What York Maze does

York Maze is a privately held seasonal family attraction operated by York Maze Ltd. (Reg No. 07264520) on a farm at Elvington Lane, York, UK, founded in 2002 and owner-operated under the "Farmer Tom" brand. The company's core product is the UK's largest maize maze — a living maze cut from over one million maize plants covering more than 15 acres, supplemented by five additional themed mazes (Jurassic Maize, Maze of Illusions, Mineshaft Maze, Cornflower & Sunflower Fortune Maze, Musical Maze) and a portfolio of over 20 rides, attractions and shows (Crowmania tractor ride, Volcorno climbing volcano, Cobstacle Course, House of Cornfusion, Corn on the Quad, etc.).

The attraction operates on a strictly seasonal basis: the summer season runs approximately 54 days from mid-July to early September, followed by Halloween programming in October comprising Hallowscream (16+ nights, 5 haunted houses, 150+ scare actors) and Hallowtween (families with 10–15 year olds). Maze designs are refreshed annually under licensed IP themes (Toy Story 2025, Gruffalo 2024, David Attenborough 2026). The business is entirely direct-to-consumer: all tickets are sold exclusively online through bookings.yorkmaze.com with no gate sales, supported by group bookings (40+ visitors), gift vouchers, on-site F&B (Terrace Cafe, Fodder Barn, Simply Corn, Refreshments kiosks), and the Ivy Store gift shop. The venue is cashless (card only), with 2026 ticket prices reduced under the UK Government's VAT savings initiative.

York Maze serves families with children across Yorkshire and Northern England, with secondary revenue from schools/organizations (group bookings) and adult Halloween audiences. Its customer base is highly distributed with no enterprise concentration; visitor dwell time averages 5–7 hours per the input data. The company is founder/family-owned with no reported institutional investment, and reported headcount is 11–50 (off-season core) expanding to 150+ during the summer season and a further 150+ scare actors during Hallowscream.

Name

York Maze

Legal name

York Maze Ltd.

Website

https://yorkmaze.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

York Maze is a privately held UK seasonal family attraction that operates the country's largest maize maze plus over 20 rides, attractions and shows on a farm near York, serving families, schools and Halloween audiences between July and October each year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Leisure Attractions

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Destination Theme Parks (Large-Scale, Multi-Attraction Parks) (THAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Seasonal & Special-Event Parks (Halloween/Christmas, Pop-Up Experiences) (THAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Seasonal family attraction
• Maize maze entertainment
• Halloween scare event
• School group visits
• Theme park rides

Headquarters

HQ city

Elvington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: One-time admission fees for summer maze visits. Tickets available as Saver (fixed date, non-refundable), Flexible (changeable date), or Same Day options. Ticket prices reduced in 2026 as part of Government VAT initiative averaging £3 savings per ticket.
2. Essential Companion Tickets: Half-price admission tickets for essential companions of disabled visitors, verified through Nimbus Access Card scheme.
3. Ride and Activity Fees: Additional per-ride fees for Corn on the Quad bikes (£2) and Remote Corntrol Boats (£1.50). All other rides and attractions included in admission price.
4. Food and Beverage: On-site catering through Terrace Cafe (sandwiches, wraps, paninis, salads, coffee, cakes), Fodder Barn (burgers, pizza, loaded fries, chicken), Simply Corn (roasted corn, nachos, corn dogs), Refreshments kiosk (ice cream, donuts, cold drinks). York Maze is cashless - card payments only.
5. Ivy Store Gift Shop: Gift shop selling maze-related merchandise, gifts, garden ornaments, toys, and souvenirs. Located in old dairy building on the farm.
6. Gift Vouchers: Monetary gift vouchers available in £10, £25, £50, £75, £100 denominations or custom amounts. Valid for 12 months from purchase date. Redeemable against online ticket purchases only.
7. Halloween Event Tickets: Separate ticketing for Hallowscream (18+ nights, minimum age 16) and Hallowtween (families with 10-15 year olds) Halloween events. Additional charges for fairground rides at these events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

York Maze runs a seasonal family attraction centred on the UK's largest maize maze, offering themed rides, family shows, play areas, food and beverage outlets, and a gift shop. It also operates separate ticketed Halloween experiences (Hallowscream for adults and Hallowtween for children aged 10–15) during selected autumn dates, plus school and group bookings.

Product overview

York Maze is a seasonal outdoor attraction operating from Saturday 11th July to Thursday 3rd September annually. The core product is a network of six distinct maze attractions centered around the Giant Maize Maze, Europe's largest corn maze at over 15 acres created from over one million living maize plants. The attraction portfolio spans three main categories: (1) The Mazes - including Giant Maize Maze, Jurassic Maize, Maze of Illusions, Mineshaft Maze, Cornflower & Sunflower Fortune Maze, and Musical Maze; (2) Active Fun - physical attractions including Volcorno, Cobstacle Course, COBsleigh Run, Popcorn Pillow, COBweb Climbing Zone, Corn Snake Tower Slides, and The Cornwall; (3) Having a Laugh - entertainment rides and shows including Crowmania Ride, Pharaohs Corn-quest, The Corniest Show on Earth, Cornival & Foam Party, House of Cornfusion, Utter Cornage!, and Angry Crows; and (4) Take It Easy - relaxed attractions including Cornstruction Zone, Corn on the Club Crazy Golf, Corn on The Quad, Remote Corntrol Boats, Cornholing, and Crowler Bowler. The attraction also operates two seasonal sub-brands: Hallowscream (October Halloween event for ages 16+) and Hallowtween (October event for ages 10-15). Supporting services include food and beverage outlets (Terrace Cafe, Fodder Barn, Simply Corn & Cornfield Cafe, and Refreshments), The Ivy Store gift shop, and an online ticketing system with Flexible, Saver, and Same Day ticket options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hallowscream: Multi award-winning Halloween event featuring 5 haunted house attractions, over 100 scare actors, street theatre, stage performances, fairground rides, hot food, bars, and merchandise. Winner of Best Scream Park 2018. Minimum age 16.
• Hallowtween

Products and services

• Giant Maize Maze and Family Attraction Day Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 attractions, shows and rides available for a full day visit
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nimbus Disability (Access Card)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Nimbus Disability using their Access Card Scheme and Digital Access Pass system. Provides consistent accessibility provisions for visitors with disabilities including Essential Companion tickets (half price for +1/+2 companions) and Reduced Mobility/Wheelchair user tickets. Nimbus is a social enterprise run by and for disabled people, recognized as a lead authority on accessible ticketing in the UK.
• York Pullman BusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus No36 operated by York Pullman provides public transport to York Maze when open (Monday-Saturday only, not Sundays). Coach drop-off and pick-up point available on Elvington Lane outside the attraction.
• Scream Park EntertainmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages recruitment, training and operation of over 150 scare actors and performers for Hallowscream Halloween events. No acting or scare experience required as full training provided. Applications open annually with auditions held at York Maze.
• I-Travel YorkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides wider area cycle maps and bus ticket information for visitors planning travel to York Maze via sustainable transport options.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stockeld Park: Yorkshire-based seasonal family attraction with maze, adventure play, and themed events. Closest geographic and product peer to York Maze, also combining outdoor seasonal activities with farm/estate positioning.
• Paultons Park: UK family theme park with rides, shows, and themed lands including Peppa Pig World. Comparable multi-attraction family day-out model, though year-round versus York Maze's seasonal operation.
• Odds Farm Park: Family farm attraction near Maidenhead with seasonal events and outdoor activities. Comparable UK farm-based family attraction targeting the same family day-out segment.
• National Forest Adventure Farm: Midlands-based family farm attraction featuring maize maze, indoor play, and seasonal events. Closely comparable seasonal-maze plus rides-and-attractions model and target family demographic.
• Sundown Adventureland: Nottinghamshire family theme park with rides, shows, and character attractions aimed at younger children. Directly comparable UK regional family-attraction positioning and target market.
• Tulleys Farm (Tulleys Shocktober Fest): Sussex-based farm with award-winning Halloween scare park and seasonal family attractions including maize maze. Most direct peer for the Hallowscream Halloween sub-brand and seasonal farm attraction model.

Broad incumbents

• Alton Towers Resort: UK's largest theme park operator, part of Merlin Entertainments. Indirect incumbent competitor for family day-out discretionary spend across the UK, though at much larger scale and different pricing tier.
• Flamingo Land: Yorkshire-based theme park, zoo, and holiday village. Comparable regional UK family destination with broader scale, year-round operation, and lodging integration that York Maze does not offer.
• Warwick Castle: Merlin-operated historic attraction with seasonal events including Halloween programming. Comparable seasonal event programming model (especially Halloween) at larger scale.

Regional players

• The Maize at Barleylands: Essex-based farm attraction with maize maze and seasonal events. Comparable maze-and-family-attraction concept in a different UK region, illustrating the breadth of the UK seasonal-maze category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=iDTauRNy27A
• Xx.com/yorkmaze
• Facebookfacebook.com/yorkmaze
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/york-maze

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about York Maze