Iconic Durban Beachfront Fun World to close this May
A sad reality for a historical place in Durban that houses many memories for Durbanites and the like.
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Seeing the above news snippet is quite surreal for many Durbanites, it shows the iconic Durban Funworld located on the golden mile at the Durban Beachfront.
What we as Durbanites referred to as Newton's for the longest time, is closing its doors in May 2023 and it feels like the end of an era.
A place that once housed laughter, screams of joy and crowds of families will now be no more.
The above video courtesy of YouTube.
"Owner Nic Steyn said the facility’s amusement rides and attractions would be sold off and removed from the beachfront.
Steyn is a third-generation operator of the facility which, he said, was built by his family from the ground up when the site was simply grass." (MSN)
Certainly, a sad day for generations of people who once looked to this as their primary source of entertainment. Most especially because the Funworld was opened in 1977 by Nic Steyn Senior, who made a bold move to act against his lease terms and open up to all races.
Steyn has been trying to secure a lessee over the past twelve years but sadly even interested parties have faced issues with securing a lease with the eThekwini municipality.
"Over the past number of years, I’ve watched in sadness as the jewel in Durban’s crown, its beachfront, has deteriorated at an alarming rate. I don’t want to add to that deterioration but after six years of operating on a month-to-month basis the situation has become untenable.
“I am left with no choice but to unfortunately add to the Durban beachfront degradation,” Steyn said. (MSN)
Image Courtesy of Facebook