A family business

I have been lamenting recently over some of the long lost family business' that once graced the town. A personal touch from the staff, with most of the customers on a first name basis. The produce was always fresh and wholesome and delivered to the shop on a daily basis.

As I negotiated Llandudno's maze of traffic lights in an attempt to gain access to the ASDA car park to fill my trolley with a bag of pesticide covered apples I lamented of bygone days.

Corporate greed and uniformity seems to be the order of the day.

Market Street

While winding my way along Market St one afternoon, I was reminded of the old Dunphy's bakery which stood on the site of today's Cottage Loaf pub. Not a big uproar from townsfolk at the bakery being demolished, but there was a certain amount of concern for the new ale house.

To quote from the above newspaper article:

An LVA official said they had objected, because they felt there were already sufficient pubs in Llandudno, but the closure of the town's Harrington Hotel at about the same time had weakened their case. Planning permission for the development has been deferred on the grounds that the proposed pub building is "too domestic" and not in keeping with the urban setting.

Already sufficient pubs in Llandudno? If only they then, could foresee into the future and see how the town's pubs have turned out today. The pub culture seems to be dying a death, what with the price of wines, spirits and ales, many establishments have been turning into cafe's during then day to increase revenue.

Planning permission for the development has been deferred on the grounds that the proposed pub building is too domestic and not in keeping with the urban setting. Now, where have I heard that before? Has similarities of the the pier pavilion site I'm thinking. Not in keeping with the urban setting? Maybe they were thinking of enticing a car assembly plant to the location?

In hindsight, the Cottage Loaf has become a welcome addition to the town, I will say that.

We are fortunate Mr Ollerton had not been born, or he might have been proposing a casino:

The Gambler's Crust.  

The Red Van Man

Rest in peace Mr Tony Healy

You will be greatly missed

Mr Ollerton for Mayor, hurrah!

I never realised just how much Mr Ollerton is revered in the town. "Wow, Craig Ollerton for Mayor I would vote for you" exclaims Sylvia Harper. Sylvia believes Mr Ollerton has a passion for the town and the town needs more people like him.

Hurrah!

Exactly! proclaims Angela Nuttall.

I do take exception to Mr Ollerton's comments mentioning the Masonic scourge though as I myself are a Mason. Had our grasp for far too long on this town Mr Ollerton?

An archaic bunch of crones who are only passionate about milking the town dry and washing the streets with our propaganda Mr Ollerton?

Exactly how much sway do you believe we actually have Mr Ollerton?

I was actually taking a liking to Mr Ollerton, but after reading these comments, I'm afraid I'm seeing him in a different light.

Tourist trap

Recently I went for a brisk stroll along one of the resort's tourist traps, Builder Street. It's called a tourist trap as you shouldn't get trapped down there after dark while searching for the coach park. I've been met by some really scary characters along this stretch, more than once. 

If you miss the coach, you can always doss alongside the railway station in the car park for the night, weather permitting of course.

Ollerton's input

Here, a chap by the name of Craig Ollerton takes on the issue. Mr Ollerton believes the site should have been acquired by compulsory purchase and a cool million should shut up and get rid of the idiot nut job of an owner. Mr Ollerton believes the owner doesn't give a flying crap about the town and would like to see something built in a similar format to what was there previously.

I do not think there are any facilities that could replicate the wrought ironwork along similar lines today Mr Ollerton. No craftsmen about of that calibre. Use the basement level as underground parking for all the neighbouring hotels eh? Would this be free parking? Surely not!

A museum? No, we already have one. A casino? In Llandudno? Maybe you would enjoy to while away the hours gambling Mr Ollerton, but I do not think the majority of old aged pensioners would. These are the backbone of the town's holiday trade and are usually in bed by nine o'clock. No big spenders among that crowd either as most of them could peel an orange in their pocket. 

Finally, to quote you Mr Ollerton: Leaving it as an empty space would be a waste, a theatre, probably not viable, a hotel no, apartments, no, no, no.

Looks like it will be apartments, yes, yes, yes, Mr Ollerton.

More delays

Welsh Government dragging their heels:

Plans to build homes where Llandudno's pier pavilion once stood have been delayed yet again.

The £18m project would see apartments as well as restaurants built on the derelict site.

Conwy council planners want to give it the go-ahead.

However, it is on hold once more while the Welsh Government decides whether to "call in" the application to the Planning Inspectorate.

Planning committee chairwoman Sue Lloyd-Williams said she was very "disappointed" at the news.

The original pavilion was destroyed by fire in 1994 and the site has remained empty.

In December, a planning application was deferred by councillors amid concerns over the project's design.

The revamped plans include 52 apartments, two restaurants and an underground car park.

Previously, the owner of Llandudno Pier said the future of the attraction would be at risk if the development happened.

I saw an eyesore

I don't know what it is about some townsfolk, they just can't be satisfied. Take the large hole in the ground where the pier pavilion once majestically stood. They complain about the eyesore that was left for over twenty years when the pavilion burned to the ground, then they complain when the site is proposed to be developed. It's not in keeping with the Victorian architecture they lament.

I personally like the bottom artists impression as it does not appear to look out of place at all, however I'm sure there are many that secretly wish Isambard Kingdom Brunell is still alive, so he could construct a viaduct over the amusement arcade and around the Grand Hotel to Pigeons Cove. 

Who are we?

We're a mixed bag of marbles today and indeed, many have actually lost theirs. We're an insular bunch so to speak, and very protective of our treasures, especially the Victorian ones. Yes, Victorianism abounds in Llandudno, the architecture, the Alice in Wonderland connection and even Jack the Ripper was rumoured to have taken a short break here in 1888 in-between cutting throats and removing large intestines down in the East End of London.

Today, we enjoy taking photographs of the scenic beauty of the place, then posting endless views of the pier and West Shore sunsets on social media while exclaiming "I love living here" and "This is the best place in the world to live". Obviously, these people very rarely descend Penrhyn Hill, or branch out to Llandundno Junction. 

One of our favorite pastimes is complaining about the sand on the North Shore, albeit lack of sand, due to the coastal sea defenses constructed by the local council a number of years ago. How many of these so called locals actually hire a deck chair and actually sit on the sand during the summer? Do their children purchase buckets and spades and make sandcastles around the tide-pools? 

No, they're off abroad

Oh this year I'm off to sunny Spain, Y viva Espania
I'm taking the Costa Brava plane, Y viva Espania
if you'd like to chat a matador, in some cool cabana
and meet Senorita's by the score, Espania por favor

The good old days

From a mining and farming community on the slopes of the Great Orme, the town was developed as a Victorian seaside resort. City dwellers flocked to the coast to embrace the fresh sea air, free from pollutants and to invigorate themselves in the therapeutic waters of the Irish Sea.

What a strange pastime as illustrated above in 1880. The beach was segregated, a section for men and a section for women. Wooden wheeled bathing machines were pulled out to sea by horses, from the water's edge with the bather inside. At a decent depth, the bather would emerge and immerse themselves in the sea, modestly clothed in their period bathing costumes.

No whinging about how much sand was on the beach in those days

Victorians simply didn't care about sandy shores.

  

Welcome

Time to light the blue touchpaper