Sandown’s iconic bumpy slide has sold for nearly £5,000 on the popular auction website eBay this morning (Tuesday).
Two bidders battled it out towards the end of the auction for the multi-coloured slide, with the winning bid coming in at a whopping £4,900. As previously reported by Island Echo, Sandham Raceway owner Ross Edgerton decided to put the piece of Sandown’s modern history up for sale after uncertainty arose about the future of his lease for land off of Fort Street in the town.
Ross estimated that it could cost up to £10,000 to dismantle, remove, store and then reinstate the slide therefore deeming it too expensive to keep, as he faces the very real possibility that he may not get the lease for next year. With the ride trading season underway, Ross told Island Echo he could not wait any longer for the Council’s decision on the successful tenders for the land.
The news comes as another blow for the town of Sandown, which has seen a number of businesses close in recent months and years including Bailey’s in the High Street, which closed recently. Several planning applications have been submitted to rejuvenate the area, but are yet to be approved by the Isle of Wight Council.
It is unknown who else has tendered for the lease on the land, but flooding restrictions and historical interests prevent certain developments on the land meaning the scope for development is limited.
