Sorry to resurrect this controversial topic, but based on my observations this last few days, I couldn’t help myself.
I can’t help wonder what the visitors to the town are going to make of it in 2018?
The stretch of Mostyn St which used to house M&S Menswear and Greenwood’s looks terrible now.
That’s prime retail space and there are no signs of anything being proposed to replace those great traditional businesses.
Worse is to come when M&S main outlet disappears from the high street.
Clonmel St and St George’s Place, despite being central to Llandudno, now have glaring gaps as failed businesses have vacated property. Little or nothing to see or spend money on there.
The Pier had a much reduced number of shops in 2017, and several kiosks were left empty all year. In 2018 I am aware of several others who will not be returning.
The Pier gates on Happy Valley Rd are permanently closed, awaiting major structural improvements to the pier steelwork, which to date has no schedule to begin. So, parking on HV road is a waste of time and money now. In addition, the fishing tackle shop is also closed down.
They may not get done at all if Mr Waldron goes ahead with his Pavilion development, Mr Williams had made that absolutely clear.
There may be a colossal building site to contend with for more than a year there.
It’s half term now, and the weather was OK at the weekend, (I’ve worked in far worse), but not a single shop on the seaward end of the pier was open, and only a couple at the landward end. It used to be a busy fortnight, weather permitting, and would kickstart the new season.
Returning to Mostyn Street, it’s an inescapable fact that there are more homeless people sleeping in the shop doorways than ever before. It’s a tragedy I know, and it’s a national problem, but it’s not a ‘good look’ for visitors to see.
Almost every cashpoint in town also has a beggar or homeless person beside it, for obvious reasons.
The number of buskers, mostly of an appalling standard, has increased greatly. Many of these are just begging in a different guise.
From 5pm onwards, it’s embarrassing to try and have a walk around town, let alone a peaceful night out.
I’m not saying that visitors won’t come this year, I’m simply saying that their experience will be not as they remember it. Will they want to return in anywhere like similar numbers?