Category: Local News

As one school in Llandudno is slowly demolished, it’s time to look forward to the bright future of one set to be amongst the cream of the crop when it comes to special schools throughout Wales.

Ysgol Y Gogarth has been the site for many bulldozers over the past month as work continues to bring down the much loved but sadly redundant school. It represents a massive change for both staff and pupils who have already moved on to their new school which cost an estimated £18m to build.

Situated along Nat-Y-Gamar Road, the highly-advanced place of learning can now offer its students state of the art technologies that they require which will include sensory rooms, sports facilities and a hydrotherapy room. All 185 special needs students will benefit from these changes as their old school continues to be gradually demolished in time for this coming September.

Headteacher Matt Morgan on the move: “The buildings, provision and staff make this one of the best special needs schools in the UK.”

“It’s difficult to move from an old, familiar building for anyone but for children with learning difficulties you do worry.

“Teachers have been preparing pupils for months about the transfer and Willmott Dixon had also met the children. But everyone was very excited and there were huge smiles. We’ve had nothing but compliments and everyone has settled quickly.”

The build has also been a big boost for those in construction locally as a large proportion of the workforce was sourced from surrounding areas. As for the new Ysgol-Y-Gogarth itself, it has offered much in the way of improvement for social services who will also be based close by.

Children’s Commisioner for Wales, Keith Towler, said: I have visited Ysgol Y Gogarth on a number of occasions and the pupils and staff there never ceases to amaze me with their enthusiasm and teamwork.

“I congratulate all those involved in making this happen. But most of all, my very best wishes go to the teachers and pupils themselves, who have played an important part in the design and construction. Go Gogarth!”

It’s always a treat to see local acts from Llandudno do well on the music scene and so it will come as great news that Catfish and the Bottlemen will be taking to the stage at Wakestock 2014.

The four piece all went to the same school together in the seaside town and have been carving a huge name for themselves ever since they formed thanks to tireless gigging and knowing how to write a catchy hook or two.

Catfish and the Bottlemen have been getting their name out wherever they can as they played at an amazing 100 shows in 2013 alone. Things started to take off for the band when Carl Barat (formerly of The Libertines) invited them to his show and have also had a leg up from The Vaccines in the past.

It really has been an amazing couple of years for the Llandudno lads as they’ve been on a sold out tour where they showcased their newest songs which have been garnering huge buzz. ‘Kathleen’ already looks like being a smash for the Catfish so don’t forget that you heard about it here first.

Their already impressive touring portfolio and back catalogue was only bolstered further after receiving a premium slot for the music on BBC Radio 1 as well as winning various Singles of the Week awards on shows such as XFM, BBC Radio 6 and more.

So it has to be said that their slot at the upcoming Wakestock has to be deserved as they can more than hold their own against the likes of John Newman, Frank Turner and Tom Odell as the festival which takes place over the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th of July. Other festival appearances for the boys this year include: Deer Shed Festival 5, Kendal Calling, Barn on the Farm, Live at Leeds and more.

Their slot has yet to be announced at Wakestock so be sure to check back on the site for any updates.

There are many exciting activities and events in Llandudno but there’s little opportunity at present for locals to play one the oldest and most popular sports around: football. However, this could all be about to change.

Currently, there is a pitch in the town which is used for the local football club but it’s not often suitable for public use. Llandudno FC are trying to change this by introducing a new “3G” pitch in the place of the current traditional turf at Maesdu Park stadium.

The estimated £500,000 build will primarily be in use for the official football team but the main idea is for it be used by juniors as well as some local schools. Part-funded by the Football Association of Wales, Sports Council for Wales and Conwy County Borough Council, the planners and the club itself are hoping to turn the coastal town into a “football hub”.

Chairman of Llandudno FC Clive Rushton has been quoted as saying: “It really is a massive step forward, not only for the club but for the whole community, in that we can now open up the club to schools, local junior clubs and leagues and all those various groups within Llandudno that would look to play football no matter what their standard or age group.

“It gives us the opportunity now to create a real football hub in Llandudno.”

The new build will also provide an incentive for girls to become more invested in football, claims Dorothy Langley, General Manager of Llandudno FC.

“From a community perspective, it opens up all sorts of opportunities,” she said.

“It now gives us a chance for example to work with the local education authority in terms of developing Llandudno school children both in and out of school time. We have a venue to be proud of, and we believe that what we have achieved at Llandudno FC will be of huge benefit to the community for many years to come.”

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“soccer goal” by www.flickr.com/photos/wiemann

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

There are so many fantastic hotels in Llandudno that should receive awards but thanks to TripAdvisor, the Lauriston Court Hotel has again been flung into the spotlight for its great stay after previous accolades in 2013.

The family affair clenched its second accolade from the popular tourism site, this time in the Best Bargain category after scooping first place for best service worldwide last year. Lauriston finished 3^rd in the world this time round but it means they have the distinction of the best in Britain after being narrowly beaten by venues in Ireland and California.

Notorious for being unforgiving with their reviews, patrons of TripAdvisor were more than positive about their stay at Lauriston and its value as 605 out of 643 rated the accommodation as ‘excellent’. Even more reward for hotels in Llandudno came as The Wellington Hotel clinched 9^th spot in the tight competition.

Two hotels from Gwynedd, Bod Gwynedd and Plas Dinas Country House were also present in the top 20 for best B&B.

When you consider that an estimated 700,000 hotels across the world were vying for recognition, it’s quite some achievement for two hotels from the same seaside town in Wales to break the top 10.  Carol-Lynn Robins of Lauriston was proud when she said: “We take pride in the knowledge that our guests appreciate everything we are doing and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stayed with us over the past year for helping us to win this award.

“Winning this award is a tremendous achievement for us and the rest of the team at Lauriston Court.”

The Lauriston is currently a four star hotel with 11 rooms and anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of a stay there will know that £70 per night is indeed a bargain. There are many more great places of accommodation in Llandudno so you’ll have to be sure to book a room at one of them when you stay at the Queen of Welsh Resorts soon.

The older generation who live in Llandudno and its surrounding areas will most likely be able to tell you of a time when a hovercraft cruised along the waters of North Wales before, sadly, it became non-operational and there hasn’t been a similar mode of transport like it since.

Well, this could all be about to change as a budding group is attempting (and visibly succeeding) in bringing the service back to our coastal area – fantastic news for any readers who have always wanted to visit Llandudno but have never had the chance.

This new feature of the North Wales coastline had been in the pipeline for some time as it appeared to hit obstacle after obstacle on its way to approval. However, a successful meeting with Chris Ruane MP brought with it plenty of cause for optimism for the project.

The plans not only extend to Llandudno, but to places such as Rhyl and potentially Denbighshire for the future. Ruane had this to say on the recent progress: “It offers fantastic opportunities as far as Rhyl is concerned and will bring in pensioners over from Merseyside for days out to the seaside as well as school children, cyclists, ramblers – opening up not just Rhyl, but the whole of the Vale of Clwyd and north Denbighshire.”

If you’re looking to be the first on the boat for the Hoverlink craft’s maiden voyage, you’d better act fast as it’s being reported that a staggering 200,000 people will use the service every year after it first sets sail in the first quarter of 2015.

The craft itself will be a high-end range and if anyone has ever ventured to an offshore British Isle (such as the Isle of Wight)then you’ll know to expect quality, speed and affordability. You and your party should each be able to fit on the 130-seater in a journey between Llandudno and Liverpool that will take roughly 35 minutes – almost half the time of conventional road travel.

Simon Clitheroe, who has been the spearhead of the project, said: “Once operational, we will be able to transport customers from Wirral to Rhyl and Llandudno within 35 minutes, far beating any mode of transport currently available for speed and efficiency.

“We’re very encouraged with the positive response we’ve had so far from the people of Denbighshire, who are very keen to see the service brought back.

“We’ve finished the project stage and are quickly moving into the investment stage. We are really hopeful that this could be up and running by early 2015.”

It remains to be seen whether or not the project eventually sinks or swims but it would surely benefit the area and North Wales as a whole so here’s hoping.

Undoubtedly, Llandudno is one of the best places in North Wales to stay if ever you’re in need of accommodation. One of the most distinguished places to set off from, you’ll be able to find your way anywhere from this seaside town.

In equal measure, the amount of superb hotels available to tourists and locals who fancy a quick getaway has always been one of the iconic aspects of the town. Now, it appears as it may be a case of, “out with the old, in with new” as ambitious new hotel plans are released.

The subject of the story, Esplanade Hotel, has been a landmark place for accommodation in Llandudno since the 1920’s and has enjoyed much success since. With previous guests including Harold Wilson and the Duke of Kent, its premium status has been well-deserved. However, sadly after many decades of business, the hotel has been sold off to a Blackpool company.

Originally touted at being worth £1.2 million, the establishment has had long stay on the market since 2012 but Safehands care providers have swooped in to set up a five-star hotel for those in need of care. On top of the original purchase price, Safehands have said that they’ll need a further investment of £2m so that it is properly disability friendly.

The change of hands will see a 90 year end to the family business but with the upside of more jobs being created in the care sector and the possibility of a five star hotel coming to these shores. The figures indicate that as many as 19 jobs may be created for outside professionals.

This large transaction comes off the back off a good year for hotel sales in Llandudno. A representative from Colliers said: The sale of the Esplanade Hotel completed an exceptionally busy year for our hotels team in Manchester with more than £18m of hotels and guest houses being sold during 2013 in the North West alone.

“The number and value of transactions shows that market conditions are starting to recover for good quality commercial hotels, with North Wales being of particular interest for hotel operators.”

It will be interesting to see how the story develops so for any updates, make sure you check back on Visit Llandudno.

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“Esplanade hotel, N.Wales” by www.flickr.com/photos/catchesthelight

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Being a close-knit community is one of the many positive things you can say about Llandudno and this was evident over the weekend as singers from all over came together to raise money for a local cause.

Ty Gobaith is one of the most respected children’s hospices across the nation and gives love and care to children of all ages. The emphasis is on providing a home from home for children with many of them at this special house being natural Welsh speakers. Hope House is also the sister hospice which was also campaigned for at the event.

Such a worthy cause was the reason why Wynne Evans (of GoCompare fame) decide to headline the Venue Cymru stage to a rapturous and 900 strong audience during the Carols from Llandudno 2013 concert.

“I’m delighted to be part of the Daily Post Carols from Llandudno 2013 Concert, organised in conjunction with S4C,” said Mr. Evans, “The concert has been a major event in the annual musical calendar for many years.

“It has attracted many great names and it is an honour to be asked to take part, especially to help raise money for such a worthy cause as Ty Gobaith/Hope House.”

Other participants included Peter Karrie of Phantom of the Opera fame supported by several excellent choirs from local schools. The event is set to be screened on S4C later in the year and a spokesperson for them had this to say: “We are proud and delighted to bring back this event for this year.”

Sarah Kearsley-Wooller of Ty Gobaith was delighted when she said: “What better way to kick-start our Christmas festivities – with an array of Welsh musical talents encouraging the voices of young & old to join together in celebration of the work of Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospice.

The exact figure for funds raised is yet to be released but with such popularity, it’s sure to have generated lots of funds for those who need it most.

One of the most unwelcome sights in these financial times of difficulty is the closing down of shops on our high street. All boarded up with no life left in them with only a few of the most popular left still standing. However, recent news has suggested there may be further reason to visit Llandudno after all.

The Llandudno Victoria Centre has long been the hub for all ranges of shops and trades but there have been a couple of vacancies since the economic strife of recent years. That’s all set to change though as after the opening of two new stores and further additions to come, the future looks assured in the jewel of the crown of the Queen of Welsh Resorts.

The two companies, Rectella and Code Cosmetics, have filled the vacant stores amidst the news of footfall improving for the whole centre; unfathomable in the darker days of the recession where it seemed like they were dropping everywhere.  The most publicised of these closures would have to be Jessop’s earlier in the year.

Such news looks to gladly be a thing of the past now though as new stores continue to pop-up throughout the town. A patisserie and an artist’s gallery are amongst the additions touted for success with possibilities in Cwrt Roger Mostyn for an electronics business and a coffee wholesaler also in the pipeline.

Trish Roberts of the new Rectalla store echoed these sentiments: “We were delighted at the way the store took off so well in Llandudno, and it is going from strength to strength. We have obviously filled a gap in the market, so it bodes well for a successful future here.”

As Llandudno begins to prosper again, it looks as if this historic town may have come out of the other end of the recession for the better and people will surely continue to flock to its streets in even higher numbers.