welcome. 

Free parking will be available in the Southport Pleasureland car park adjacent to Casablanca.  Vacancies available will be promoted via the Southport Pleasureland website. 

The Open Days will be followed by induction training, ahead of Southport Pleasureland opening for the 2022 season on Saturday, 26th March. The busy Easter holidays follow soon afterwards. 

Zac said: “I have been working at Southport Pleasureland for the past 12 years. A long time! 

“I started working here as a ride operator. I had moved to Southport from Bournemouth, and was working as a scaffolder Monday to Friday, I was working at Southport Pleasureland as a weekend job. 

“The year after they made me a ride supervisor, then I started working with the engineering team. Now I’m the Maintenance Manager, with a team of five people. 

“Southport Pleasureland is a brilliant place to work. No two days here are the same!

“The opportunities for people who work here are amazing. 

“Norman Wallis has put me through college and training. I have completed a Welding course at Preston College; I have completed a four year Engineering course at Wigan & Leigh College with Distinctions. I have completed a Leadership Course with Purple Performance. 

Credit: Andrew Brown Media

“I won the Young Person of the Year Award at the 2015 Southport Ambassador Awards. 

“You can definitely come to Southport Pleasureland and build a career here, 100%. 

“We have just taken on two new employees – I have told them that now is the time to come and work here, and make a career of it. The plans in place to expand the park are massive.” 

Zac takes huge pride in what he has achieved so far. There is lots more to come. 

“I have pretty much built every ride on here now,” he said. 

“I have travelled across to Slovenia to take a roller coaster down before bringing it back and assembling it at Southport Pleasureland. 

“We have also taken some of the rides from the former Camelot theme park and brought them back here, such as the Pirate Ship, and Excalibur. 

“Over the past few months we have been working on the new observation wheel. 

“There are great views from up there! I can’t wait until it is finished and people are riding on it. 

“It is going to be really good for Southport. 

“The new things that people will be able to see this year – the observation wheel, and the Viking themed adventure golf – they are going to bring lots of new visitors into Southport.  

“Southport Pleasureland is open throughout most of the year now. 

“The park has come on massively since I have been here. The landscaping and the appearance of the site has really improved, and Norman Wallis has added lots of new rides and attractions. 

“It is unrecognisable from how it used to be.” 

Southport Pleasureland is one of the biggest employers in the region, providing job opportunities for around 150 people each year. 

The park offers a wide range of jobs from full-time to part-time, and can offer flexibility over shifts. 

There is a wide range of people who work there from college students to more mature employees, with life experience much valued. 

There are lots of roles available at Southport Pleasureland throughout the year including: ride assistants; parking attendants; housekeeping; guest relations assistants; catering staff; cooks; gardeners, landscapers; and many more too. 

Southport Pleasureland is always looking for a variety of other roles, from electricians, to mechanical engineers, to graphic designers and more. Even if a job isn’t advertised at the moment, it is always worth sending in your CV for consideration. 

Southport Pleasureland CEO Norman Wallis said: “There are so many jobs needed here. 

“We have people here who are on apprenticeships, who are taking courses at college. 

“People here can enjoy rich and rewarding careers, with the experience gained here giving them opportunities to work in Dubai, in Florida, at attractions across the world.  

“We have a lot of university and college students working here, with the hours available fitting in with their studies and their term times. 

Credit: Andrew Brown Media

“We also welcome people who have great life experience, parents, grandparents, older people who can help to mentor some of our younger workers, and who offer superb customer skills. 

“We want to be able to encourage as many people in the town as possible to come and work here.

“We are growing, and we need more people to join us.”

Southport Pleasureland opens for the 2022 season on Saturday, 26th March, ahead of the Easter Holidays. 

Are you interested in a job at Southport Pleasureland? Please email: info@southportpleasureland.com or visit the Southport Pleasureland website here.