Llandudno is not primarily a market town, however much one might enjoy the idea of it. Its trading life has long centred more on Mostyn Street, the promenade and occasional events than on a great permanent market culture.

This is not a failing. Towns should not pretend to be what they are not. Nothing becomes embarrassing more quickly than forced rusticity near a gift stall.

The Victorian resort tradition that shaped Llandudno was built around hotels, promenade entertainments and commercial streets rather than a market square. The town plan does not include the historic market infrastructure that older market towns developed over centuries, and no amount of enthusiasm can manufacture what the original estate design did not provide.

When markets do appear, especially around seasonal events or festive periods, they can add useful colour. The Victorian Extravaganza weekend in early May (which has run since 1988) includes market-style stalls alongside the steam machinery and costume parades. The Christmas period brings seasonal market activity to the town centre.

Expect crafts, food, gifts and small traders rather than a vast historic market tradition.

The quality varies, as markets always do. Some stalls are genuinely local and thoughtful. Others look as if they have followed the same trestle table from town to town like a travelling confession.

Farmers and artisan food markets have appeared occasionally in Llandudno and the surrounding area, usually as organised events rather than fixed weekly fixtures. These tend to attract decent local food producers and are worth attending when they coincide with a visit.

Check dates before making a special journey. Do not arrive imagining a bustling market square and then blame Llandudno for not reading your mind.

Nearby Conwy has a stronger market tradition and the physical geography (a walled town with a natural gathering point near the castle) that Llandudno lacks. For those who specifically want a market experience, Conwy is often the more reliable option.

Come for the town, the seafront and the wider area first. Treat a market as a bonus, like finding a ten-pound note in a coat pocket or discovering the person beside you at dinner is less dull than feared.