'Scotland's Theme Park' owner M&Ds in administration Published duration 23 April

image copyright Google image caption The theme park boasted 40 attractions

Scotland's largest theme park has gone into administration following years of financial difficulties.

Operator M&D (Leisure) Ltd contacted its 165 staff on Thursday telling them they were being made redundant with immediate effect.

The firm had already laid off staff at "Scotland's Theme Park" and the Alona Hotel in Strathclyde Park during the coronavirus lockdown.

The park, at Motherwell, opened in 1996 and had more than 40 attractions.

In a statement M&Ds said: "It has been a challenging few years and we have worked really hard to try to diversify and keep the business afloat.

"Like many leisure businesses, the plans we had for the 2020 season have had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.

"We explored all options to try and safeguard the business and jobs of our colleagues, many of whom are longstanding, however it is with a heavy heart that we are having to make 165 employees redundant."

Staff anger

Michelle Elliot and Stuart Robb of Leonard Curtis Business Rescue & Recovery have been appointed joint administrators.

M&D's advised employees to contact the government's Redundancy Payments Service.

The move, just before payday, angered staff who posted on social media that they were expecting to receive furlough payments.

Next to Strathclyde Park, M&D's contains four rollercoasters, two water rides, fairground rides, an arcade, a theatre, ten-pin bowling and an indoor tropical house, Amazonia.

image caption Nine people were injured when gondolas on the Tsunami ride crashed to the ground in 2016

Last year the owners were fined £65,000 for health and safety breaches after a rollercoaster derailed in June 2016.

Seven children were among nine people injured when five gondolas plunged 30ft to the ground.