And a revised planning application for a holiday village at the St Lawrence site is likely to be resubmitted, he added.
The park’s 1,100 members were emailed and told that all existing memberships would be cancelled at the end of the month, and refunds given to those who had paid for the year.
No memberships will be issued in future and Tamba will become a pay-to-enter attraction only – with the cost of entry due to increase to almost £20 for a family of four at the weekend and in school holidays. Memberships had cost £120 a year for a family of five.
From 1 February, entry to the park during the week will cost £1.95 for adults and £2.95 for children – a reduction of £2 each on current prices. Weekend entry will be £3.95 for adults and £5.95 for children – an increase of £1 each compared to the current rate. As is the case at the moment, children under two will not be charged, and over-60s will have to pay £2.95 at the weekend and in school holidays, with free entry during the week in term time.
The announcement comes six months after the Planning Minister refused an application from Tamba owner Jonathan Ruff to build a countryside holiday village, which would run alongside the existing park. That project is now on hold, with Mr Ruff saying he is looking at resubmitting a revised proposal for a similar scheme.
And he said the membership decision had not been taken lightly and certainly did not signal the demise of the park.
Instead, he said there were plans to refurbish the indoor play area and create a large dinosaur-themed soft play zone, relocate the dino trail and make it more interactive and create a stage within the park for entertainment.
He also said that once investments had been made, it was hoped that memberships – albeit more expensive ones – could be re-introduced.
‘It was a tough decision to make and I didn’t enjoy it, but it is for the long-term benefit of the park and that is what people have got to understand.
‘The memberships were too cheap and we had two options – we either increased membership prices significantly or we made it a pay-for-entry park while we make the changes
and then look at reintroducing a membership scheme.’
Responding to online reaction to the announcement, Mr Ruff said he had no plans to close Tamba Park – which raises money for Ruff’s Kitchens, a charity set up to feed vulnerable children in Zimbabwe – but added that local people would have to support it in order to make it viable.
‘There are lots of things that we want to do but it comes down to the support of Jersey,’ he said. ‘I am disappointed with some of the responses. After three years of all the stuff we have done at Tamba, all the thousands of kids we have helped through the little money that the park has made.
‘A lot of bad stuff happens in the world and all we have done is cancel some memberships – people need to get a grip.’
