Funfair Dynasty Torn Apart by Bitter £10 Million Inheritance Feud
A long-standing travelling funfair family has been plunged into a devastating legal conflict, with a bitter £10 million inheritance battle pitting father against sons. Clayton Manning, 33, and Joseph Manning Jr, 43, are locked in a courtroom showdown with their 65-year-old father, Joseph Manning Snr, a veteran showman whose family empire traces its roots back to a fairground peepshow in the 1850s.
Control of Lucrative Business Sparks Family Rift
The dispute centers on control of the family's lucrative funfair operations, valued at approximately £10 million. The Manning group of companies includes flagship attractions like Old MacDonald’s Farm and Fun Park in Brentwood, Essex, which features rides, a roller coaster, festive events, and exotic and farmyard animals. Additionally, the businesses operate temporary funfair events across major English cities, providing rides, attractions, and catering services for high-profile events such as Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park and Winterland at Dartford’s Bluewater shopping centre.
Joseph Jr and Clayton are suing their father, alleging he broke pledges that they would inherit the family business. The conflict escalated last week when the brothers, who now run Mannings Organisation Ltd and Mannings Amusements Ltd, sought an injunction to bar Joseph Snr from harassing staff or interfering with daily operations.
Allegations of Violence and Disruption in Court
Richard Power, representing the two companies, argued in court that the injunction was necessary due to past incidents. He detailed that Joseph Snr, ousted as a director in September 2024, had behaved violently and disrupted operations. The barrister highlighted several alarming events, including an alleged confrontation in July 2024 where Joseph Snr assaulted both sons, headbutting Clayton and breaking his nose, and splitting Joseph Jr’s brow open.
Further accusations include threats to destroy a carousel used at Winter Wonderland and an incident in October 2025 where Joseph Snr allegedly broke into the Winterland event at Bluewater, trespassing and setting up unlicensed catering stalls. Power stated, ‘Joseph Manning Snr has been engaged in a persistent and deliberate course of unreasonable and oppressive conduct, targeted at the claimant companies and Joseph Jr and Clayton Manning, which is calculated to and has caused alarm, fear or distress.’
The court also heard that in October 2023, Joseph Snr threatened to set fire to key equipment bound for Winter Wonderland, and in November 2024, an anonymous letter urged Royal Parks not to award the Winter Wonderland contract to Mannings Amusements.
Father Denies Claims, Counters with Aggression Allegations
Joseph Snr firmly denies all allegations of violence and harassment, insisting his sons were the aggressors in the July 2024 incident. His barrister, Tom Grant KC, told Deputy Judge Andrew Kinnier KC that Clayton strangled his father during the confrontation, noting Joseph Snr was suffering from cancer at the time. Grant suggested the injunction application is ‘motivated by a desire to put my client in prison.’
Joseph Snr claims he attended the October 2025 Winter Wonderland event on advice from the Showmen’s Guild to protect his rights under guild rules. In court documents, he asserts that both sons have been amply provided for, with their shares in the Manning companies collectively worth up to £7 million, and denies they worked for minimal pay. He highlights Joseph Jr’s £1 million car collection, including an Aston Martin and E-type Jaguar, which he says he funded.
Brothers Sue Over Broken Promises and Disinheritance Fears
The Manning brothers argue in their lawsuit that their parents, Joseph Snr and mother Sindy, who own Old MacDonald’s Farm, ‘failed to act in good faith.’ They are suing for proprietary estoppel over alleged broken promises, claiming they grew up believing they would run the entire family business. They say their sisters, Shannon, 33, and Chanel, 40, were expected to marry or pursue other work—Chanel apprenticed with fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and Shannon studied business.
However, the brothers allege their parents have recently turned against them, planning to disinherit them. They insist ‘it would be unconscionable for their parents to renege on their promises’ and change their wills.
Court Decision Pending on Injunction Extension
Deputy Judge Kinnier has reserved his decision on whether to extend a temporary injunction granted in December 2024. That order prohibits Joseph Snr from intimidating company staff or setting up stalls at Winterland or Winter Wonderland events, unless he enters as a ticket-paying visitor. The outcome could significantly impact the future of this funfair dynasty and its operations at major public events across England.
