Barry Island Pleasure Park & Funfair

I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world (no biggie) — yet it’s true what they say, there really is no place like home (totally wanted to click my heels together as I typed that).
I’m from Cadoxton, a small town that is roughly a 30 minute drive from Cardiff City Centre and 10 minutes away from Barry Island — the pleasure park and beach that was once one of Wales’ most popular seaside destinations. At it’s peak it attracted half a million visitors in just a weekend!
It has been an attraction since the 1920’s yet poor weather conditions over recent summers has led to a drop in visitors, and in 2010 the tenants agreed a deal with the owner to run it for a year on a seasonal basis.
Fast forward to 2015 and Barry Island is (finally) under construction with fairground veteran Henry Danter promising to return the iconic attraction to its traditional former glory after several years of decline.
Henry Danter has announced a £20m plan to bring back the fairground rides and build new apartments. And he’s hoping to get the first 10 rides up and running by April. The regeneration is to include a 25,000 sq ft indoor arcade, shops and new fairground rides.
ALL of which makes me SO happy.
I have been visiting Barry Island since I was a child. I even have family home videos of me in a shell suit running across the beach with my brother and sister.
I now visit with nieces and nephew who absolutely LOVE the arcade games, the beach and of course the obligatory fresh donuts for £1.
Whether your an out-​of-​towner or someone local I strongly suggest you visit Barry Island. Wrap up warm, grab a bag of chips and take a stroll along the beach OR if you’re feeling lucky, have a go on the 2p machines (my favourite pastime).

Easily the worst place i have ever been, i love going to classic UK seaside destinations, even the grotty ones usually have a bit of charm, but not Barry Island. The pleasure beach is full of broken down rides and looks like a scene from a disaster movie. I could go into detail, but you wouldn’t want me to.

Oh dear, what on earth happened to Barry Island Pleasure Park? You can’t really call this run down, tired looking area a funfair any more. The log flume that was the star of the show is no longer running and has become the home to the local seagulls. The one roller-​coaster they did have now looks like a piece of scaffolding that someone forgot to take down. The only entertainment left are the over priced fairground games to win a shabby dirty looking giant teddy bear. The rides left don’t look the safest machines in the world and I didn’t take the fancy to trying any of them out! I was really surprised to find the fair in such a state since the area has had a massive tourist boost lately from the hit TV series — Gavin and Stacey. But never the less gone are the good days of visiting Barry Island fair and in my opinion, the area would now be better if the fair was taken down or had a serious facelift. A serious eye sour for the locals and visitors.

This is one of he most embarrassing so called Pleasure Park or Funfair I have ever seen in the whole of UK. I have travelled the UK quite a bit in the last 18 years and I have not seen a place as run down as this. The whole place needs a facelift and some investment. At present it is not a place I would invite my friend’s kids to.

This place has become a huge disappointment, I used to go there when I was a child and it was great. The whole place needs a facelife and some money invested into it. I don’t know when the funfair is even open but there’s always the beach which has slowly improved over the years.

Lately, this is disapponting as it is really looking tired and dishevelled at the moment but this place can be fantastic! I’ve hundreds of fantastic childhood memories of the Pleasure Park and i am sure that with some much needed investment and attention, this can be restored to it’s former glory. (Hence the two stars)
It is in a fantastic location with coffee shops, café’s, bars and the beach and promenade — and right next to a train station (also in need of a facelift).
Quite often i’ve got off the train and seen disappointed prospective fairground customers — they’ve usually travelled far to come for a day out at the fairground — only to see it shut.
I couldnt tell you when it’s open — so if you are coming to Barry Island to visit the Pleasure park then dont expect it to be open — if it is, it’s a bonus!