Owner of Britain's oldest Punch and Judy show says 'I won't cancel'

The owner of Britain's oldest Punch and Judy show has spoken out amid concerns about the future of the puppets. Jason Codman, 55, says he has no plans to stop the show. His booth in Llandudno, north Wales, has been running for 160 years after his great-great-grandfather Richard Codman started the Llandudno show in 1860

His comments come after a Punch and Judy show in Eastbourne, Sussex, was cancelled after 120 years due to budget cuts. The show, which features husband and wife puppets in slapstick scenes often involving fighting, has faced criticism over domestic violence concerns. However, supporters argue it is a key part of the British seaside experience.

Jason said he has "no plans to shut up shop". He has removed any killings from the show but kept the stick violence, and reintroduced the role of the hangman despite criticism from "keyboard warriors".

He stated: "We've never received funding from the council. The show covers its own costs: operating, maintaining, paying my rent and my licence." He added that the show remains popular, with crowds gathering when it starts. Jason feels a strong responsibility to keep the show going as it has been in his family for five generations.

"We don't make a living out of Punch and Judy. That's not the purpose. Our motivation is the history. It's part of people's memories. It's an expectation Punch is going to be there [at the seaside]. People would say Llandudno would not be the same without Punch and Judy on the promenade."

The Punch and Judy show is a special treat for weekends and school holidays from Easter until the start of September. For the rest of the year, Jason has another job to earn money when the shows are not on. He explained that in the past, the show made