Theme park Dreamland attracted more than 14,000 visitors during its first weekend offering free entry.

Bosses said the Margate attraction’s footfall was double what was expected and that the park had to be opened an extra hour on Sunday to accommodate demand.

The park revealed a week ago it would become a free-admission attraction, less than a month after it fell into administration.

The change in its business model coincided with its first birthday weekend, which began on Saturday, and bosses said they are confident the new pricing will give the park a successful future.

More than three quarters of customers who used its rides bought unlimited wristbands costing £15.

It comes as KentOnline reveals the theme park has taken out a £600,000 loan from hedge fund Arrowgrass, based in the Cayman Islands.

The loan has been secured against the ownership of the park.

Chief executive Eddie Kemsley said she felt the next 12 months would be “Dreamland and Margate’s best year in many years”.

She said: “Some people said it would never happen, some said it wouldn’t last a year, but during our first birthday weekend we smashed our targets by nearly double. It’s safe to say that Dreamland is here to stay.

“This is a wonderful indication of what’s to come and we are deeply grateful to those who believed in, supported and continue to support Dreamland, through what has been a turbulent first year.

“Now, we want to encourage anyone who has not visited Dreamland to come and try before you buy, even if rides are not for you come and watch the on-park entertainers, visit the vintage pinball parlour, enjoy the animals in the Dreamland Ark or some live music on the bandstand.”