A popular UK amusement park has hiked the price of its top-tier tickets, sparking a debate about value-for-money among punters - with one calling it "far from perfect". Pleasure Beach Resort, formerly known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, has been a beloved destination for visitors to the Lancashire seaside town for over a century.

The park boasts 10 rollercoasters, including The Big One which opened in 1994 as the tallest in the world. It also has a variety of themed attractions for children and families at Nickelodeon Land, which is attached to the site.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the park had upped the "on-the-day" gate price of its unlimited ride e-tickets, which let you go on as many rides as you want, to £60, blaming rising costs. It had previously been £50, with the new price point coming into effect when it reopens on March 7.

However, you can still pick up an unlimited ride ticket from as little as £30 when you book in advance, and various other changes were announced to make visiting the park more affordable. But it hasn't stopped some visitors from grumbling about the cost.

Your Experience Guide, which started out as a fan forum for Blackpool Pleasure Beach fans, defended the attraction's on-the-day prices in a Facebook post this week. Scott from the site explained "you book online and in advance, Pleasure Beach tickets regularly come in at around £35".

"That's very much in line with the competition, sometimes it's better value, sometimes it's worse, depending entirely on the day you choose to visit," he added.

But not everyone is impressed with the park's prices, with commenter responding: "It is very expensive for what you get! Alton is a little more expensive however you get much much much more for your money."

Another unimpressed commenter wrote: "If the place was perfect I'd happily pay the price but it's far from perfect. Even when the sun blazes the places is often chronically under staffed rides seem to open and close at random times for no explanation some will be breakdowns some won't.

They added that the "facilities, fabric of the place and general ambience have suffered terribly in recent years".

A third said it "should be free for old people to walk around", after the park ended its open policy for non-riders back in 2008.

But others praised the park and the price point. One wrote: "If you compare what football clubs charge for tickets the pleasure beach is very reasonable for a full day's entertainment.

Another wrote: "Last year Having visited Alton Towers twice, Thorpe Park 3 times and Chessington once I can hereby confirm that as a Blackpool local it's 100% cheaper / more cost effective to go on my doorstep.

"One trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach at its dearest cost me around £120 for a family of 4 for food, drinks and the average cost of entrance as I have the season passes," they said.

He added: "Please stop complaining if you are local, it's so much easier when it's on your doorstep....."

While the on-the-day prices may have risen, the park has taken various steps to provide more low-cost options. For example, the it has dropped the price of its Non Rider eTicket from £25 to £20, which gives you access to some attractions but not the main rides. However the park also removed the £5 food and drink credit available as part of it last season.

They've also introduced "off peak" tickets at a lower price for the first time which include £30 weekends in March, and tickets for £32 at other "off-peak" times (for example, September and October, and some midweek dates.)

Other price changes include:

- £25 tickets for return visitors

Anyone who visits them once can book a return visit at any point during the year for the reduced price.

- Two tickets for £60 every Friday and Sunday throughout the year, so every Friday and Sunday (regardless of the time of year) guests can visit them for £30

- 'Afternoon' tickets every day throughout the year.

If guests arrive after a certain point in the afternoon, they can unlock the two tickets for £60 deal any day of the week (it notes that T&Cs apply and the exact time the discount unlocks depends on the opening times of that particular day, but for example on a day the resort close at 6pm, the discount is available for anyone who arrives from 2pm onwards.)

A spokesperson from Pleasure Beach Resort said "the vast majority" of its guests pre-book their tickets in advance to secure the biggest discounts.

It said: "Our industry has been hit hard by rising costs which has included increases in terms of supplier costs, materials and wages.

"Like so many other organisations, these rises have meant that we've needed to increase our on-the-day price for the first time in three years. However, by doing so we have been able to protect the cost of our advance tickets and have actually been able to make further reductions, such as offering weekends in March for £30, off-peak tickets throughout the season for £32, return visits for £25, and two-for-one tickets on Fridays and Sundays.

"In short, an increase to the on-the-day price has allowed us to balance rising costs and at the same time offer much better savings on tickets booked in advance, which reflects how most people visit us.

"Even with this increase, every other major UK theme park is more expensive to visit on the day than we are."