A FAMILY occupying the Barry Island beach huts during Wartime Weekend have given a glowing review as a storm emerged about the hire uptake.

The family, whose members hailed from Barry and Pontypool, praised the multi-million pound facilities at the resort’s Eastern side, but said others should join them in enjoying the huts and offered constructive advice on how the general public could discover them and book.

Meanwhile, it emerged the Vale Council has offered existing permanent Barry Island traders the chance to hire the huts, but seven out of seven traders so far approached by the Barry & District News have said they would not hire a hut.

The family said they only knew about hiring the huts because family members lived in Barry.

They said the call centre’s restricted hours hindered hiring enquiries and said there was nothing on the prom to say the huts could be hired. They said they should be widely advertised with the ability to pay on the day as it was impossible to predict weather conditions too far in advance.

But they added that it they had enjoyed using the huts and had been able to reminisce about the good old days and many people had stopped to talk to them giving a community spirit feel.

Mum-of-one Rachael Chandler-Garnier, 39, of Barry, said: “It’s a wonderful experience for people of all ages – and with the cleanliness of the area and friendliness of the staff, its ideal. They are very good facilities, but you should be able to rent them on the day.”

The beach huts was funded under the Welsh Government Barry Regeneration Area scheme, alongside a climbing wall, water feature, temporary events space and car park and further visual improvements to its look.

The 24 coloured beach huts – 12 small and 12 large, looking out onto Whitmore Bay, were designed for families and groups and can be hired up to three weeks in advance by contacting the Vale Council’s contact centre all year round.

The Council’s website currently advises that advance payments must be made and adds “the huts are not for rent by charities, organisations, traders, schools unless it’s a pre-planned commercial week.”

It adds that pre-planned bookings can be accepted up until 3pm the previous day and same day bookings are acceptable, but the daily fee will apply and subject to availability.

Small huts cannot be used commercially and large huts are to be rented by the day with a maximum booking of one week in any given month.

Commercial use by community organisations, schools, traders for crafts/arts, sales of t-shirts or resort related themes etc will be permitted at certain times of the year and will be advertised in advance by the Council alongside mechanisms for booking.

Use for traders, for the sales of food and drink will not be accepted unless with prior event approval, such as Christmas markets

Vale Council cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Lis Burnett said the Council’s tourism and marketing team had been exploring the option of offering the beach huts to local traders for some time.

She said: “Talks are still in the early stages, particularly with the school summer holidays yet to begin, but discussions have been very positive so far.

“We hope the beach huts can not only provide a convenient base for visitors, but also an opportunity for local businesses to extend their reach and attract new customers.”

Baruc Vale and Barry town councillor, Nic Hodges said: “I am amazed at the delay in getting full use out of the huge investment in this scheme and would support some use by schools, charities and one off events but have concerns in setting up rival businesses in competition to the established shops on the Island. This shows the lack of planning that went into the scheme in the first place.”

Barry Island primary school has been denied an opportunity to make a more long-standing use of a hut.