Thorpe Park gets strict on bad body odour

Aug 18 2009 By Russell Butt

Thorpe Park revellers are being banned from putting their arms in the air on rides - in case they've got bad body odour.

The combination of super scary rides and summer heat has proved to be the pits for the Surrey theme park which has received a number of complaints due to perspiring punters.

From Wednesday, August 19, the park will be banning visitors from riding their star attractions with their hands in the air when temperatures top 25°C in a bid to crack down on summer body odour problems.

The unprecedented ban will kick-start on Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to reach 29°C, making it the hottest recorded day of the month. The new ban will involve the implementation of ‘Say No to B.O.’ signs in the queue lines of some of the Park’s most terrifying rides including Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno.

Divisional Director at Thorpe Park, Mike Vallis, said: "It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster summer in regards to the weather but we have found that when the temperature gauge tops 25°C the level of unpleasant smells can become unacceptable and we do receive complaints.

"Coupled with the fact that our rides are really scary and people sweat more than normal due to the fear and anticipate they experience whilst queuing up, it can get really pongy.

"We felt a ban in temperatures of more than 25°C would be the best way of ensuring our guests have the most enjoyable experience and aren’t exposed to any unsavoury armpits."

The park's dedicated ‘thrillologist’ Brendan Walker, uses his uniquely developed ‘Thrill Technology’ to record the changing physiology of a rider during high-adrenaline forms of entertainment, like rollercoasters.

He said: "The anticipation and terror felt by people whilst queuing to get on really scary rides will certainly fuel the odour levels at the park this summer.

"When people are scared they produce more sweat due to the sympathetic nervous system kicking in. Those queueing to go on the ride will produce lots of sweat as the skin’s pores open up to cool the body down and prepare it for action."