Lights Out! Scare Attraction at Bodmin Jail - Review 2024
Bodmin Jail is an historic former prison situated in Bodmin, on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Built in 1779 and closed in 1927, a large range of the buildings fell into ruin, but parts of the prison have been turned into a tourist attraction, and more recently, another large part was converted into a hotel.
Although we haven't visited the the main Jail attraction before, it is clear that it shares a similar DNA to Dungeon type attractions, mixing dark history with special effects and actors to create an educational but entertaining experience. The regular attraction is really starting to find their feet now and has started hosting different events and tours to capitalise on the big tourist audience in Cornwall (a county not really that well know for scare events!)
We visited on opening night, and after checking in to the amazing Bodmin Jail Hotel (which is allegedly one of the most haunted places in Cornwall) we gathered in the main courtyard to soak up the atmosphere. Around the area was a fire act and a GHOST tribute band. Drinks and a tasty selection of street food were available to purchase in the Jolly Hangman bar.
Once it was time to enter the main attraction we were ushered into a study like waiting area, where a video screen started a countdown to the start of the tour. This immediately got the group excited and as the clock got to about ten seconds, we counted down to a big reveal as a secret door was revealed and we started our journey down into the jail,
Now, many of these first scenes have clearly repurposed some of the impressive effects, sets and tricks from the main show. The lighting is professional and apart from a small problem with the sound that meant we had to really strain to hear what was being said (the tech team did admit to a fault afterwards) the show starts with a very impressive multi media presentation that sets up the back ground of the experience. From there on we are greeted by different rooms and different effects with one of the strongest being the Lights Out room that the experience is named after. Stood in a large room with multi directional sound in pitch darkness was extremely unnerving and it was a great relief when the lighting started to flicker back on after want seemed like an eternity in the darkness!
This was followed by more of a Dungeon's style scene set in a court room, which although well acted, didn't provide the scares that the previous scene had. Once sentenced - we were then sent deep in to the jail wing itself into a part of the show that was most like a standard scare attraction. Separated into smaller groups - we were met with dark corridors, a winding path in and out of different cells and a selection of scare actors to add to the tension.
To add real authenticity to the whole thing, our tour ended at one of the original hanging pits that had seen multiple prisoners executed ion the past. Always quite sobering when you've just laughed and screamed for the last half hour!
All in - we had a great time at Lights Out! Scare Attraction and we think it will prove really popular throughout the year. Clearly the building has a LOT of dark history to play with so we were a little bit surprised at the "little girl ghost" trope. Especially as after seeing her a lot on the screens and in the back story we never saw the actual "ghost" (or a character playing her!)
After a few drinks in the hotel bar we retired to our hotel room (basically three old jail cells knocked through) and slept pretty soundly. Which is amazing as we had been told that we had been lodged in the most haunted part of the prison. Everyone we spoke to at breakfast who worked there, recounted tales of paranormal experience in the building. Now - it may be obvious we like horror and scary stuff but the thought of real ghosts always makes us feel really uncomfortable!
But then maybe the sound problem from earlier was the ghosts trying to get the creators back and stop them being disturbed? Who knows for sure, but we certainly had a great time, and we shall follow this event keenly to see what they come up with next!
Although we haven't visited the the main Jail attraction before, it is clear that it shares a similar DNA to Dungeon type attractions, mixing dark history with special effects and actors to create an educational but entertaining experience. The regular attraction is really starting to find their feet now and has started hosting different events and tours to capitalise on the big tourist audience in Cornwall (a county not really that well know for scare events!)
We visited on opening night, and after checking in to the amazing Bodmin Jail Hotel (which is allegedly one of the most haunted places in Cornwall) we gathered in the main courtyard to soak up the atmosphere. Around the area was a fire act and a GHOST tribute band. Drinks and a tasty selection of street food were available to purchase in the Jolly Hangman bar.
Once it was time to enter the main attraction we were ushered into a study like waiting area, where a video screen started a countdown to the start of the tour. This immediately got the group excited and as the clock got to about ten seconds, we counted down to a big reveal as a secret door was revealed and we started our journey down into the jail,
Now, many of these first scenes have clearly repurposed some of the impressive effects, sets and tricks from the main show. The lighting is professional and apart from a small problem with the sound that meant we had to really strain to hear what was being said (the tech team did admit to a fault afterwards) the show starts with a very impressive multi media presentation that sets up the back ground of the experience. From there on we are greeted by different rooms and different effects with one of the strongest being the Lights Out room that the experience is named after. Stood in a large room with multi directional sound in pitch darkness was extremely unnerving and it was a great relief when the lighting started to flicker back on after want seemed like an eternity in the darkness!
This was followed by more of a Dungeon's style scene set in a court room, which although well acted, didn't provide the scares that the previous scene had. Once sentenced - we were then sent deep in to the jail wing itself into a part of the show that was most like a standard scare attraction. Separated into smaller groups - we were met with dark corridors, a winding path in and out of different cells and a selection of scare actors to add to the tension.
To add real authenticity to the whole thing, our tour ended at one of the original hanging pits that had seen multiple prisoners executed ion the past. Always quite sobering when you've just laughed and screamed for the last half hour!
All in - we had a great time at Lights Out! Scare Attraction and we think it will prove really popular throughout the year. Clearly the building has a LOT of dark history to play with so we were a little bit surprised at the "little girl ghost" trope. Especially as after seeing her a lot on the screens and in the back story we never saw the actual "ghost" (or a character playing her!)
After a few drinks in the hotel bar we retired to our hotel room (basically three old jail cells knocked through) and slept pretty soundly. Which is amazing as we had been told that we had been lodged in the most haunted part of the prison. Everyone we spoke to at breakfast who worked there, recounted tales of paranormal experience in the building. Now - it may be obvious we like horror and scary stuff but the thought of real ghosts always makes us feel really uncomfortable!
But then maybe the sound problem from earlier was the ghosts trying to get the creators back and stop them being disturbed? Who knows for sure, but we certainly had a great time, and we shall follow this event keenly to see what they come up with next!
Links:
Bodmin Jail website
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