Here we are on the eve of the 2011 season, how are you feeling heading in to opening day tomorrow?

I think a few of us tend to suffer with what we call pre-season nerves, probably as we really want our opening day and the following few weeks to run smoothly. This is also the first time that guests will have been able to enjoy Skeleton Cove, so we're excited and nervous to hear their feedback.

2011 sees the arrival of Skeleton Cove. What can guests expect?

We're placing a real emphasis on the customer experience this year in attempting to move away from the 'theme park without a theme' tag. As such, we hope guests will see that we've worked extremely hard on the theming of this new area, with plenty of attention to detail. To us, it's the little touches that make a big difference, from the bespoke soundtrack to the themed litter bins!

Following the closure of Loudoun Castle, how quickly did you have to re-think your plans for the 2011 season?

We had looked at a number of options prior to purchasing the rides from Loudoun Castle, however the opportunity to expand on the theming we'd done with Raptor Attack in 2010 was far too good to miss. One thing that remained constant, however, was our plan to remove the Go Karts as the attraction (although popular) always attracted large queues due to a slow throughput.

Of course, Skeleton Cove isn't the only investment for 2011. Following the success of Whirlwind last season, was the decision to purchase your own Topscan an easy one?

Whirlwind attracted rave reviews in 2010 as it filled an important gap in our ride portfolio, giving us an additional attraction that appealed to an older teenage market. As such, given our growing reputation as having one of the best selection of flat rides in the UK, it was a fairly easy decision.

You've been quoted in the past as saying Lightwater Valley needs to move on from being the theme park without a theme. With the addition of Skeleton Cove, and Raptor Attack in 2010, do you believe you're on your way to achieving this?

I think we're definitely on the way to achieving this and, given that we're only in the second year of a significant 5 year investment plan, guests can certainly expect more of the same in years three, four and five.

Along with the annual promotional leaflets etc, you've also launched a brand new website as well as releasing another fantastic viral video. Closed season must be a pretty stressful time for a Marketing Manager?

The closed season is usually the time when all our marketing planning takes place. In fact, planning for the following season usually begins in September with the first draft of next year's plan. From a personal perspective, composing the plan is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job, effectively starting with a clean slate and an opportunity to put new ideas into practice.

The closed season is certainly one of my busiest times of year on the marketing front, with customer relations issues tending to take precedence through the summer months.

As for the job being stressful, it certainly has its moments, but working for a theme park offers such great subject matter that I really have no cause for complaint.

How important to the park direction is fan and Facebook feedback? Has the park ever changed course on the back of negative or different feedback?

The feedback is absolutely critical and it's something that we regularly report on and discuss in management meetings. Social networking is a great mechanism for engaging with fans and it definitely informs our future direction.

This closed season we've noticed a big push towards engaging with enthusiasts via social networking. With so many other parks reluctant to do so, does this surprise you at all, and what are the benefits from doing so?

If I'm honest it does surprise me as the enthusiast community is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also uniquely positioned to give unbiased feedback. Some parks may think that enthusiasts aren't representative of a typical customer, however in terms of comparing different parks and ride experiences the enthusiasts' knowledge is second to none. In short, enthusiast feedback gives us a unique perspective on where we stand and how we relate to other UK parks. As such, their opinions are invaluable.

The Ultimate turns 20 years old this year. Do you have any plans to celebrate this milestone?

We've been looking at quite a few options on the public relations front, however I can't reveal any firm plans at this stage.

Speaking of The Ultimate, what's the current situation regarding refurbishment and possible plans of even extending it?

There are plenty of rumours flying around at the moment, but unfortunately at this time they are just rumours and we have no firm plans. The danger is that, with The Ultimate being such an iconic ride, any future track changes (layout / extension) could damage what is a unique and unparalleled ride experience.

The holiday village is something that has been identified as key to the future success of Lightwater Valley. What stage are the revised plans at?

This is still a project that we’re keen to pursue, but again I have no firm details to give you at this stage.

You're currently in the midst of a 5 year plan; coming out of it, how far do you expect the park to have progressed?

I think we've already made significant progress over the last couple of years, but the ultimate measure will of course be what guests make of not only our new developments, but also the overall experience offered by Lightwater Valley. From a business perspective, we obviously hope the investment will translate into increased visitor numbers.

Lightwater Valley receives approximately 330,000 visitors a season - with the 5 year plan in mind, what is the aspiration as to what that should be after it has run its course?

Historically Lightwater Valley has always been a regional theme park, attracting guests primarily from across Yorkshire and the North East.

The long-term aim in terms of visitor figures would be to break through the 500,000 barrier, although we appreciate this needs to happen in much smaller, incremental steps and will take longer than 5 years to achieve. It's also fair to say that superior and increased ride content should give us a wider pull, so we'd then be able to market ourselves across a much larger geographical area.

And finally, it had to be asked, can fans expect a new rollercoaster within that development plan?

If I put 'no comment' here I may get shot, but as a ride enthusiast myself a new coaster is definitely something I’d like to see at Lightwater Valley.