Amusement park, 'symbol' of Attica, closes after 60 years

Today's old-timers still remember well how, from childhood, their parents took them to the park on weekends, and they had a great time there. “before dark”.

“Aidonakia” as reported to the public, has not had a license to operate for the last 2 yearswhich resulted in AADE sealing it permanently. As it turned out during the investigation that began after the complaint, the company was operating under a license issued in 2006, which had expired.

In addition, an inspection by the competent authorities established that after the expiration of the operating license in 2001 it was impossible to renew it, much less get a new oneas there are residential premises less than 150 m away. Thus, the park operated without a legal license from 2001 to 2006, amid constant friction with residents, complaints and lawsuits.

EAD Announcement Details

“The EAD issued an ex officio order “On the verification of the legality of the licensing and operation of the Luna Park activities” when, during the preliminary investigation of the complaint, it was established that it was operating on the basis of a license issued in 2006, which had expired.

(…) The Luna Park operated for about five years, from 2001 to 2006, without a legal license, amid friction with residents, complaints, administrative obstacles and legal disputes. Furthermore, in 2002, the Council of Europe rejected a decision to suspend its closure, and its sealing was requested, among others, by the then Office of the Minister of the Environment, the former SEDD and the Athens-Piraeus Prefecture. In view of the above, in 2006 the Municipality illegally issued a license for controlled activities.

On July 20, 2011, the competent police authority established that Luna Park operated without a license from the relevant authority, since the 2006 license had expired. Since then and until April 2022, for 11 years, the company has been operating on the basis of a decision to suspend the execution of the decision to seal it, despite other violations of the license conditions that were identified by the Municipal Service and other competent authorities. Since the publication of the decision of the Athens Court of Appeal in April 2022 and prior to the ex officio EAD inspection, Luna Park was operating illegally because, firstly, it did not have a valid operating licence and, secondly, it was operating on the basis of the aforementioned decision to suspend the enforcement of the sealing of the business establishment (a decision that was in force until the Court of Appeal’s decision).

Announcement from the management of Luna Park Aidonakia

“Dear friends, It is with great regret that we inform you that the Luna Park Aidonakia (Nightingales) in Maroussi will be temporarily closed. After 60 years of uninterrupted operation, the iconic park in Maroussi, which has become synonymous with fun and childish carelessness for generations of Atiki residents, is forced to suspend its operations, as it has become a “victim” of the bureaucratic system and the old (20-year-old) ministerial decisions related to the location of the park in relation to the residential area of ​​the district.

However, the joy and laughter of the children does not stop, they are simply temporarily transferred to our other parks, namely the Aidonakia Luna Park at the Escape Center in Ilion and the Aidonakia Playtown playgrounds at The Mall Athens and the Piraeus Port on the coast of Getiou respectively, with the promise that the park in the northern suburbs will soon be reopened. We apologize to everyone for the inconvenience caused.”

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