Barry Island funfair's owner accepts building failings

Henry Danter at Barry Island funfair

The owner of Barry Island funfair "put profit ahead of public safety" after he was told there were structural concerns about one of its amusement arcades.

Henry Danter, 73, was told by Vale of Glamorgan council officers that foundations failings meant the dodgems building was not structurally sound.

Danter, of Symonds Yat, Herefordshire, admitted breaking building regulations at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He will be sentenced in January.

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Prosecuting on behalf of the council, Richard Price said the current owner of Barry Island Pleasure Park was told of the issues with the Treasure Island structure by building control officers in April this year.

"He accepted work needed doing but continued to operate the funfair," Mr Price told the court.

"He told them he wanted to do the work outside of the season, avoiding lost profit."

District Judge Bodfan Jenkins was told work to make the building structurally sound had still not been carried out.

Scenes from the BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey were filmed at Barry Island's amusement park

Work to build Treasure Island had started in 2016 before the necessary building notice application was made.

The court was told there had been no inspection of the foundations - described as concrete blocks that sit above the ground - and the erection of a steel frame.

Building control officers contacted Danter to ask for the structural calculations, which he did not provide.

Inspections of the building in January and April this year also revealed problems with the electrics and an access ramp.

Two formal notices were served by the council on Danter in May and June to try to get him to comply with the building regulations.

But Mr Price added: "They were not complied with."

Planning officers were given the go-ahead to make the owner of the funfair pull down the Treasure Island and Funfair arcade extension in June.

Defence barrister Christian Jowett said if there had been a serious risk to public safety, the council would have closed the building down.

He said: "This was a building frequented by members of the public, including children.

"If there was a realistic case of serious harm occurring, then no responsible local authority would permit people to use it."

The case was adjourned and Danter was granted unconditional bail.