A new trader has announced that they are moving into the former lifeguard station on Barry Island.
The building on the seafront has been vacant since September when former occupant Bay 5 closed their doors.
News of their impending closure came in May 2025 when the application to renew their business lease was rejected by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
In a statement posted at the time, representatives for Bay 5 Coffee stated that they were “devasted” about the development and had done their “upmost” to ensure that they had done all they could to keep the business operating from the space.
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New occupants Fablas are already well known in the Vale, with four dedicated shops already selling their delicious sweet treats in Penarth, Cowbridge, Porthcawl, and Caerphilly.
The business was founded in 2016 by mother and daughter duo Michelle and Lauren Evans. A pair driven by passion for great food and local agriculture, they have made it their mission to create their ice cream using the best local ingredients that start with milk and cream sourced just 15 miles from their production site in Pyle.
Pairing these ingredients with the finest flavourings from a renowned Italian flavour house ensures that every single scoop is bursting with taste and allowed them to open their first store in Cowbridge in 2017. From then on, they have never looked back.
A statement released by the business on Facebook said:
“This isn’t how we had hoped to share this news, but as it has unfortunately been leaked, we feel it’s important to address it properly once and for all with facts, not rumours.
“We are planning to open our fifth ice cream parlour, with a coffee shop, in the Old Lifeboat Station on Barry Island, formerly occupied by Bay 5 Coffee, with an expected opening in Spring 2026.
“To be absolutely clear, we were not the initial successful bidders, and we stand by the statement we released several months ago. Following significant backlash, the first two successful tenders were revoked, and we were subsequently approached by the council.”
The business has informed followers that they are in the process of “finalising paperwork” with their solicitors and, if all goes well, expect to receive the keys mid-February with a view to begin trading on Barry Island in Spring 2026.
This may not be how Fablas wished to share this news but many residents in Barry are extremely excited to see a new trader join the already impressive display on the seafront.
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