{"id":137013,"date":"2023-09-07T13:55:49","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T13:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/?p=137013"},"modified":"2023-09-07T13:55:49","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T13:55:49","slug":"retro-seaside-theme-park-from-hit-bbc-show-with-one-of-europes-tallest-rides-and-its-own-beach-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/lifestyle\/retro-seaside-theme-park-from-hit-bbc-show-with-one-of-europes-tallest-rides-and-its-own-beach-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Retro seaside theme park from hit BBC show – with one of Europe's tallest rides and its own beach | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
A QUAINT Welsh theme park has been hosting families and thrill-seekers for more than a hundred years, but it only gained national recognition in the late Noughties. <\/p>\n
Barry Island Pleasure Park, in South Wales, may not be a household name but its locations will certainly look familiar – thanks to the hit TV show, Gavin And Stacey. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Featuring in Season 3, Episode 5 of the much-loved BBC show, fans can watch the whole gang spend a day trip at Barry Beach.<\/p>\n
In the episode, Nessa and Smithy ride the dodgems at Barry Island Pleasure Park.<\/p>\n
Since then the theme park has benefited from the "Gavin & Stacey effect" as Uncle Bryn, played by Rob Bryan, would say, with fans of the show travelling from across the country to pay homage. <\/p>\n
Established in 1879, Barry Island Pleasure Park is still a family-run business with a classic fairground aesthetic. <\/p>\n
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Here, you can find something for everyone, from traditional carnival foods and drinks to terrifying roller coasters and rides for children and families.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To this day, the park is Barry\u2019s biggest tourist attraction,\u00a0with the Barry Eye towering over the seaside front. <\/p>\n
The Ferris wheel gives visitors breathtaking views over the seaside town and the Vale Coast.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Barry, located in the Vale of Glamorgan, is a seaside attraction in its own right with five lush sandy beaches to dig your toes into. <\/p>\n
<\/picture>WET A DAY <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>TAKE NOTES <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>SO HOT <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>HARD PASS <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Alongside Barry Island Pleasure Park, visitors can also get stuck into a variety of water sports including kayaking, canoeing and golf.<\/p>\n The seaside town also hosts the South Wales Aviation Museum and Barry War Museum. <\/p>\n For nostalgic fans, the best attraction would be The official Gavin & Stacey tour that visits classic locations from the TV show. <\/p>\n These include sites such as Gwen & Stacey\u2019s home, the church where Neil is christened and the location where Nessa works as a mime artist.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to taking a trip down memory lane, visitors to Barry Island Pleasure Park have an array of rides to choose from.\u00a0<\/p>\n For those brave enough, the tallest and fastest ride in the UK, according to the park website, calls this location its home.\u00a0<\/p>\n Appropriately called Aerospace, this one-of-a-kind \u00a33m ride boasts a height of 65 Meters and a spinning speed of 75 mph. <\/p>\n Aerospace is not for the faint-hearted as it will flip and roll thrill seekers upside down. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another ride for daredevils would be The Top Scan which can spin in three different directions, 20 metres above the ground. <\/p>\n Families seeking a more relaxing experience at Barry Island Pleasure Park might prefer the Log Flume, perfect for hot days with a chance to get splashed with its double drops.<\/p>\n For those with younger children, there are a multitude of kid rides including cups & sauces, mini jet trampolines and inflatable slides.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other facilities include food stalls, selling funfair favourites such as slush puppies, hot dogs, toffee apples, candy floss and of course, fish and chips.\u00a0<\/p>\n Barry Island Pleasure Park is just a stone's throw away from Barry Island Beach, a beautiful stretch of sandy shore that has its very own beach bar. <\/p>\n Sightseers can relax at The Beach Hut Bar with their favourite tropical cocktails and watch the sunset over Whitmore Bay. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While entry to the park is free, the attraction operates on a token-based system.<\/p>\n It costs \u00a31 to buy 1 token and \u00a310 to purchase 13 tokens. The most value-for-money exchange would be 78 tokens for \u00a355. <\/p>\n Unused tokens may be used on subsequent visits and do not need to be used all at once.\u00a0<\/p>\n The park also provides free-to-use cash machines in all its arcades.<\/p>\n It is possible to get the theme park in a multitude of ways. <\/p>\n On public transport, visitors can get to Barry Island Pleasure Park by taking a train, operated by Transport for Wales, from Cardiff Central to Barry Island train station. From there it is just a six-minute walk to the seaside attraction.<\/p>\n For drivers, Barry Island can be reached by taking the M4 and then changing to the A4050 road.<\/p>\n Opening times are seasonal, with the theme park open every day from 12pm during the school summer holidays, and 12pm-7pm on the winter weekends. <\/p>\n Opening times can be restricted by the weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n In September 2023, Barry Island Pleasure Park was nominated for the prestigious UK Theme Park Award. <\/p>\n Organised by ThemeParks-UK.com, this little-known theme park is in the run-up with the likes of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and LEGOLAND Windsor.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the theme park may not be known to everyone, it has received praise from visiting families on TripAdvisor.<\/p>\n One wrote: \u201cFamily fun at its best, there are rides for everyone. We really enjoyed are time at the fair.\u201d<\/p>\n While another: \u201cGreat little funfair. Good choice of rides for all ages and not too expensive. Amusement arcade had plenty of choice for everyone to enjoy\u201d.<\/p>\n A third person commentated: \u201cYou soon rattle through the tokens though. Lots of food places if you want a snack in between\u201d.<\/p>\n The park has an overall rating of 3.5\/5 out of 794 reviews and is heading towards an even brighter future.\u00a0<\/p>\n Henry Danter owner of Barry Island Pleasure Park announced in February 2023, that he had bought a \u201cderelict\u201d plot of land and plans to create a holiday camp on it. <\/p>\n This would provide accommodation for guests of the theme park and an opportunity to explore the local area.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, not everyone agrees with Danter's plans as more than 8,000 people have signed a petition calling for the construction to be stopped.<\/p>\n Locals fear a holiday camp could disrupt the peace and privacy of a hospice and memorial gardens, which neighbours Danter's plot of land.<\/p>\nPerfect rainy day ‘amazement’ attraction – with hidden doors & adults-only nights<\/h3>\n
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