A frightfully good time - Primevil 2023 set to thrill terror-loving teens

With Stranger Things Season 4 having racked up more than a billion hours of viewing, and Korean hit Squid Game becoming the most watched Netflix show ever, it’s clear we’re hooked on terror. From the buzz of adrenaline to the shared experience with friends, scary movies are often the viewing of choice from our teenage years.

And research has shown scares can actually provide psychological benefits in our formative years.  Recent studies in the US – the birthplace of Halloween and the scare industry - have shown that not only did horror fans fare better during the pandemic in terms of lower anxiety levels but scary experiences can help youngsters to build mental resilience. 

One report’s authors concluded that “exposure to frightening fictions allow audiences to practice effective coping strategies that can be beneficial in real-world situations”* while another advised that Halloween-type surprises offer children the chance to experience “healthy fear [which] helps develop a little bit of resilience because it lets them practice being scared and then recovering from being scared."**

This October, award-winning scare attraction PrimEvil offers the chance for teens to test their mettle IRL (In Real Life) when confronted with blood thirsty zombies, toxic freaks and creepy clowns at five mind-blowing immersive haunts set among 85 acres at ROARR!, Norfolk. 

Running on 16 nights from the scariest day in the calendar, Friday 13th right through to Halloween itself on 31stOctober, from 6pm, haunts including The Crypt – Black Death, Circus of Terror – Freaked Out, Route 666 – Forest of Fear and Mayhem Manor – Hotel Apocalypse will return with all-new styling and character actors.  

New for 2023, Werehouse 51: Toxic Mutation is one for only the bravest thrill-seekers, prepared to see just what the outcome of a toxic spill in a quarantine laboratory has produced. 

Unlike other fright nights that typically operate a 16+ policy, PrimEvil caters to nearly and newly-minted teens with a 12+ entry rule, presenting the perfect opportunity for ‘safe scares’.  However, there will also be two extreme night events, on 3rd and 4th November, for over 18s only.

PrimEvil’s team of 100+ character actors undergo extensive training in ‘safe scaring’ with a no-touch policy - it really is all about creating an atmosphere where it’s the visitors’ own imaginations that cause the biggest frights. 

From a practical perspective, PrimEvil takes place within the secure setting of ROARR! - by day the UK’s leading dinosaur-themed adventure park - in the Norfolk countryside, with everything needed for a fantastic night out all in one place. While there are bars on site as well as a number of street food vendors, there’s a strict responsible alcohol policy, with bag searches on entry and all bar vendors asking for proof of identity before supplying alcoholic drinks. 

Those grownups that do go along are welcome to enjoy the scares too of course, or simply settle down for the night at the outdoor street food village and bar area where they can enjoy entertainment from a whole host of carnivalesque character actors and performers. 

Tickets are available from £25 and can be booked online at https://primevil-scare.com/book-now/