Sadness and despair over closure of family fun park

The owners of a family fun park in County Antrim have been told by the local council that their lease will not be renewed.

Ian Lough, who has run the Carnfunnock Family Fun Zone for 22 years, said he was devastated by the “totally out of the blue” decision.

The Family Fun Zone is based in the Mid and East Antrim Council-run Carnfunnock Country Park, which is due to undergo a £6m redevelopment.

The council said it was not feasible for the family fun zone to operate in the middle of a construction site.

Ian Lough said he was blindsided by the termination of their rolling lease.

“We got an email from the council on 23 June saying they were happy for us to progress our work for next year and they would work out a new lease," he said.

"And then last week, they just turned around and handed us the paper saying that our lease had been terminated.”

Mid and East Antrim Council said it had offered the family alternative sites to operate from but Mr Lough said they were not suitable.

“How do you lift an 18-hole mini golf course or how do you lift a 800m miniature railway?"

Mr Lough said the council had offered relocation to Larne town park but he said it was "nowhere near big enough".

"The miniature railway has to go in one piece because of the bends and the straights," he said.

"It’s just not feasible to take it anywhere else unless you've got a field which is 200m long and 100m wide which doesn't exist in the Larne area.”

Mr Lough runs the attraction with his son Christopher and says they have invested between £400,000 to £500,000 over the years.

“We just developed it over the years gradually - the mini golf, the carousel, the walk- on-water balls,” he said.

The local community has rallied around the business with an online petition to protect the fun zone gathering more than 5,500 signatures.

More than 1,000 people visited the fun zone last weekend after the closure was announced.

“It was very emotional,” Mr Lough said.

"At times I had to back away just with the tears around my eyes.

"It's was so lovely to hear the people all saying how they had been here as children and now they're bringing their own children and their grandchildren."

Among the visitors to the fun zone on its last weekend were Ellie, 15, and Zack, 11.

“I don’t understand why they are closing down” says Ellie.

“I’m going to miss the chaotic mini golf and also the trampolines.”

Zack adds that "they have nice fish here too”.

Emma, from Randalstown, said she regularly brought her children to the fun zone.

“It's a very affordable day out for a family," she said.

"Everything's getting very expensive, but the prices here are very reasonable.

"And because you've got the green areas as well you can bring a picnic and it's just a lovely day out.”

Another visitor Jennifer used to work at the fun zone when she was a teenager and she was hoping it would become a firm favourite for her family.

“There's nothing left in the town now," she said.

"This was the last area and having this go, there's going to be nothing for them to do outdoors.”

Margaret Davidson said she was disgusted by the council's decision.

The miniature train is named after her late husband who was its driver for more than a decade.

“It’s dreadful that the council can just take this away,” she said.

Mid and East Antrim Council declined to be interviewed by BBC News NI.

In a statement, the council said it had not renewed the lease for the family fun zone as it is “legally obliged to consider all aspects of health and safety while the construction work is ongoing".

“We offered to provide support, including looking at alternative locations," the council added.

“We are still keen to work with the owners to find an alternative site for family fun zone.”