Doncaster's Fear Factory Secures Last-Minute Permit to Open This October

As of October 5th, 2025, the Fear Factory, a popular Halloween attraction located at Thornhurst Manor near Doncaster, has been granted permission to open this month after operating without planning consent since 2020.

The attraction, set up by director Laurie Murray in his parents' garden before moving to the grounds of the country park and wedding venue in 2021, had submitted a retrospective planning application to the City of Doncaster Council in 2023 for a change of use of the land to accommodate event structures such as marquees.

Initially, the council's planning committee had voted to refuse the scheme in February 2025. However, the chair of planning later made the casting vote to grant consent, subject to conditions. This allowed the event to go ahead as planned in 2024, as the application was not determined by the original deadline around a week before Halloween.

The council had expressed concerns about the year-round presence of the marquees and shipping containers, as well as inadequate parking for visitors. However, the environmental health team noted that there had never been any official noise complaints during the attraction's years of operation.

Now, the City of Doncaster Council is working directly with the Fear Factory to negotiate an agreement that would allow the attraction to open on schedule for October 10th, 2025. The agreement includes securing "biodiversity enhancements" to mitigate the impact on wildlife, which are currently being negotiated.

Laurie Murray, the director of the Fear Factory, believes that allowing the attraction to remain permanently would boost the local economy and put the "city on the map."