Newsham Scream Park - 2024
In 2023, Asylum Entertainment announced a new event set within the derelict, sprawling halls and passageways of Newsham Park Hospital, a building steeped in dark and somewhat morbid history. Partnering with the scare entertainment powerhouse production company, AtmosFEAR! Scare Entertainment, they presented three live scare experiences.
For 2024, they’ve promised four brand new attractions, each poised to terrify and entertain the masses. Needless to say, we were eager to return to this chilling space to see what new horrors awaited!
Upon arrival, the team were welcomed into a spacious events area featuring a gigantic marquee, street food, bars, and a stage with live musicians; much like the 2023 event. This year, however, they introduced a new feature: a ‘Selfie Museum’ with four large, intricately themed sets, providing the perfect backdrop for all your social media needs. It was a great addition to the event.
Serving as a hub, this area connected the four mazes, meaning you passed through it every time you exited an attraction - offering an upbeat reprieve from the horrors you’d just experienced. We started our night with Humanimal.
Themed to hidden subterranean vault where an insidious ‘Keeper’ houses the creations of a pseudo-scientific procedure blending human and animal DNA. This maze promised to start our evening with a short-sharp shock to the system and throw us into the deep end… and this it did!
The experience began with a brief interaction with a ‘police officer’ character who set the narrative with a short opening dialogue. We then ventured into the hospital’s undercroft, where creatures came at us thick and fast. This scare maze was a strobe maze at its core, with sporadic bursts of light offering just enough visibility to navigate your path and catch glimpses of the lurking monsters. While it was relatively short, the sheer number of scares packed into the space was impressive, with actors making the most of every angle to launch their attacks.
What really stood out was the unmistakable smell of fumes from a familiar scare tactic (we'll leave the specifics unsaid), which intensified the sensation of being trapped underground in a claustrophobic, humid environment. The maze concluded with a classic, high-impact scare that delivered a fantastic exit!
A particularly fun touch was the live-stream of the maze to the giant stage outside, where a large, ominous red button waits for anyone passing by to press it—who knows what might happen when you do?
Next up, we decided to try The Priest Hood. As you may guess by the name, this is in fact a ‘hooded’ attraction - which, sadly, we find can be hit or miss, so were excited to see what this one had in store.
Upon entering the first scene, we found ourselves in an elaborately decorated Elizabethan-panelled room. A priest warned us of marauding pursuivants, claiming the only ‘safe passage’ was through the priest hole. The catch? It was already occupied by starving monks with a taste for human flesh. Sounds perfectly safe...
Hoods on, we ducked into the priest hole, guided by a rope in our left hands as we navigated a winding path. Unseen characters taunted and teased us along the way, using various implements to brush against us, delivering tactile scares, while unsettling voices echoed in the darkness to heighten the tension.
After a few minutes, we were asked to remove our hoods and exit the maze. As mentioned, these hooded attractions can be hit or miss, but we recognise that’s largely due to our experience in seeing similar mazes. For many visitors to Newsham Park, this would be an entirely new and thrilling experience, and judging by the hysterical screams from the rest of our group, it certainly hit the mark. However, we would have loved a more distinct journey or narrative progression for the audience - perhaps varied soundscapes or different textures underfoot to create a sense of moving through distinct spaces. This would have added another layer of dynamism to the attraction.
Across the bustling courtyard, while being serenaded by a fantastic local singer performing Oasis, we made our way to The Mortuary, which promised a dark, blackout-style experience, with the only light sources being two glowsticks - one at the front and one at the back of the group.
The opening scene was introduced by an urbexer who explained that his friend had ventured through a broken wall in search of an old mortuary but hadn’t returned. He warned us of local folklore claiming that vampires lurked in these forgotten spaces.
The route was incredibly dark, illuminated only by the occasional candlelight and our glowsticks. Scare actors used the darkness to their advantage, darting in and out of the shadows, hissing and startling the group.
This was hands down one of our favourite mazes. The pitch-black environment offered endless opportunities for perfectly timed jump scares, and each one landed with precision. The dense theming, punctuated by the subtle glow of tea lights, added to the overall atmosphere, which we thoroughly enjoyed. If you have nyctophobia, this probably isn’t for you.
Finally, we made our way to Under The Bed.
The event’s creative team had described this experience as “weird” and “theatrical,” two words that immediately piqued our interest. With the other scare mazes focusing on jump scares and short, sharp shocks, we were eager to experience something more substantial and narrative-driven.
Entering the first scene, we were greeted by an ominous sight: a large bed dominated the room. A Nanny told us about a little girl’s nightmares and her terror of the monsters lurking beneath her bed. Setting a deeply unsettling tone, she invited us to crawl under the bed and see for ourselves. Using the bed as a crawlspace, we ventured deeper, stepping into the mind of the little girl.
This maze stood out as the only one to utilise multiple floors of the building, taking us in and out of rooms, up and down stairs and ramps, through richly themed spaces - culminating with exiting the building down a fireplace from the top floor, which was terrifying in itself. Much of the experience revolved around a towering staircase covered in a giant, web-like structure. The sheer scale of this scene, stretching five to six floors high, was truly impressive.
Starting on the lower floor, as we ascended, we encountered many of the nightmarish creatures the little girl feared. From a man with a contoured face made of multiple eyes and mouths to a shadowy figure stalking us around a zoetrope, each room added a new level of dread. One particularly novel element was the use of a room we had to move through multiple times, re-entering via different doors as the maze looped in a cleverly disorienting way.
The Nanny had warned about the girl’s most-feared monster: the Boogeyman and as we reached the top of the staircase, we found ourselves in her bedroom, she invited us to check under the bed to see if he was waiting for her.Suffice to say, we met the Boogeyman in person—but we won’t reveal exactly how or where!
This experience was everything we’d hoped for and felt more in line with the 2023 event and what AtmosFEAR! is known for: a perfect blend of theatrical storytelling and scares. It was by far our favourite attraction on site, and we’re excited to see more of this style in future years at this incredibly promising event.
Overall, the 2024 event at Newsham Scream Park delivered a diverse mix of scare experiences, each offering something unique for thrill-seekers and horror fans alike. From the high-energy frights of The Mortuary to the more theatrical and immersive Under The Bed, it’s clear that Asylum Entertainment and AtmosFEAR! Scare Entertainment have once again raised the bar for this event.
With the promise of new ideas and creative expansions in the future, Newsham Scream Park is cementing itself as a must-visit event in the scare calendar. We can’t wait to see what surprises they have in store for next year.
For 2024, they’ve promised four brand new attractions, each poised to terrify and entertain the masses. Needless to say, we were eager to return to this chilling space to see what new horrors awaited!
Upon arrival, the team were welcomed into a spacious events area featuring a gigantic marquee, street food, bars, and a stage with live musicians; much like the 2023 event. This year, however, they introduced a new feature: a ‘Selfie Museum’ with four large, intricately themed sets, providing the perfect backdrop for all your social media needs. It was a great addition to the event.
Serving as a hub, this area connected the four mazes, meaning you passed through it every time you exited an attraction - offering an upbeat reprieve from the horrors you’d just experienced. We started our night with Humanimal.
Themed to hidden subterranean vault where an insidious ‘Keeper’ houses the creations of a pseudo-scientific procedure blending human and animal DNA. This maze promised to start our evening with a short-sharp shock to the system and throw us into the deep end… and this it did!
The experience began with a brief interaction with a ‘police officer’ character who set the narrative with a short opening dialogue. We then ventured into the hospital’s undercroft, where creatures came at us thick and fast. This scare maze was a strobe maze at its core, with sporadic bursts of light offering just enough visibility to navigate your path and catch glimpses of the lurking monsters. While it was relatively short, the sheer number of scares packed into the space was impressive, with actors making the most of every angle to launch their attacks.
What really stood out was the unmistakable smell of fumes from a familiar scare tactic (we'll leave the specifics unsaid), which intensified the sensation of being trapped underground in a claustrophobic, humid environment. The maze concluded with a classic, high-impact scare that delivered a fantastic exit!
A particularly fun touch was the live-stream of the maze to the giant stage outside, where a large, ominous red button waits for anyone passing by to press it—who knows what might happen when you do?
Next up, we decided to try The Priest Hood. As you may guess by the name, this is in fact a ‘hooded’ attraction - which, sadly, we find can be hit or miss, so were excited to see what this one had in store.
Upon entering the first scene, we found ourselves in an elaborately decorated Elizabethan-panelled room. A priest warned us of marauding pursuivants, claiming the only ‘safe passage’ was through the priest hole. The catch? It was already occupied by starving monks with a taste for human flesh. Sounds perfectly safe...
Hoods on, we ducked into the priest hole, guided by a rope in our left hands as we navigated a winding path. Unseen characters taunted and teased us along the way, using various implements to brush against us, delivering tactile scares, while unsettling voices echoed in the darkness to heighten the tension.
After a few minutes, we were asked to remove our hoods and exit the maze. As mentioned, these hooded attractions can be hit or miss, but we recognise that’s largely due to our experience in seeing similar mazes. For many visitors to Newsham Park, this would be an entirely new and thrilling experience, and judging by the hysterical screams from the rest of our group, it certainly hit the mark. However, we would have loved a more distinct journey or narrative progression for the audience - perhaps varied soundscapes or different textures underfoot to create a sense of moving through distinct spaces. This would have added another layer of dynamism to the attraction.
Across the bustling courtyard, while being serenaded by a fantastic local singer performing Oasis, we made our way to The Mortuary, which promised a dark, blackout-style experience, with the only light sources being two glowsticks - one at the front and one at the back of the group.
The opening scene was introduced by an urbexer who explained that his friend had ventured through a broken wall in search of an old mortuary but hadn’t returned. He warned us of local folklore claiming that vampires lurked in these forgotten spaces.
The route was incredibly dark, illuminated only by the occasional candlelight and our glowsticks. Scare actors used the darkness to their advantage, darting in and out of the shadows, hissing and startling the group.
This was hands down one of our favourite mazes. The pitch-black environment offered endless opportunities for perfectly timed jump scares, and each one landed with precision. The dense theming, punctuated by the subtle glow of tea lights, added to the overall atmosphere, which we thoroughly enjoyed. If you have nyctophobia, this probably isn’t for you.
Finally, we made our way to Under The Bed.
The event’s creative team had described this experience as “weird” and “theatrical,” two words that immediately piqued our interest. With the other scare mazes focusing on jump scares and short, sharp shocks, we were eager to experience something more substantial and narrative-driven.
Entering the first scene, we were greeted by an ominous sight: a large bed dominated the room. A Nanny told us about a little girl’s nightmares and her terror of the monsters lurking beneath her bed. Setting a deeply unsettling tone, she invited us to crawl under the bed and see for ourselves. Using the bed as a crawlspace, we ventured deeper, stepping into the mind of the little girl.
This maze stood out as the only one to utilise multiple floors of the building, taking us in and out of rooms, up and down stairs and ramps, through richly themed spaces - culminating with exiting the building down a fireplace from the top floor, which was terrifying in itself. Much of the experience revolved around a towering staircase covered in a giant, web-like structure. The sheer scale of this scene, stretching five to six floors high, was truly impressive.
Starting on the lower floor, as we ascended, we encountered many of the nightmarish creatures the little girl feared. From a man with a contoured face made of multiple eyes and mouths to a shadowy figure stalking us around a zoetrope, each room added a new level of dread. One particularly novel element was the use of a room we had to move through multiple times, re-entering via different doors as the maze looped in a cleverly disorienting way.
The Nanny had warned about the girl’s most-feared monster: the Boogeyman and as we reached the top of the staircase, we found ourselves in her bedroom, she invited us to check under the bed to see if he was waiting for her.Suffice to say, we met the Boogeyman in person—but we won’t reveal exactly how or where!
This experience was everything we’d hoped for and felt more in line with the 2023 event and what AtmosFEAR! is known for: a perfect blend of theatrical storytelling and scares. It was by far our favourite attraction on site, and we’re excited to see more of this style in future years at this incredibly promising event.
Overall, the 2024 event at Newsham Scream Park delivered a diverse mix of scare experiences, each offering something unique for thrill-seekers and horror fans alike. From the high-energy frights of The Mortuary to the more theatrical and immersive Under The Bed, it’s clear that Asylum Entertainment and AtmosFEAR! Scare Entertainment have once again raised the bar for this event.
With the promise of new ideas and creative expansions in the future, Newsham Scream Park is cementing itself as a must-visit event in the scare calendar. We can’t wait to see what surprises they have in store for next year.
Newsham Scream Park - 2023
When we first arrived at the site of Newsham Scream Park, the building was casting a dark shadow! Newsham Hospital has an incredibly dark history - it was an orphanage, hospital, then a psychiatric hospital! The huge daunting building would fill anyone with dread, but especially those waiting outside wondering what monsters may lurk within.
Newsham Scream Park is a brand new event for 2023, produced by Asylum Entertainment, and creatively directed by the AtmosFEAR! Team, we were set to explore the mammoth building and be terrorised by the scare actors within. It’s safe to say we were incredibly excited, but did the event live up to our hype?
Upon entering through the gateway, a vast courtyard spread out in front of us. An impressive food and beverage offering encases seating and a huge screen and stage. The atmosphere was electric! After an introduction speech from the events creative lead, Jason Karl of AtmosFEAR!, we had the opportunity to visit three attractions: The Orphanage, Insanitorium and Helluminati (an 18+ experience).
We opted to visit Helluminati first, and only having a throughput of two guests per three minutes, we’re glad we did. We only had to wait for two groups before heading in ourselves, but within half an hour, the queue had already exceeded an hour! At the entrance, we were given our safe word, and entered the experience. What promised to be an intense journey to join the Helluminati saw us visit four rooms with highup members of this secret society, setting us tasks to become one with them…
We won’t give you any spoilers, but what we will say is that the scenes differ, from interacting with live performers in uncomfortable ways, through to completing mini tasks. On paper, this should have been the strongest of the experiences, the scariest and most-intense. Sadly, we felt it was our least favourite. It felt like it was between an ‘extreme’ experience, and immersive theatre, but didn’t really succeed at being either of them. We love the idea of this event, in it’s first year, trying something new and quirky - something you wouldn’t have seen before, but feel that the experience should have relied more on cult tropes and ritualistic interactions over the pseudo-sexual elements. Also - the park could have done with one more full experience, and the storyline with the hoods and masks could easily have been utilised for a dark/rope maze with a higher capacity
Onwards to the next attraction and we chose to cross over the courtyard to The Orphanage. The Orphanage is set around The Blessed Sisters of Mercy, a Satanic religious cult that have questionable beliefs. From the get-go, this attraction utilises the hauntingly beautiful venue to it’s absolute advantage. As you walked through the stunning setting, a horde of demonic nuns and demons crept out of the shadows and terrified us. The cast were brilliant - working their spaces to their potential. We loved how haunting this attraction was - it felt like a ghost story brought to life in front of our very own eyes. The finale is a ‘show’ set within one of the darkest parts of the entire building, if you know the history of the spaces - you’ll appreciate why the team have ended the experience by the very real ‘naughty cupboards’ that featured as part of the real orphanage. Following the attraction you exit at the highest point, overlooking the entire site as you navigate your way down the fire escape to the floor - the views are truly breathtaking.
Our only slight critique with this storyline was the slightly confusing narrative at the beginning of the attraction - the story is offered about it being turned into a guest house, and you’re staying there, but after you enter, the story goes out of the window. We feel a more simple narrative set around just The Sisters of Mercy would have hit better.
Following The Orphanage, the team mustered up the courage to visit the final attraction of the evening - Insanitorium. On the other side of the building, a winding stair case took us up to the first floor, where we waited to enter the building. We cannot express how atmospheric the building is, lit up in it’s blue and green hues which really sets the tone of what’s to come. Upon entering, we’re greeted by a matron, who was by FAR, the best performer of the night. She was truly excellent. The story is that we’re visiting the ‘Goodwell Institute’ where they’re testing out a new treatment known as ‘The Invasia Procedure’, which tries to find out once and for all what happens after death? The scene was plunged into darkness and we had to feel our way around a dark room as we were attacked by several patients and nurses. Being in complete darkness in the first scene was a brilliant way to truly throw your audience in at the deep end - we wish this would have carried on a little longer as it was really impactful.
Throughout the attraction the nurses and patients stalked, taunted and terrified the audience through theatrical scenes and jump scares. It’s brilliant to see the use of real equipment and theming that has been discarded within the building being used throughout this attraction - especially the real electro-shock machine we saw! All in all, it was a fun, chaotic and fast-paced attraction that had us screaming and laughing in equal measures. The cast throughout were energetic and went out of their way to invade our personal spaces and entertain the whole audience.
Overall, this event was incredibly entertaining and scary. We had a great time. After speaking with their team, it was brilliant to hear the plans for the future with the expansion of new attractions, so we’re very excited for what’s to come. We would love to see more attractions in line with The Orphanage and less down the route of Helluminati, but know that their team are willing to take on new ways of working in the future. We’d like to thank Newsham Scream park for inviting us down to check it out.
Newsham Scream Park is a brand new event for 2023, produced by Asylum Entertainment, and creatively directed by the AtmosFEAR! Team, we were set to explore the mammoth building and be terrorised by the scare actors within. It’s safe to say we were incredibly excited, but did the event live up to our hype?
Upon entering through the gateway, a vast courtyard spread out in front of us. An impressive food and beverage offering encases seating and a huge screen and stage. The atmosphere was electric! After an introduction speech from the events creative lead, Jason Karl of AtmosFEAR!, we had the opportunity to visit three attractions: The Orphanage, Insanitorium and Helluminati (an 18+ experience).
We opted to visit Helluminati first, and only having a throughput of two guests per three minutes, we’re glad we did. We only had to wait for two groups before heading in ourselves, but within half an hour, the queue had already exceeded an hour! At the entrance, we were given our safe word, and entered the experience. What promised to be an intense journey to join the Helluminati saw us visit four rooms with highup members of this secret society, setting us tasks to become one with them…
We won’t give you any spoilers, but what we will say is that the scenes differ, from interacting with live performers in uncomfortable ways, through to completing mini tasks. On paper, this should have been the strongest of the experiences, the scariest and most-intense. Sadly, we felt it was our least favourite. It felt like it was between an ‘extreme’ experience, and immersive theatre, but didn’t really succeed at being either of them. We love the idea of this event, in it’s first year, trying something new and quirky - something you wouldn’t have seen before, but feel that the experience should have relied more on cult tropes and ritualistic interactions over the pseudo-sexual elements. Also - the park could have done with one more full experience, and the storyline with the hoods and masks could easily have been utilised for a dark/rope maze with a higher capacity
Onwards to the next attraction and we chose to cross over the courtyard to The Orphanage. The Orphanage is set around The Blessed Sisters of Mercy, a Satanic religious cult that have questionable beliefs. From the get-go, this attraction utilises the hauntingly beautiful venue to it’s absolute advantage. As you walked through the stunning setting, a horde of demonic nuns and demons crept out of the shadows and terrified us. The cast were brilliant - working their spaces to their potential. We loved how haunting this attraction was - it felt like a ghost story brought to life in front of our very own eyes. The finale is a ‘show’ set within one of the darkest parts of the entire building, if you know the history of the spaces - you’ll appreciate why the team have ended the experience by the very real ‘naughty cupboards’ that featured as part of the real orphanage. Following the attraction you exit at the highest point, overlooking the entire site as you navigate your way down the fire escape to the floor - the views are truly breathtaking.
Our only slight critique with this storyline was the slightly confusing narrative at the beginning of the attraction - the story is offered about it being turned into a guest house, and you’re staying there, but after you enter, the story goes out of the window. We feel a more simple narrative set around just The Sisters of Mercy would have hit better.
Following The Orphanage, the team mustered up the courage to visit the final attraction of the evening - Insanitorium. On the other side of the building, a winding stair case took us up to the first floor, where we waited to enter the building. We cannot express how atmospheric the building is, lit up in it’s blue and green hues which really sets the tone of what’s to come. Upon entering, we’re greeted by a matron, who was by FAR, the best performer of the night. She was truly excellent. The story is that we’re visiting the ‘Goodwell Institute’ where they’re testing out a new treatment known as ‘The Invasia Procedure’, which tries to find out once and for all what happens after death? The scene was plunged into darkness and we had to feel our way around a dark room as we were attacked by several patients and nurses. Being in complete darkness in the first scene was a brilliant way to truly throw your audience in at the deep end - we wish this would have carried on a little longer as it was really impactful.
Throughout the attraction the nurses and patients stalked, taunted and terrified the audience through theatrical scenes and jump scares. It’s brilliant to see the use of real equipment and theming that has been discarded within the building being used throughout this attraction - especially the real electro-shock machine we saw! All in all, it was a fun, chaotic and fast-paced attraction that had us screaming and laughing in equal measures. The cast throughout were energetic and went out of their way to invade our personal spaces and entertain the whole audience.
Overall, this event was incredibly entertaining and scary. We had a great time. After speaking with their team, it was brilliant to hear the plans for the future with the expansion of new attractions, so we’re very excited for what’s to come. We would love to see more attractions in line with The Orphanage and less down the route of Helluminati, but know that their team are willing to take on new ways of working in the future. We’d like to thank Newsham Scream park for inviting us down to check it out.
Very scary. This was absolutely brilliant. I got my tickets bought for me for my birthday (31/10). Me and my 14 year old son attended and he was scared alot which he loved, and you actually got a scream out of me. It really was fab. Please come back next year.
On another note, the medic Louis was so lovely as where the other staff.Thank you for an unforgettable time
On another note, the medic Louis was so lovely as where the other staff.Thank you for an unforgettable time
Bit boring not much thought gone in to it.the sets are good but needs way more interaction if your at the front of the que u get the jump scares but all the people behind know what's coming as u see the people in front jump the best part is the darkness as adds a little fear but mazes are not long enough for how fast they end and considering only 2 mazes and have pay extra for helluminati definitely not worth the travel or the cost and food is terrible would not recommend visiting we attend a scaremaze every year and this is the worst one
Links:
Newsham Scream Park website
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