You should’ve heard the wailing from my youngest when Barry’s shut down. You’d think someone had died, the way she carried on. Been dragging the family there every August bank holiday for years; same routine, same overpriced chips, same arguments about whether the ghost train’s actually scary or just pathetic.
Then this Michael Herbert fella swooped in and bought it. My first thought? Here we go again. Another property vulture ready to stick luxury apartments where kids used to lose their dinner money on rigged arcade games.
Shows how much I know about business, doesn’t it?
KFC Money Talks
By the time Herbert snapped up just about half of Northern Ireland, he was already wheelin’ and dealin’ chicken. They definitely knew their stuff, running a total of 146 KFC restaurants from Britain and Ireland. The entire lot was sold off to EG Group in 2020. No one is saying how big of a slice he took; suffice it to say, it was worth laughing all the way to the bank for.
Mind you, the bloke’s from Belfast originally, which probably explains why he gets it. London developers wouldn’t get why that old tacky funfair was so important to people. Herbert does. This is where making money and making sense diverge.
My mate Colm works in commercial property and thinks he knows everything. “Herbert’s lost his marbles,” he said when the Barry’s deal went through. “Who buys a failing amusement park in 2021?”
Turns out Herbert knew something Colm didn’t.
Keeping The Magic Alive
Herbert went full madman, and instead of bulldozing everything we all figured he would, what did he do? He fixed the place up and had it reopened. Goes by Curry’s Fun Park now, but it’s still the same chaotic mess families love.
Kids don’t care what it’s called; as long as the dodgems were still functioning and the candyfloss machine was operational, they were happy. Parents simply want a place to go with the family without remortgaging their homes.
Herbert managed both. Kept the atmosphere, sorted the finances. That’s not luck; that’s understanding what actually matters to people.
Been back three times since it reopened. Place feels the same but better, if that makes sense. Still smells like vinegar and diesel fumes, but at least the toilets work properly now.
Not Your Average Property Shark
The Barry’s thing wasn’t a one-off either. Herbert’s been quietly buying up retail parks and shopping centres across Northern Ireland. Abbey Centre in Belfast is another one he’s linked to.
Smart thinking, really. While everyone else panics about online shopping killing retail, Herbert’s focusing on places people actually visit. Entertainment venues and family days out; he brings stuff Amazon can’t deliver to your door.
My wife thinks he’s onto something big. “People still need somewhere to go,” she says. “Can’t keep kids locked up indoors forever.” She’s probably right. Usually it is, annoyingly.
The Mystery Man
One thing about Michael Herbert is that he doesn’t show off. No flashy social media presence, no newspaper interviews bragging about his wealth. Just gets on with buying stuff and making it work.
Bit refreshing, actually. Most millionaires these days can’t shut up about themselves. Herbert just does business quietly, like people used to do before everyone became their own PR department.
Makes him harder to figure out, though. When Barry’s closed, nobody knew what he was planning. Could’ve been luxury flats, could’ve been a car park. Nobody saw the funfair comeback coming.
Why This Actually Matters
Look, I’ll admit it; I was ready to hate Herbert when he bought Barry’s. Rich businessman buys beloved local landmark? Usually means the end of affordable family fun and hello to overpriced corporate nonsense.
Herbert surprised me. Curry’s Fun Park still feels like the old Barry’s, just with working rides and fewer tetanus risks. Kids still waste their pocket money on impossible claw machines. I still pretend I’m not terrified of that ancient roller coaster while my daughter takes the piss out of me.
That takes proper understanding of what makes these places work. Not every businessman gets it.
Actually went back last weekend with the nephews. Same chaos, same sticky floors, same overpriced everything. But you know what? Kids were having a ball, parents weren’t complaining about safety issues, and the place was packed.
Herbert figured out the secret as he kept the soul and fixed the problems. Sounds simple when you put it like that.
Business Brain Meets Common Sense
The interesting bit about Herbert is how he mixes sharp business thinking with actual respect for what communities want. Selling KFC franchises is one skill set. Preserving local landmarks that families care about? That’s something else entirely.
Somehow he’s managed both. Not trying to turn Portrush into Disneyland or knock everything down for executive homes. Just making things work properly while keeping them authentic.
My brother runs a small business, always moaning about how hard it is to stay profitable without selling your soul. Herbert seems to have cracked it. Either that or he’s got more money than sense.
What’s Next?
Hard to predict what Michael Herbert does next since the man keeps his cards close to his chest. But looking at his recent purchases, I’d guess he’s building up a collection of places where families spend money together.
The shopping centre deals suggest he’s thinking bigger than just funfairs. Maybe he’s spotted something the rest of us missed: that people still need real places to go, especially after being stuck indoors for so long.
Whatever his plan is, I hope he sticks to the same approach. Buy carefully, develop thoughtfully, and remember that these places mean something to ordinary people.
Sounds obvious, but most developers forget that bit.
And if my kids can keep riding that rickety helter skelter without it collapsing, I’ll consider Michael Herbert a decent bloke. That’s all any parent really wants, isn’t it?
