A tourist attraction in Northern Ireland that has had millions of pounds invested into it has been closed nearly as many days as it has been open over the past decade, an analysis has found.
The Gobbins Cliff Path in Islandmagee, County Antrim is a walk made up of a series of steel bridges and paths running past caves and through a tunnel, allowing for visitors to get up close to the crashing Irish Sea waves, providing unique coastal views.
The first stretch of dramatic coastal walk opened in 1902, designed by Edwardian engineer Berkeley Deane Wise, but fell into disrepair by the 1950s.
After several failed attempts to revive the structure, a £7.5m investment saw the path reopen in 2015, adding several new bridges and gallery structures to the cliff face.
While the cliff path experience was saved, new analysis by the BBC has found that this tourist attraction has been shut for almost half of the time that it has been open over the past 10 years.
Since 2015 the Gobbins Cliff Path has been shut for a combined 1,624 days, or about 46 per cent of the time, according to figures released to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act.
There are several reasons why the path has shut, the largest being 503 days of planned works, 461 days of rockfall and 322 days of storm damage.
Other closures included 53 days of Covid-19 restrictions and 150 days of inspections. The longest closure was for over a year from 19 June 2016 until 30 June 2017.
Despite the long closures, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council says that around £4.3m has been spent to maintain the tourist attraction since 2017 on repairs and planned works.
While the council said they are not able to provide figures on spending on the path before 2017, the BBC estimates at least £5.6m has been spent to maintain the tourist attraction since it reopened in 2015.
The Gobbins Cliff Path is currently going through another period of closures following a recent rockfall.
“We have a team working to reopen the attraction as soon as possible,” the tourist attraction says on its website. “The Visitor Centre and café will remain open.”
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and we will provide further information regarding the reopening of the Gobbins when available.”
“As this is a natural attraction built on rock faces in a difficult-to-access area, incidents such as rockfalls are beyond our control,” a council spokesperson added after its closure.
Despite its unreliability, causing tour companies to leave it off their itineraries, some residents and tourists feel that the path is “unique” and a “brilliant idea”, making it more of a shame when it is closed.
Mother and daughter Isabella and Léa Petit Boyer, visiting Northern Ireland from France, told the BBC they had hoped to visit the path during a week-long trip.
“It’s a shame that we can’t see this cliff,” Léa said.
“We first wanted to do the Gobbins Cliff Path because first of all the coast is really wonderful, [and] it’s a great tourist attraction.”
Stephen Weir, an Islandmagee resident said the closure “seems to be a regular occurrence”.
“Hopefully it will be open and we’ll get to do it later on in [the] year but you’d think coming into the summer season… now would be the time that it would be open.”
Other residents, however, such as Stephen Henry, said the cliff path is a “waste of money.”
Despite the closures, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is continuing to invest money into the Gobbins, with £13.5m in funding announced last year.
The plan includes building a new 60m-high staircase, upgrades to the path and a new welcome hub.
A council spokesperson told The Independent that the £13.6m investment will “enhance the visitor experience by creating a new circular looped walk, which will significantly expand the attraction’s capacity.”
“Once completed, the Phase II development is expected to deliver substantial economic and tourism benefits, including 245,000 cliff path visitor numbers annually, driving substantial growth in the local economy.
“The Gobbins will help disperse visitors more evenly along the iconic Causeway Coastal Route. This will not only enhance the experience for tourists but also ensure a more equitable distribution of tourism benefits throughout the region.
“The attraction is projected to break even within five years of the relaunch, marking an important milestone in its long-term sustainability,” the spokesperson continued.
“This Phase II development represents a significant step forward in enhancing The Gobbins’ role as a key visitor destination in Northern Ireland, with lasting benefits for both the local economy and the tourism sector.”
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