🎢 Coney Beach Pleasure Park Has Closed — The End of a Welsh Seaside Legend
One of Wales’ most beloved seaside attractions has officially reached the end of the line. After more than a century of thrills, neon lights and family memories, Coney Beach Pleasure Park in Porthcawl has closed its gates for the final time.
For generations across South Wales and beyond, Coney Beach was a summer ritual. Dodgems, spinning rides, flashing arcades, the smell of candyfloss drifting through the sea breeze — it was the kind of place where entire childhoods were built one ride token at a time.
Now, that chapter of Welsh seaside history has come to an emotional close.
🎡 Over 100 Years of Seaside Fun
Coney Beach first opened in the early 20th century, quickly becoming one of the most recognisable amusement parks on the Welsh coast. Sitting right beside the beach in Porthcawl, the park grew into a classic British funfair filled with rides, games and the kind of chaotic charm that modern theme parks sometimes struggle to replicate.
For many visitors, it wasn’t about massive rollercoasters or cutting-edge attractions. It was about atmosphere — bright lights, seaside laughter, and that slightly unpredictable energy that only a traditional fairground can deliver.
The park remained a family-run operation for decades, operated by the Evans family, who kept the attraction running through changing times in the British seaside industry.
💔 Why Coney Beach Closed
The closure follows the sale of the site to the Welsh Government in 2023, which is part of a wider redevelopment plan for the Porthcawl waterfront.
Plans for the area include:
- New housing
- Leisure developments
- Public spaces along the seafront
While redevelopment promises new opportunities for the town, many locals feel the loss of Coney Beach deeply. For them, the park wasn’t just an attraction — it was a cultural landmark of South Wales seaside life.
🎢 Famous Ride at Coney Beach
While the park focused more on travelling fairground rides than permanent rollercoasters, one attraction stood out over the years.
Crazy Mouse (Wild Mouse Coaster)
Ride statistics
- Ride Type: Wild Mouse rollercoaster
- Manufacturer: Reverchon
- Height: Approx. 14 metres
- Top Speed: Approx. 28 mph
- Ride Length: Approx. 370 metres
- Opened at Coney Beach: 1990s era
The Crazy Mouse coaster became one of the park’s biggest thrill rides, famous for its tight corners, sudden drops and the kind of wild sideways jolts that made riders scream and laugh in equal measure.
🎟 Ticket Prices Before Closure
Unlike most modern theme parks, Coney Beach operated as a free-entry amusement park.
Visitors paid per ride using tokens.
Typical pricing before closure included:
- Park Entry: Free
- Single Ride Tokens: around £1 – £3 per ride depending on attraction
- Ride Bundles: multi-token deals often available for families
This pay-per-ride system made Coney Beach an affordable day out compared to larger UK theme parks.
🎠What Happens to Porthcawl’s Funfair Tradition?
While Coney Beach itself has closed, the town will not completely lose its fairground heritage.
Local authorities have confirmed plans for a new seasonal funfair at Salt Lake, which is expected to open during peak tourist seasons beginning in 2026.
It won’t be a permanent amusement park like Coney Beach, but it will at least keep the tradition of seaside rides alive in the town.
🌊 The Legacy of Coney Beach
Coney Beach wasn’t just a theme park.
It was:
- A first rollercoaster for thousands of kids
- A summer tradition for Welsh families
- A place where generations returned year after year
Places like this carry something deeper than steel and lights — they carry memories.
And for many people across Wales, Coney Beach will always be part of their childhood story.
🎢 Coney Beach Pleasure Park – At a Glance
- Location: Porthcawl, South Wales
- Opened: Early 1900s
- Closed: 2025
- Type: Seaside amusement park / funfair
- Entry Price: Free admission
- Ride Pricing: Pay-per-ride token system
- Signature Ride: Crazy Mouse Wild Mouse Coaster
The lights may have gone out on the seafront rides, but the memories of Coney Beach Pleasure Park will stick around for a long time.
For South Wales, it really is the end of a seaside era. 🎡🌊