North Wales funfair set to become bigger as owners look to create ‘major attraction’

Towyn’s Tir Prince funfair is set to become bigger as its owner looks to turn it into a major attraction.

Having bought the 50-acre site from Conwy County Council before Christmas, the Tir Prince Leisure Group has now submitted a planning application to Conwy’s planning department, in the hope of extending the funfair into its car park – an area larger than needed.

Currently, the park employs 60 people, but the 2,950m extension will see the number of employees rise to 72 – if the application gets the go-ahead.

As well as the funfair, Tir Prince has a harness racing racetrack and a popular outdoor market.

But owner Adam Williams has now revealed the extension could see the arrival of new exciting rides in the future.

He said: “This is very exciting to us as regards we have recently purchased the land, which will open the doors for us to start developing it.

“This is the first stage of us moving forward into the 21st century with Tir Prince, and it’s the start of what we hope will be a very prosperous road – with attractions for the area to really put North Wales on the map.

“We are 100% looking to become a major attraction. We were strangled with the lease, and now we are not on the lease, it means everything we put on here is permanent, so it really opens the doors up to expand what we do and really move forward with the quality.

“We want to give people a better environment, a better product. Obviously people want more space after Covid. Also we have Morris dancers. We want to create a nice space for them to come and use.”

He added: “It also means we can offer better quality, more themed rides. Tir Prince needs to be a proper, full-on destination. We are competing with so many places now, and I just feel North Wales is lagging behind.

“We haven’t changed in 20 or 30 years. Obviously, we have changed our equipment, but in general, in terms of the attractions (in North Wales), they have not changed in 20 or 30 years down this coast.

“This opens up the book for a lot more and different rides.”

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter