Work is continuing at pace to prepare the venue for a new scare event at Clacton Pier.
A large team of carpenters, painters and electricians have joined forces in helping to create two live action scare mazes in the attraction’s oldest building for Clacton FEAR.
The Jolly Roger – built in 1893 and the pier’s oldest structure – is being totally transformed for the seven night event next month.
A third separate scare zone will be created outside the building.
General manager Harry Peek said that it the largest project undertaken on the pier since Jurassic Pier in 2023.
“We have been planning this for three years and working on getting the venue ready for most of this year,” he added.
“A large number of our own in-house team have been involved along with outside contractors and we are really excited to seeing it start to come together as we envisaged it.
“A new staircase has been built to the upper floor of the Jolly Roger which will be open to the public for the first time in around 50 years.
“This really will be something special and on a totally different scale from anything we have done before.”
Industry experts behind award-winning events have been called in to provide their experience and 28 actors have already been signed up to appear at Clacton FEAR with more auditions taking place soon.
“We have some amazing costumes which have already arrived and no expense is being spared to create a top quality event in the town,” said Mr Peek.
“The team are working round the clock to have everything in place for the first nights of October 16 and 17. It then continues on October 23 and 24, 29, 30 and 31.
“The Jolly Roger has some fantastic Victorian architecture and provides the ideal location for this terrifying new Halloween event.”
It will begin each evening at 6pm and run until late with rides in the dark, a host of live entertainment as well as food and drink options.
Tickets cost £30 but can be snapped up for £25 until the end of September and include all scare attractions and unlimited thrill rides.
The first scare maze will feature Laughing Gas: Toxic Circus. It is set in 1933 when the Jolly Roger Theatre was preparing to open with Cecil P Cranbourne’s travelling circus. A boiler room explosion releases toxic gas leaving everyone inside missing. Sealed for nearly a century, the theatre is finally reopened and there is the chance to find out what happened that fateful night.
Next comes Mourning Manor Hotel. The hotel fell into decay following the death of Mr Grady but his widow refuses to let it close. She welcomes new guests into the crumbling property where nobody seems to check out. Now it’s your turn to check in!
And finally Mullins and Sons: DEADWOOD scare zone features a lumberjack family who were brought to the pier to complete a timber decking project but they soon found more interesting uses for their chainsaws than cutting wood. The unfinished worksite has become their territory and the Mullins are rather too keen to get to know their visitors.
Tickets can be booked at: https://www.clactonfear.co.uk/tickets/
