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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Alton Towers starts to see recovery in trade | Alton Towers starts to see recovery in trade |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Trade has started to recover at Alton Towers following a crash on its Smiler rollercoaster last year. | Trade has started to recover at Alton Towers following a crash on its Smiler rollercoaster last year. |
| Its owners, Merlin Entertainments, said visitor numbers had picked up over summer, but that overall numbers "still remain some way below the 2014 level". | Its owners, Merlin Entertainments, said visitor numbers had picked up over summer, but that overall numbers "still remain some way below the 2014 level". |
| On Tuesday, the company was fined £5m for the incident, for which it has apologised. | On Tuesday, the company was fined £5m for the incident, for which it has apologised. |
| Sixteen people were injured in the June 2015 crash, including two teenage girls who needed leg amputations. | Sixteen people were injured in the June 2015 crash, including two teenage girls who needed leg amputations. |
| "We have learned every lesson from what happened last year and made a number of technical and procedural improvements to make sure that an accident like this cannot happen again," the company said its trading statement. | "We have learned every lesson from what happened last year and made a number of technical and procedural improvements to make sure that an accident like this cannot happen again," the company said its trading statement. |
| Overall, Merlin Entertainments saw growth in revenue of 10.6% in the year so far. | Overall, Merlin Entertainments saw growth in revenue of 10.6% in the year so far. |
| 'Volatile trading' | 'Volatile trading' |
| "Trading across the existing estate has been mixed," said Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments. | "Trading across the existing estate has been mixed," said Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments. |
| "Our Resort Theme Parks Operating Group is now showing year-on-year revenue growth, reflecting the ongoing recovery in trading at Alton Towers." | "Our Resort Theme Parks Operating Group is now showing year-on-year revenue growth, reflecting the ongoing recovery in trading at Alton Towers." |
| However, he added that its Midways Attractions group, which includes its Madame Tussauds and Sea Life chains, continued to see challenges, with London in particular suppressing overall trade. | However, he added that its Midways Attractions group, which includes its Madame Tussauds and Sea Life chains, continued to see challenges, with London in particular suppressing overall trade. |
| "Many of our city centre attractions have experienced volatile trading patterns as a result of wider security concerns that have affected both domestic and international visitation," Mr Varney said. | "Many of our city centre attractions have experienced volatile trading patterns as a result of wider security concerns that have affected both domestic and international visitation," Mr Varney said. |
| "This continues to have a significant impact on Midway London, the largest Division within the Operating Group, where visitor volumes have also yet to see any material benefit of sterling weakening to current levels." | "This continues to have a significant impact on Midway London, the largest Division within the Operating Group, where visitor volumes have also yet to see any material benefit of sterling weakening to current levels." |
| Meanwhile in China, Madame Tussauds in Shanghai is having a "challenging" time since Disney opened its resort there. | Meanwhile in China, Madame Tussauds in Shanghai is having a "challenging" time since Disney opened its resort there. |
| Shares in Merlin Entertainments finished nearly 6% lower on London's FTSE 100. |