Barry Pleasure Park misses out at UK Theme Park Awards

Winners were announced with Henry Danter’s pleasure park at Whitmore Bay in the running for best seaside park.

However, Mr Danter would have come away disappointed as his theme park missed out on the top three prizes in the category.

They went to Adventure Island (gold), Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach (silver) and Dreamland Margate (bronze).

To make the category that bit more convoluted, it was split into north and south sections, with Blackpool Pleasure Beach getting gold in the north section, and Fantasy Island Skegness and Ocean Beach South Shields getting silver and bronze respectively.

Despite this, Mr Danter was philosophical, in fact he was thrilled just to be nominated, saying the nomination alone showed all the hard work him and his staff put into the pleasure park is paying off.

Mr Danter told the B&D: “It shows how much we have done here.

“It means a lot to everybody, to me, my family, my staff.

“All the hard work they do and the dedication and passion they give. The amount of hours we all put into it. It means a lot.”

• Read More: Big 24 hours for Henry Danter's ambitions to build a holiday park on Hayes Road

Henry Danter said he was delighted for the theme park just to be nominated (Image: Newsquest)

Alton Towers wins big at UK Theme Park Awards

The awards ceremony was held at Chessington World of Adventures on September 21 and was attended by more than 100 representatives from the UK theme park industry.

Alton Towers won big at the awards (pictured the famous hotel) (Image: Google Maps)

The biggest winners in the awards included Alton Towers and Drayton Manor in Staffordshire (with 11 and eight awards respectively), Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire (eight), LEGOLAND Windsor in Berkshire (six), Paultons Park in Hampshire (six), and Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park in Surrey (with 11 and six awards respectively).

Other theme parks with multiple awards included Crealy in Devon (three), Adventure Island in Essex (four) and Fantasy Island in Lincolnshire (two).

Ramesh Ganeson, divisional, director at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, said it was fantastic to host the awards.

“We were delighted to have welcomed a wide range of industry professionals to the resort while celebrating the most important thing… fun!

“We are over the moon to have won a range of awards, including Theme Park of the Year, after launching an incredible new investment at the resort this season in World of Jumanji. Here’s to 2024!”

What do you think? Should Barry Pleasure Park have won? Is it award-winning? How does it compare to the winners? Let us know in comments, on the Barry and District Facebook Page, or email harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.