A BELOVED theme park where aspiring cowboys lived out their Wild West fantasy has been given a new lease of life after being left to rot.
The Spirit Of The West theme park in St Columb Major, Cornwall, was closed in 2009 and redeveloped into the Retallack Resort & Spa.
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Photos of the abandoned Old West town show the fake warehouse, the sheriff’s office, a jail, and a gallows rigged for hangings all falling apart.
The park was a popular destination in the early 2000s and recreated “the American frontier as it was and as it never will be again.” Cornwall live reported.
When the park was operating, actors acted out scenes from the Wild West, including gunfights, arresting bandits and administering justice.
The public who watches the show stays inside the city and sees the Old West in Hollywood style up close.
Spirit of the West had two cities – the law-abiding Fort Smith and also the lawless Silver City.
In 2003 and 2004, it hosted the Tapeçaria Festival, lasting three days, presenting several shows based on the cowboy theme.
But the cities were closed in 2009 and the place was overrun by tall grass and the buildings fell into ruins.
Grass grew through the wooden walls and empty cigarette trays sat inside the empty hall.
A spokesperson said at the time: “The Spirit of the West theme park closed in 2009 and was a fantastic attraction in its day. The buildings are now structurally unsound and it is an unsafe area.”
The site became popular with vandals and urban explorers.
In 2014, the abandoned town was designated for demolition and the area was turned into holiday accommodation.
It has been converted into Retallack, a five-star self-catering holiday destination with luxury accommodation, water sports and spa facilities.
Retallack’s barn-shaped guesthouses are available with two, three, four and six bedrooms, meaning they can sleep up to twelve people.
For example, three-night stays at barn with terrace cost of £53pp per night when sharing with six (£954 per stay).
Alternatively, if you prefer to book a larger barn, you can get three nights’ £60 per night for eight shares (£1,445 per stay).
The luxurious terrace barns are a far cry from the abandoned theme park and feature a light, airy feel with large windows, open-plan kitchen and outdoor space.
I spent 25 years turning my house into a Wild West town
By Rob Pattinson
A GRANDMOTHER has the wildest front yard on the street.
Cowboy madman Stephen Smart has spent the last 25 years transforming his front and back yards into an Old West town.
The Dude Ranch includes a saloon, jail, bank, haberdashery and funeral home.
Retired truck driver Stephen, 65, who calls himself Dude, said: “I just had a fascination with the Wild West.
“It started with country music, then looking at the time and then I started attending some themed parties.
“I basically wanted a place to go, so I built the city.
“It all started with small buildings, then the salon and it took off from there.”
The front of Stephen’s semi-detached house in Sheppey, Kent, has a cemetery, old cart wheels, revolving parlor doors and a sign welcoming visitors.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
