Flambards theme park is auctioning off exhibits. Some items were borrowed from locals. The auction will last four days.
The auction lasts four days, starting March 25th and ending March 28th. Lay’s Auctioneers in Penzance hosts it. They will sell everything from the park, including the Victorian Village shops and the “Britain in the Blitz” display. A Concorde plane and Shackleton cockpit are for sale too.
Flambards closed last November due to rising costs and fewer visitors. The Victorian Village showcased old shops and even had a doll house town.
Helston Town Council contacted Flambards’ owner because the council wanted to preserve the Village. The company said it must all move together and that finding a place quickly was hard.
The council knew locals loaned items. Flambards’ owner said everything must stay together, and they couldn’t store things temporarily. The company talked to a northern museum.
The council tried to help find solutions, but the company stopped talking to them. The council learned about the auction later and was surprised.
The auction news upset many people. One woman wants to save the exhibit, hoping to protect it for future generations.
Sophie Barton applied to Historic England, wanting the Village listed as historic. Sophie visits Cornwall every year, and Flambards is special to her.
Sophie thinks the auction is a shame and believes the exhibits are educational. The company won’t keep it together. The Village shows real Victorian life. “Britain in the Blitz” shows war.
Historic England received Sophie’s request and will consider listing the Village.