Kettering, Friday, 3 October 2025.
The UK Theme Park Awards moved to Wicksteed Park this year, and the most telling signal for operators and suppliers is the expert judging panel and refreshed categories. Hosted on a Thursday in September, the ceremony combined public voting with scores from nine industry specialists — including senior figures from BALPPA, Attractions.io and editorial leadership at Planet Attractions — indicating clear evaluation priorities around guest experience, technology integration and IP use. New categories such as Best Use of IP, Best Queue Line Experience or Pre‑Show, and Best Integration of Technology spotlight procurement and partnership opportunities likely to drive buying cycles and marketing claims next season. For suppliers, the hosts and production partner choices also map networking leverage and validation routes via award-led promotion. This briefing explains why venue selection, judge composition and category changes matter strategically for product development, tender timing and regional tourism partnerships — essential context for planning pitches and campaigns ahead of the next buying window.