Cafes, Restaurants, Pubs & Takeaways

[Bri Roberts]

Was Llandudno ever in Clwyd?

[DaveR]

Was Llandudno ever in Clwyd?

No, the border was the line of the old Afon Ganol by Llandrillo College, I think.

[Gwynant]

       You are absolutely correct Dave.R, I can remember in the days of the "prohibition", when Gwynedd (now Sir Conwy) was dry on a Sunday, going for a few pints on a Sunday night in "The Ship" (now Hickory's) in Rhos, or the  "Cross Keys" (now demolished), or "The Vale"  both in Glan Conwy when they were classified as Denbighshire, (before it was known as Clwyd) and then before that when Denbighshire was "dry" and Flintshire was "wet", travelling to the "Red Lion" in Llanasa for the live music then and back to Rhyl for a late meal, all this well before the days of the breathalyser of course, but being responsible citizens we always had a "designated driver", who drove his own vehlcle -----.

[Michael]

  Even further back, head towards Chester (on the old roads of course) under the railway bridge in Saltney and, scream, brakes on and into the first pub on the left. In a foreign land, ale from a pub on Sunday.

[Michael]

   On this subject of drinking hours a very long time ago the area around Porthmadog to Pwllheli was the last to give in to Sunday drinking. But another, not so well known, restriction was that no alcohol was allowed to be sold after 9 p.m. on ANY day.
   In the 1950s tourists from England started arriving at, shall we say, Criccieth. They would wander into a pub at 09.10 p.m. and order drinks, the barman would say "I'm sorry. We are closed" and the visitors would apologise "Oh. Sorry.WE'll come back later."  They didn't realise that closed meant closed. Full stop.

[Gwynant]

          I must apologise for the error in my previous post, of course it is "The Vale"  in Glan Conwy which is now demolished and not the "Cross Keys", which obviously is still trading. To follow on from Mike's latest post we once tried to get a pint in the British Legion in Porthmadog many years ago which was the only source of alcohol on a Sunday locally then, but they wouldn't serve us as we were members of the Legion in Llandudno (then Gwynedd) which was still "dry", and they said we didn't qualify!

[Bri Roberts]

I have a memory from the late sixties of being on a boat (maybe St Trillo) sailing off from Llandudno Pier on a Sunday evening.

There was a live pop group onboard and when we were so far out the bar would open up to serve alcohol and stay open until we returned.

Maybe Gwynant or Mike can confirm these sailings.

 Z**

[Gwynant]

                  Bri, I used to play drums in a band in the 60's, in fact one of my claims to fame is that I played in the Village Hall, Penrhyndeudraeth supporting "Them", ("Baby please don't go" and "Here comes the night"), who of course featured Van Morrison as lead singer and he joined us on stage. They were on their way from Belfast to London to seek fame and fortune at the time. We were booked to play several times on the M.V."Trillo" on a Sunday night and I can confirm that no alcohol was served until we had cast off from the Pier Head and it all had to be consumed by the time we tied up there again about 2 hours later. Happy days!

[Bri Roberts]

Thanks, Gwynant.

I did not know you were so talented.

[Cambrian]

When P & A Campbell took over the St Trillo in 1963 they advertised "Every Sunday Evening - Music at Sea" with the St Trillo Trio (Music in the Modern Manner) on board.  I wonder if Gwynant was one of the trio ?!  The fare was six shillings (30p) and the boat left at 7.30pm bqck at 9pm.

Interestingly "Live Music in the Modern Manner" was still being advertised for the 1969 season and the fare still 6/-.  Amazing how prices remained so constant in the 60s.

[Gwynant]

        No, Cambrian I was not a member of the St.Trillo Trio. The group I played in in the sixties was the standard 4 man line-up, consisting of lead, rhythm and bass guitars and me on drums. We were known as "The Publicans", and played all the local venues (Winter Gardens, Paynes, Colwyn Bay Pier etc., and in dance halls, village halls and pubs over the North Wales area in the 60's. I left when I got married and the group became known as the "Atlantic Sound" later.   
        I have many happy memories of those days, there were lots of groups about then in this area, the "Anglesey Strangers", "Cossacks", "Aristocrats" "The Jets" etc and I can also remember a local band called the "Motown Sect" which featured a certain Lemmy, later to form "Hawkwind" ("Silver machine") and then "Motorhead" being part of the local musical scene.

[DaveR]

We went for a lovely meal at the Cottage Loaf in Llandudno on Friday night. Mr. Fester had assured me it was fantastic, so I was keen to give it a try as I hadn't been to the Cottage Loaf since its former incarnation as a pub. What a transformation! It reminded me very much of the Queens Head, Glanwydden or the Pen Y Bryn in Upper Colwyn Bay. Even in the early evening, it was pretty much full. There was a great menu, large portions and a very pleasant atmosphere. Highly recommended!

http://www.the-cottageloaf.co.uk/

[Fester]

Dave,  Fest knows Best... (sometimes).... glad you enjoyed it. 


Gwynant!    Apart from the obvious fact that you packed it in because you got married.. (women put the mockers on everything don't they?) ..... you must know many local luminaries such as Phil Griffiths, and the GREAT BRIAN THOMAS!

[Gwynant]

Gwynant!    Apart from the obvious fact that you packed it in because you got married.. (women put the mockers on everything don't they?) ..... you must know many local luminaries such as Phil Griffiths, and the GREAT BRIAN THOMAS

!

            Correct Fester, Brian was the rhythm guitarist in the band and Philly Griffiths took over from me on drums when I left to got married.

[born2run]

Gwynant!    Apart from the obvious fact that you packed it in because you got married.. (women put the mockers on everything don't they?) ..... you must know many local luminaries such as Phil Griffiths, and the GREAT BRIAN THOMAS

!

            Correct Fester, Brian was the rhythm guitarist in the band and Philly Griffiths took over from me on drums when I left to got married.

Phil also has a cousin called Pete, also a drummer, was in the Motown Sect you mentioned for a bit as well as some other bands.