AN AMUSEMENT park owner has been ordered to pay over £35,000 in fines and costs after his building breached health and safety regulations.

Henry Danter, 73, from Symonds Yat, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Magistrates' Court last week to breaching part A1 of the Building Regulations 2010 when he extended the arcade building at Barry Island Pleasure Park.

Danter, was fined £20,700, ordered to pay £14,311 in court costs and a £170 victim surcharge.

Following the court case, Cllr Jonathan Bird, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “The council has been working with Mr Danter in an effort to resolve his breach of building regulations for many months.

"Unfortunately, concerns that certain buildings at the Barry Island funfair site were dangerous coupled with a lack of action to remedy the situation resulted in court action being taken. It is imperative any construction at this location comply with building regulations to ensure public safety.

“We are pleased that the courts have recognised the seriousness of this matter by issuing Mr Danter with a significant fine and we will continue to work with him to resolve all other outstanding issues at the site.”

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

Following the case Mr Danter said that he didn't think the structure needed planning permission.

When he purchased the Treasure Island Arcade building in 2015, Mr Danter said he planned to invest up to £20 million in the fairground.

He said: "We are replacing it with a better one. As an amusement park it was open maybe 10 years ago but more recently it has had a travelling fun fair there."

"I have a lot of fond memories of Barry with my mother and father and brothers and sisters. Barry Island was a special day out. We never thought we would own the park but we do now.

"It wasn't for money. It was because, I think, we were in love with it, in a way. We always enjoyed going there."