With the demise of Jessops and HMV Mostyn Street is starting to look a little bereft at the ex-woollies' end. It's a great shame, because Llandudno is probably unique in offering covered shopping walkways around the town, the very aspect which acts as a magnet for those visiting out of town shopping centres such as Cheshire Oaks. This topic is about ideas for improving the High street and - specifically - Mostyn Street. So what are the possible solutions?
We know the biggest issues are the lack of parking and the sheer volume of traffic along Mostyn Street and you all know I've long been a proponent of pedestrianising the place. But I don't belive we've ever taken a really serious look at what - in traffic and pedestrian terms, anyway - could be done by the council without a massive amount of expenditure. So here're some thoughts:
1. Suppose Conwy were to look at the road layout and decide to make a very large one-way system? The Prom would be one-way running West, with Madoc, Chapel and possibly Augusta Streets being made one-way running East.
2. The parking bays on the prom would be converted to angled bays, the same method as used in Colwyn Bay, and that would probably double the number of cars that could be parked.
3. Madoc Street - now being one-way - would have one side of the road converted to angled bays, which ought to afford more parking there.
4. Isa, Somerset and Bodafon Streets would all be one-way running East.
5. Mostyn Street - from North Parade to Vaughan Street - would be paved and made restricted entry to vehicles - similar to the system employed in Chester.
6. At St George's place and Trinity squares parking bays for the physically disabled could be provided, along with the existing taxi ranks.
7. The delightfully broad St Mary's Road could also be fitted with angled bays to offer more parking
It's clear, also, that many of the tiny back roads would have to be made one-way, or given special access permissions. But I sometimes wonder; do people really know how good they have it in Llandudno? There are precious few towns, for instance, where you can park directly outside M & S and where access to almost all the traders is so relatively easy. I'm not saying that had the council had the courage they ought to have had and made these changes 25 years ago that the big names wouldn't have disappeared: that's because of factors clearly beyond anyone's control. But such a scheme wouldn't cost that much, would definitely lead to a better shopping experience in Llandudno, would help to set the stage for a revival of Mostyn Street and - perhaps most importantly - might act to attract stores back into town when the economic upturn finally begins.