I visited this fair as a child with friends, we used to spend hours here. My Aunty Rene, my father's sister, worked on the cash desk of the Water Chute so I had loads of free rides. School friends who had parents working there shared toffee apples and doughnuts and I had many a Ghost train ride free too.
My own children loved it too. One summer my Aunty Glad, who brought me up wanted to have the children visit by themselves. So I left my daughter and eldest son there for a week and they and Aunty Glad had a lovely week..so then she asked could the two youngest boys stay the next week. They were 12 and 9 years old.. The third evening she phoned to say they were missing! They went out after lunch and then at 8 pm they hadn't come home, and she had just walked to the end of the road to the main road, and an ambulance had just gone past!
Of course no mobiles in those days and so I phoned the chip shop, as I had gone to school with the owner's son. He said he'd go and look for them, I suggested they were probably in the amusement arcade and had lost track of time. And that's where they were, happily winning and losing pennies. eating sweets. My school friend said, he knew it was them, because when he asked them if they were my sons, they were full of 'sorrys' because they thought I was there and had driven the 232 miles to give them 'what for'!
My Aunt was very pleased to see them and relieved.. but surprised to see my school friend shepherding them through the gate into the house.
They did stay another time, but with strict instructions to be back at 6. Did I stay out till all hours when I was their age? Of course I did, we all did in those days! Did you?
Dh and I walked past the fair ground the other day, still the loud music, the screams of people on the rides and the smell of doughnuts and chips, happy days.
Chrisxx
It is sad when a place full of precious memories is lost to a community. If they DO build houses, I hope a well equipped children's playground is part of the plans
ReplyDeleteHow sad that the fairground is closing, especially when people are still using and enjoying it. Yes, we stayed out playing until it was dark in the summer, a great childhood.
ReplyDeleteSuch healthy entertainment for every age. What is saying that it's falling by the wayside and now will be turned into some type of housing. An end of an era.
ReplyDeleteWe stumbled into Porthcawl way back in 70's and loved it there, do I was sad to read the park was closing.
ReplyDeleteSad to see it go. Good memories though!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child in the early/mid 60's, a trip to the seaside from Cardiff was always to Rest Bay. My sister and I would beg Mum & Dad to take us to the 'Shows', but we were always told it was too expensive, too dangerous etc and we should be grateful for the trip to Rest Bay with our packed lunches and primus stove to boil water for tea. I am 68 now and visit Porthcawl and Rest Bay a couple of times a year, but I have still not been to the 'Shows'. Maybe I had better do it soon!
ReplyDeleteSad that its closing after all this time ... thank you for sharing your memories.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Sad that a place that has been there for so long, and holds precious childhood memories for people has to close, for whatever reason.
ReplyDelete