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THE VISION

The vision for Rhyl comes from a collaborative effort between people from public, private and community backgrounds with a deep interest in creating a better future for the town centre.
It is based on the issues highlighted by local people and the suggestions, solutions and ideas of a great many more.
The process of developing this vision has brought co-ordination and clarity of purpose to efforts to support a brighter long term future for the town and the document itself is intended to be used as a consistent reference point for  decision makers, developers and investors that will speed up the process of regeneration in the town.
It sends a clear message to residents and the wider world that confidence in and perceptions of Rhyl town centre are changing – and will continue to change – for the better.

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS

A successful vision requires a holistic approach, drawing on a broad range of
subjects, both tangible and intangible. With this in mind, five areas have been identified as key drivers for the future regeneration of the town.
Following a brief summary of the current situation and subsequent aspirations for each of the topic areas, the vision begins to bring each of these five ‘threads’ together and sets out what the future might look like.

“We’re not turning our back on what makes Rhyl special, we’re embracing it. We’re working from what’s here and what’s good, but we also want to expand and renew the offer. It’s about all year round animation – events, exhibitions, entertainment, performance and adventure. It’s energetic, exhilarating and surprising”

Rob Mason – Ion Developments

Public Realm

The appearance of the environment is key to how people feel about a place.
Rhyl town centre currently suffers from poor-quality public realm. This is predominantly due to a lack of greenery, run-down shop fronts and neglected buildings, poor quality street furniture and signage with a lot of clutter and mismatched styles.
Our aim is to create an attractive, safe and welcoming place, where people want to spend more time. We want to create a place residents can be proud of.

In order to achieve this we are aiming for:

• Co-ordinated public realm with a consistent & simple approach to street & pavement surfaces, street furniture and signage
• Street clutter removed
• More planting & greenery with year round interest
• New open spaces & remodelled existing spaces with links between the town centre the sea
• Iconic public art
• Improved building frontages
• A lighting scheme for key buildings & features
• A robust management & maintenance programme for the public realm

“The seaside is about attractions, things to do, places to have fun and be entertained. Rhyl needs to renew its core leisure offer both for visitors and for people from the town and the wider area”

Steve Parry – Ion Developments

Access & Movement

Our experience of getting into and around a town centre plays a big part in our willingness to use it. Most people now approach Rhyl via the A55 and A525, entering the town centre from the south over the railway line, before heading through a series of signal controlled junctions.
The existing traffic system doesn’t cope well with this as it was built to cater for a heavy east-west traffic flow at a time when the A548 Coast Road was the main access route into Rhyl.
The relatively complex one way system makes routes to parking and the seafront circuitous, with visitors often complaining about a lack of clear signage.

To address this we want to:

• Identify better arrangements for prevailing traffic flows to access the town centre
• Consider opening up at least some of the High Street to northbound traffic
• Improve pedestrian and cyclist connectivity between the seafront and town centre
• Completely redesign the area of highway between the town centre and the seafront, simplifying the exiting layout, reallocating road space to pedestrian and cyclists.
• Improve directional signage and parking provision around the town centre following changes to traffic flows

Retail & Commercial

Rhyl town centre, like many others across the UK, has seen its high street decline over the last 15 years. Pressure on household budgets, changes in consumer spending habits and competition from other places has reduced the number of people using the town centre, making it harder for businesses to survive. This is not where we want to be.

We want to bring about a significant increase in town centre footfall by:

• Strengthening the town centre with brands that fit the new Rhyl
• Supporting quality independent cafes and coffee shops, family restaurants and street food offers
• Encouraging good quality bars (with good behaviour) and live music
• Developing a wider range of popular leisure activities
• Improving the number of better paid jobs on offer in the town centre
• Creating new, modern spaces for people to set up in business and grow
All of these things will help bring back a wider range of customers with higher disposable incomes and greater spending power.

 

Residential

Successful town centres should include a mix of different uses which help to
create life and activity from morning to evening. Not only does this help to create a varied and vibrant place to live, but it also contributes to improved
perceptions of safety. Residential development within town centres is an essential part of creating the right mix.
Our aim is to turn Rhyl town centre into a place where more people want to live by providing a choice of quality homes. We want to do this by using vacant space or through making better use of occupied town centre space.

We want to:

• Create an environment which enables and encourages private sector  investment
• Raise the quality of residential conversions by establishing modern  contemporary spaces
• Encourage the use of vacant upper floors for residential use
• Encourage higher design quality by promoting creativity
• Improve the character and quality of the town centre to raise long term property values
• Encourage redevelopment of suitable sites within the town centre for new residential use

Raising Standards

The upkeep and cleanliness of our town centres strongly influences people’s perceptions of them as places to live, visit, shop and invest.
Ensuring that buildings, streets and open spaces in the town centre are well-maintained and cared for is an essential component of the longterm vision for Rhyl.

To achieve this we will:

• Engage businesses and property owners in understanding their legal responsibilities and improving the look of their buildings
• Take a robust approach to enforcement in the town centre. We will not hesitate to use a variety of legal powers to ensure that properties are maintained to an acceptable level
• Ensure that our enforcement approach is coordinated, consistent and  transparent
• Work closely with the Rhyl Business Improvement District to improve and maintain the cleanliness of the town centre

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THANKS FORHAVING YOUR SAY

Our comments section is now closed. Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts with us.

Comments

  • Sean Bean said (at 9:03 am on November 26, 2015)

    We need less tat more quality. The prom Road looks old and tired and unwelcoming. The shops need a drastic face-lift. There is do much potential for the beach front to make it a great place for visit.

  • David roberts said (at 9:25 am on November 26, 2015)

    I’ll be there. As a resident of Rhyl. I don’t want shops on the funfair site it should be an entertainment venue…

    • Peter Jones replied (at 6:06 pm on December 7, 2015)

      I agree with David. The “children’s funfair” proposed for the Children’s Village site, is a very poor idea. What is wrong with a proper funfair, on the old site? Margate’s Dreamland and Barry Island’s funfairs have re-opened recently, as did the North African-themed one at Southport did, a few years ago, and has been built back up again – while Scarborough is still a busy resort but has certainly suffered since its big funfair closed.

  • Mike Jones - Managing Director said (at 9:47 am on November 26, 2015)

    It’s what this famous seaside town needs and deserves. Rhyl FC attracts thousands of visitors to the town each season and with the new leisure improvements to the town can only be a positive for people to stay and revisit. At last exciting times for Rhyl!

    • Peter Jones replied (at 4:42 pm on December 11, 2015)

      I didn’t know Rhyl was the only seaside town that also had a football team. They’re hardly Real Madrid. That’s on a par with the people who say Rhyl’s biggest asset is its beach – I think they’d find most seaside towns have their own beaches.

  • Sandra Harvey said (at 10:03 am on November 26, 2015)

    Sounds great, hoping it comes sooner rather than later, good luck

  • Ellie Hughes said (at 11:09 am on November 26, 2015)

    This all sounds really good I thin the outdoor activities the restaurants and lesuire centre will really attract people. I live in Rhyl myself and I never go to the beach in the summer just because there’s nothing to do and I really don’t like the prom. I think the prom desperately needs refurbishing it looks horrible especially when there is a really nice done up side by the sea then the other side of the road is all the arcades and shut down places and it just looks awful and to be honest it’s embarrassing for me to say I live there. I think everything planned will be amazing and I will definitely be coming to the beach when this is all done.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 6:27 pm on December 7, 2015)

      I’m afraid you’re talking rubbish there, Ellie. On one hand, amusement arcades are very important to a successful seaside resort. On the other, none of the facilities on the “done up” side, by the sea, are attracting visitors. The thing I find embarrassing are the poor facilities that have been built since 1992 and 2005. Resorts like Skegness, for example, which have not undergone redevelopment – and preserved their seaside heritage – are hugely more popular with holidaymakers today than Rhyl.

      If you have a look at the plans, Ellie, you will see that it is the beach side that is being redeveloped, not the amusement arcades and gift shops, so I think you have misunderstood what the proposals being made are. The problem is , though, that they are going the wrong way about it, because the things you mentioned are not seaside attractions but municipal leisure facilities. Rhyl is supposed to be a seaside resort.

  • Mike Harris said (at 12:49 pm on November 26, 2015)

    The plans sound great but we are sick of plans we want to see action.

    Why are you having your public consultation on 2 of the quietest days of the week during the day when most people are at work?

    • Peter Jones replied (at 6:39 pm on December 7, 2015)

      You are completely wrong, Mike. The key to a successful seaside resort is to preserve its traditional seaside attractions, add to add facilities where a need is identified. Rhyl is the seaside town that has had the most pro-active local authority in the UK. No other seaside resort has undergone such a scale of redevelopment that Rhyl has – and where has it got it? Blanket redevelopment does not work.

      Why is it that seaside resorts like Skegness, Weston-super-Mare, Southend, Cleethorpes and Clacton are so popular with holidaymakers without having undergone the huge programme of redevelopment Rhyl has, while Rhyl has been sent into a spiral of decline?

  • Alison Bird said (at 1:57 pm on November 26, 2015)

    Rhyl is my home town although I have lived away for many years. We are planning to move back to the area but I have been unable to convince my husband and son to move to Rhyl because they have always seen it as “depressing”. I am self-employed and would love to have Rhyl as my base, but I’ve heard that rents are prohibitive considering that the area has become so run down. Businesses, not just tourists, need tempting back. Reasonably-priced facilities for small businesses will also help to boost the economy. I’d love to hear more about your plans for Rhyl – can’t attend the meetings unfortunately too far away at present!

    • Peter Jones replied (at 4:43 pm on December 9, 2015)

      Businesses in general, in the wider local economy, are more dependent on tourists than you think. You say they see it as depressing, and locals complain about losing stores to Prestatyn, but Rhyl has a bigger retail economy than a comparable town that has little or no tourism. It makes no sense to separate the two when talking about their fortunes, as they are interdependent.

      It has been estimated, based on employment data, that “Rhyl/Prestatyn” declined from a figure of 1900 to 1600 between 2007 and 2011 in a measure of extra average year-round employment in seaside tourism, and jobs in the wider local economy attributable to seaside tourism, when compared to comparator towns without tourism. When you judge this next to an overall rise of just over one per-cent per-year in seaside tourism in England and Wales as a whole, it is clear that the policies that have been pursued are failing badly – building of the Drift Park and closure of the Ocean Beach Funfair.

      There haven’t been any meetings but I spoke to the representatives at the exhibition on Monday and Tuesday, and it is clear that their focus is on municipal facilities for locals, with nothing of note proposed to attract holidaymakers and day-trippers.

  • Rory Foden said (at 2:14 pm on November 26, 2015)

    I like the idea of bringing people together to share thoughts and ideas to re-develop Rhyl. A definite event to attend.

  • Sue said (at 4:13 pm on November 26, 2015)

    All looks good just hope that it is all done and not pie in the sky J

  • Joseph Aled Hill said (at 4:18 pm on November 26, 2015)

    The plans shown are absolutely fantastic.
    It would be great for Rhyl to have such a huge renovation.

    If these plans go ahead, it will help small businesses to succeed, and more people will come to live and visit here.

    I’ve seen the work that has been done in New Brighton, and it really does look amazing.

    These developments are more than just buildings and attractions, it gives people hope, and a bit more excitement to go with it.
    These plans mean a lot to the people of Rhyl, and we are confident that they will go ahead.

    Thank you for reading this message.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 4:15 pm on December 22, 2015)

      Why should Rhyl follow the controversial strategy of New Brighton? The policies followed there are madness.

      Measured over a 3-year cycle, 2010/12, in average year-round employment directly attributable to the affect of seaside tourism, “Rhyl/Prestatyn” was much bigger than New Brighton in “retail” and recreation and amusements”. Rhyl/Prestatyn obviously has an important local economy in “transport and campsites” -where New Brighton’s figure is negligible – and, conversely. in “hotels and restaurants” Rhyl is negligible and New Brighton had its most important sector (although smaller than the Rhyl/Prestatyn estimate for “transport,campsites, etc.”. Overall, New Brighton’s figure for seaside tourism employment, overall fell from 1500 to 1000 between 2007 and 2011, while Rhyl/Prestatyn fell from 1900 to 1600.

      Despite New Brighton’s proximity to Liverpool and Birkenhead, the “amazing” work done by Neptune goes little further than a small retail area: Home Bargains right on the seafront with Morrisons next door, restaurants and a hotel and corporate facilities. New Brighton had the biggest decline of any of the 121 English and Welsh resorts in the on-going studies, and it’s hard to see how the claims of Neptune’s supposed “proven track record” with seaside resorts – just New Brighton, so far – will ever be justified.

      Rhyl needs to look to resorts with a comparable location, a similar resort type and layout of promenade, and, in particular, to its own past.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 3:59 pm on December 3, 2015)

      Not everything that has been done at New Brighton is connected to Neptune Developments. And seaside tourism in New Brighton is known to have declined a lot between 2007 and 2011 – more than for the estimates for “Rhyl/Prestatyn”.

      Rhyl – along with Prestatyn Ffrith – has undergone far more redevelopment than any other seaside resort in the UK. What makes you think that repeating the same strategy will work this time? Rhyl would still be a major seaside resort if its promenade had been preserved, and we had not had the blanket redevelopment that began in 1992. This policy has left Rhyl in a terrible dilemma, and I do not think Neptune have the answers.

      • Peter Jones replied (at 4:06 pm on December 23, 2015)

        Following the comments on the plans, I’ve seen almost no views on the scheduled adventure golf planned for the current bowling green site, despite it getting prominent mention in the Daily Post, in particular.

        It seems to me that it’s likely that the company chosen will be that of the owner of the two 18-hole courses at New Brighton – Championship (mini masters replicas) Course and Landmark Course (crazy golf). There are a few courses around the country based on mini masters holes, but not at seaside resorts. The usual choices for visitors to the coast are:

        Very old concrete crazy golf survivors.

        the, odd, standardised competition European cement and asbestos courses (some have felt added).

        Former Arnold Palmer Putting Courses with moving obstacles – which everyone thinks of as traditional British ‘crazy golf’ but were actually the idea of Hollywood’s top agent and manager of gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and the man himself, Arnold Palmer – who jointly designed the courses with the head of the world’s biggest chain of miniature golf courses (then based in Atlantic City). Hundreds around the world.

        Pirate-themed (usually) adventure golf. Over-sold, rarely very interesting to play, nor skill-based in design.

        As Cleethorpes, Great Yarmouth and Skegness have about five courses each, along their promenades, I don’t see why Rhyl shouldn’t be more ambitious in this area, and could be made the best destination in the country for miniature golf. I would forget about the New Brighton’s Championship Course, which is poorly designed, boring to play and luck-based. The Landmark Course is much better. Again, it’s a bit luck-based and risk-free; lacking in tricky elements on most holes, but it’s nice to see a new crazy-type course being built at the seaside – there are two modern types at Sandbanks and Poole, and an Arnold Palmer lookalike course built in 2012 at Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

        I was dismayed to hear that the embarrassing Drift Park course is set to remain – despite the current owner being able to get rid of it. The thing that makes me cringe the most when I walk past is that, from 1975 to 2005, there used to be a great Arnold Palmer course just next door. It had a couple of obstacle changes by the company in the ’80s, as the area had the joint-highest concentration of Arnold Palmer courses anywhere. Along with the surviving Prestatyn Central Beach one (the best mini-golf in Wales), there was a one-off special by the company, at Ffrith Beach, from 1979 to 1993.

        The plans for the courses in general, are still in the hands of Britain’s top current course designer. And of the former head of the company – who was responsible for the design of the Ffrith course. My idea would be to re-build either both of these courses, or as an 18+9-hole complex: the 18-hole Ffrith course plus 9 holes from the old Rhyl course: using the two special obstacles the company added, and the other unusual holes it originally had. What a course that would be. Remember, the World Crazy Golf Championship is played one of the courses, opened in 1968, very similar to the one at Central Beach.

  • Eileen Williams said (at 6:38 pm on November 26, 2015)

    Rhyl is also about the people who live there and the vibrancy of the town centre. I’ve always felt that Rhyl needs a really good QUALITY shop eg a Waitrose which attracts people with a higher disposable income, so that they can spend money in surrounding shops / cafes etc thus helping the money to trickle down and support smaller businesses. I asked Chris Ruane about it when M&S closed and he said he’d managed to secure a big High St store, but Poundland doesn’t attract the people with the money who are needed to support the other smaller businesses.
    I also think that allowing younger people to rent shops in town to start up businesses would help greatly – perhaps lower rents for start ups. Again, if they sell eg crafts, they need the people with the disposable income to support them.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 2:16 pm on December 23, 2015)

      Skegness, which has a population of just 19,200 and its twin resort of Ingoldmells with just 2,400 have vastly bigger retail economies than Rhyl and Prestatyn – despite them having having only half the population. Their success is not in attracting people with a higher disposable income but in a vastly greater seaside tourist industry.

      Rhyl/Prestatyn has 600 more jobs in retail than in a “comparator town” with no tourism. Skegness has 900, and Ingoldmells 200. Skegness caters for very much a traditional seaside tourist market, and little Ingoldmells is a mass of amusement arcades, gift shops and other seaside attractions, supported by its holiday camps. You don’t find many craft shops in Skegness, and certainly not in Ingoldmells.

      Overall, Skegness have about 5,700 average year-round jobs directly attributable to affects of seaside tourism, compared to just 1,600 for Rhyl/Prestatyn. Therefore, it’s easy to sea how their figure for retail is double that of Rhyl/Prestatyn.

      • Peter Jones replied (at 1:42 pm on January 6, 2016)

        It makes sense for stores to re-locate from Rhyl to Prestatyn so they’re close to the Pontins and Presthaven, and because of Rhyl’s rough image. Rhyl people are too fixated on the choice of shops in their town. The truth is, they’ve been spoilt in this respect: Rhyl/Prestatyn, as one resort, is the joint 38th (with two others, Penzance and Padstow) biggest seaside resort in England and Wales, but a lot of the resorts with much greater seaside tourism, and considerably more employment in retail attributable to that tourism, don’t have the shops that some Rhyl people seem to expect. Even mighty Skegness doesn’t have an M&S even though it services a rural hinterland. There’s no reason for Rhyl to have one if another town if Prestatyn can fill that roll, and serve the holiday camps, better.

        • Peter Jones replied (at 4:09 pm on January 7, 2016)

          Another important point, to underline the fact that seaside tourism is the crucial factor, is that seaside towns, because they are next to the sea, only have about half the surrounding area. They rely on holidaymakers and visitors much more than on serving surrounding rural areas.

  • PK said (at 9:22 pm on November 26, 2015)

    The plans and vision look great, we need the life back in our seaside resort to entice visitors to spend time and money here, and for the residents to enjoy their town and facilities.
    The town is lacking in quality shops, however that doesn’t mean the resort can’t be marketed as a place to go for fun and food !

    • Peter Jones replied (at 6:37 pm on December 21, 2015)

      The plans don’t include much to attract visitors though. Rhyl does depend on traditional seaside tourism, without which it can’t keep hold of the shops you mentioned. It’s ceased to be a traditional resort – whatever people think – and tourism has declined because of that.

      You only have to look at New Brighton to see where Rhyl’s future under Neptune lays: as a former seaside resort.

  • Racheal harris said (at 11:09 pm on November 26, 2015)

    The plans look good but why keep saying this is what Rhyl going to have no one will believe it until it gets under way and finished. I have lived here just over two years now and thinking it’s boring it’s not nice starting looking boring and nothing going to be left apart from the big chains ie mc Donald’s pound land!
    Why make the plans avaliable durning week what about people who working? Remember there is loads children live in Rhyl they will soon have children and be nothing left sort Rhyl out for the future generation and also the PUBLIC and VISTORS /HOILDAY MAKERS

  • Garry Webb said (at 2:33 am on November 27, 2015)

    Whilst I live some way from Rhyl in the Midlands, I have visited many times over the years both as a child, and in adult life.

    I have always had a soft spot for Rhyl, and have been sad to see it’s decline. In more recent years my partner and I have had long weekends in Llandudno, and used to stop off in Rhyl on the way back. Both of us have a love for the history and aesthetics of Conwy and Llandudno, but also enjoy the traditional fun fairs and arcades of a traditonal resort. Sadly I can no longer justify stopping in Rhyl, and we stop off in Abergele instead, because while Abergele maintains the lights and colour of a seaside town, Rhyl promenade looks more like a Birmingham street with little open and little in the way of colour. The loss of the Ocean Beach Fu Fair was a disaster for Rhyl because while it was in dire need of refurbishment, it was still the towns major attraction.

    If the site of that now becomes a supermarket, with flats and a hotel, as I have seen reported, a major site will have been wasted. I live in Birmingham, and we have many supermarkets and flats, and a hotel needs a reason for people to stay.

    It is also a pity the Sun Centre cannot be revived as this was a real first for Rhyl, and again if refurbished to modern standards could once again offer an all weather beach, a rare attraction even today.

    Having said this, it is not possible to turn back the clock, but I think the plans for the sea front are well meaning but lack vision and imagination. The area around the tower would be better served by a high quality amusement park style attraction. Not just for children, but for adults as well. This has been done successfully in Southend and other resorts, so there is precedent.

    Unfortunatley the designs shown show a dull looking leisure centre, again nothing tourists won’t have at home and locals don’t need it on the sea front. More than that however is the idea of resturants. These will likely be the usual chains (Nando’s, Pizza Hut, Yo Sushi, etc.), and again it will therefore look like any other, and frankly be smaller and less impressive than we have in Birmingham.

    I really hope Rhyl does manage to reveive it’s fortunes, in the past innovations such as the Sun Centre gave people reasons to visit Rhyl, and there is still some residual affection for the place in the Midlands (where many visitors came from).

    I believe there is still a chance to recreate some (but not all) of that visitor trade again, but no one is going to visit Rhyl because it has a shopping precinct with a Nando’s in it!

    • GARETH LEDSHAM-JAMES replied (at 9:10 pm on November 30, 2015)

      I thoroughly agree with all of Garry’s comments. I am in the reverse situation to Garry in that I come from Rhyl/Prestatyn, but have moved to Birmingham with my work. I frequently meet Midlanders who have enjoyed happy holidays in Rhyl and the one thing they all comment on is how much they loved the Sun Centre!

      I firmly believe that Rhyl has a future, but it needs to set itself a vision for what it is to become. And yes, it needs something that sets itself out as an attractive place to live, work and visit. Personally I think Rhyl should look west for inspiration and cash in on all the adventure pursuits that are taking off across Snowdonia. They have Bounce Below, Zip World, Surf Snowdonia and RibRide (speed boats on the Menai Strait). Rhyl would be a great first stop for people on the adventure trail and could easily host all manner of services related to this growing industry. We could have speed boats on the sea, kite surfing on our fantastic beach, climbing centres and all sorts.

      If I talk to locals from Rhyl, I always get three things said: “Rhyl has such a beautiful setting”, “why do the council keep demolishing things, rather than maintaining them?” and “why did they build all that concrete on the prom?”. We should be doing everything we can do cash in on the area’s natural beauty, but based on past precedent we should not be building things if the council cannot commit to maintaining them. Whatever you do keep it simple and do it well, so that enhances Rhyl’s beauty and does not detract from it.

      • Peter Jones replied (at 3:43 pm on January 7, 2016)

        The funfair at Southend Garry W mentioned, as an example, opened in its earliest form almost 100 years ago. It began expanding from the mid-1970s to its what it is now. Everyone believes seaside resorts declined from around that time – what we’re always told in the media. I’m not sure whether Garry is saying this is the reason why it’s not possible to turn back the clock; just to regain some of the lost visitor trade, but all the other points, I agree with. They were part of the conclusions of a conference about Rhyl, held at the Pavilion in 2007, by the seaside arm of the British Urban Regeneration Association. But even they made that mistake: it’s accepted, by everyone in the know, that the decline of the British seaside is a myth.

        The difference between Rhyl and the other resorts, like Southend, is that Rhyl has seen massive investment in redevelopment, and changed beyond recognition. Southend is very similar to how it has been for decades with the same attractions preserved and new ones added with the expansion of Fantasy Island. A better example to compare would be with Margate or Barry Island, where their fufairs have recently re-opened on the original site. Cancel the Farmfoods/Poundworld/The Range nonsense and get the funfair back.

        Rhyl is being downgraded to a former seaside resort, a town by the sea. Neptune representatives have actually said the restaurants, you mentioned, are likely to be the likes of KFC and Nando’s. And that the extreme sports centre, on the bowling green site, will be aimed at 14-18 year-olds – similar to the cinema, considering the target market for most new films is 15-18. That is the one bit where I’d take issue with the reply from Gareth L-J. You can’t base seaside tourism on extreme sports – it has to be traditional seaside attractions. An annual extreme sports festival was planned for Scarborough a few years ago but was cancelled through lack of interest, and Bournemouth/Boscombe’s surfing reef project was a complete washout.

        On the much-debated Sun Centre saga: there is too much fixation on this. The new MP asked constituents views on where they thought the “iconic” water park should be sited. It’s not iconic, it was just a (proposed) indoor facility. There are far more popular resorts that don’t have anything similar; some have other types of indoor attractions nobody here mentions, some don’t.

  • Kyle said (at 11:18 am on November 27, 2015)

    The plans above look nothing more than typical board room brain storming ideas there is no originality, like the post below me says you are going to fill a area with things tourists have at home just smaller, remember the butterfly museum that was different and stood out on the front, I would also the arcades need revamping inside and out, and with Prestatyns retail park growing quickly with all the right shops re thinking the high street may be a good idea, I have to say having a restaurant that’s not a Chinese Indian or kebaby might be a good idea also (I know there is the bistro but one real restaurant isn’t much) to be honest I am just thinking out loud but there is so much with Rhyl that needs to change if it’s ever to regain the popularity it once had.

  • Peter Williams said (at 11:24 am on November 27, 2015)

    The idea of the exhibition centre really excites me, if we could have a venue to challenge Manchester/Liverpool for medium-large(ish) events with a maybe 3-5,000 capacity for music and comedy and sporting events that would be amazing, as someone who has to travel to these shows, and I regularly see many from north wales at such events it would be brilliant for the town.
    As for our biggest asset-The Beach, from the high street all the way to almost the old fair ground site you can’t actually see the beach from the top of the roads leading off west parade, and around the centre of town it is a right kerfuffle getting from the high street to the beach, the access to the beach and the beautiful views that it gives could be massively improved. From the high street to John street it is all built up hiding the beach from view with a massively underused children’s village and high walls/buildings

  • Jodie Craven said (at 9:19 pm on November 27, 2015)

    We visit Rhyl often as we have a caravan in Prestatyn. We LOVE the outdoor Lido an even tho out little niece loves the fair as we do too I do think that area needs attention… It would be nice to bring the Tower back an maybe have it as a revolving restaurant or an attraction for people to come too. The seagull crap everywhere is an eyesore along with the seagulls, an I always feel I need a brolly to cover me whist shopping due to the amount of crap that falls.I do love the ‘seaside feel’ but the front looks shabby an seriously unloved and dated along with the rest of the front in parts which makes me not want to spend my money.

  • Barry Mellor said (at 8:56 am on November 28, 2015)

    I am a Town And County Councilor who has lived in Rhyl for 38 years and seem many changes and not for the better but I understand that the cheap holidays abroad have not helped but with the troubles around the world people may think about holiday in at home so I think this is the time to regenerate Rhyl.
    And I like all the plans and zones.
    Great idea to get the Theartre looking like a Theartre.
    The Sun centre has had its day so to build a events arena that can lend itself to anything will be a real pull.
    Plus the Hotel exactly what will be needed to feed both these venues.
    A pub and resteraunt next door is also good news there is nowhere at this moment from splash point to the blue bridge where you can sit down and get a drink.
    An activity zone again will be a great boost and will help the Kite Surfing school already there.
    The sky tower area will give us a night time economy something missing at the moment.
    And a new Aqua centre lets go for an outdoor pool we used to have one many years ago and was well used.
    Good look Neptune but let us move forward and get some spades into the ground.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 4:17 pm on December 3, 2015)

      Cheap foreign holidays have nothing to do with Rhyl’s decline. Seaside tourism in England and Wales is now known to have grown by just over one per-cent per-year since at least 1970 (from when it is first possible to make estimates).

      There was a conference held at the Pavilion Theatre in 2007 of which the report concluded that Rhyl had been the worst-managed resort in the UK. It was critical of the blanket redevelopment policy and Rhyl’s loss of “sense of place”, and of the building of municipal leisure facilities on the seafront.

      Neptune do not have the expertise to get Rhyl out of the mess the local authorities and Chris Ruane have created.

  • Andy B said (at 4:27 pm on November 29, 2015)

    Rhyl is full of hard working people who are proud of the town. It has a serious image problem that it doesn’t deserve. No one will visit or invest in the town while this run-down image persists. Invest in positive PR and start making it a place that Rhyl people can enjoy and be proud of.

  • sharon said (at 5:33 pm on November 29, 2015)

    Better sea front to entice visitors should be a tourist attraction. Top end is untidy. Attract visitors with a better fair for older kids. A pier punch and Judy like at Llandudno . make the sea front more of an attraction for visitors to bring growth and wealth to the community
    Trampoline on front bungees for bigger kids
    Sun centre looks an eyesore invest in reopening it
    More seaside shops along front it looks run down
    A cinema
    Bowling complex
    Visitors attractions

    • sharon replied (at 5:45 pm on November 29, 2015)

      The shops need developing for the community in the town not on the seafront. If you don’t invest in tourism on the sea front the town won’t attract the tourists and the town won’t have any money to spend in the shops you build

  • Adam said (at 1:57 pm on November 30, 2015)

    It is important that Rhyl offers something unique that sets it apart from the other towns in the coastal strip. For example, the strong retail offer has moved away from Rhyl so that it can no longer compete with Llandudno or Prestatyn, and Towyn is now much more fun for a family day out than Rhyl is. The proposal for a new events venue has the potential to create that unique offer and has the potential to bring a lot of people into Rhyl that currently do not come outside of the tourist season.
    There are, however, some things that need to be considered to maximise the transformative effect that that venue could have. First of all, there need to good links to the public transport system: it is a long way from the rail station, particularly for people that are visiting the town for the first time. Secondly, there needs to be some plans to make sure that the new events space and the existing events arena complement each other and do not compete with each other, to make Rhyl capable of hosting as wide a range of events as possible.

    The entertainment hub near the cinema seems like a great idea, as does the provision of family friendly restaurants in Rhyl, as there are currently no such restaurants for local families. However, this idea seems very similar in principle to the idea that delivered the Childrens Village, which has been an unqualified failure. How can it be done differently this time to make it more successful? If possible, these entertainment facilities should be planned in a way that creates a link between the theatre-seaquarium-cinema (creating an entertainment hub/quarter), and a more natural link to the town centre.

    You suggest in the opening paragraph of the website that you want to make the most of the seafront to enhance Rhyl. For that to be a priority there needs to be improvements made to the walking link between the shops and the beach. Currently, when you’re on the High Street there is no way of knowing that you are at the seaside. Similarly, when at the beach, tourists wouldn’t know where the town centre is. Later on the site you recognise the need to improve this link, but there are no proposals for how this could be done. If the under-utilised, unappealing underground car park is not a significant part of your plans, the bridge across the entrance could be removed, allowing the creation of a wide, attractive walking route to the beach. This would also make the seafront visible from the High Street (and vice versa).

    The website asks if there is potential for a new outdoor all year round water facility. Rhyl already has an impressive outdoor water facility at the Drift Park, but because of funding cuts the council cannot keep it open all year. So, no, there probably isn’t potential for a new one.

    Does your proposal to illuminate the Sky Tower mean that there are proposals to renovate and use the Tower again? Illuminating it in its current state will merely create a beacon for the desolate, run-down sea front that currently exists.

    Finally, and most importantly, Rhyl needs to provide not just for tourists but for local people. That is why the proposals for the family friendly restaurants and the events venue are important, as these are things that are not easily accessible from the Rhyl/Prestatyn area.

  • Beryl Hayes said (at 3:20 pm on November 30, 2015)

    Could you have the plan details available for an evening as well for the benefit of working people.
    Thanks

  • Jean Broster said (at 4:12 pm on November 30, 2015)

    Living in Wirral I can say that Neptune have done a great job in New Brighton, Wirral and have brought lots of people into the resort and made it look classy.

    Rhyl has some good areas already along the seafront but don’t forget the High/Main street, it is a dump!! No good leaving these areas as it is and making seafront look good.
    Getting business on seafront and the High street a dump, not good! smarten it up, people like to shop.

    We live on the Wirral with a caravan in Prestatyn and the new shopping areas with TK Maxx etc is brilliant!!
    This is the sort of thing Rhyl High/Main street needs.

    The bridge/marina at far end of Rhyl looks good now with the promenade too, BUT, what about the other side of the road?? Again another dump and eye sore. Rhyl used to be really good holiday resort when I and my children were kids but its been let down by not having money ploughed into it to get it back on its feet.

    Nice apartments overlooking beach/sea would be gorgeous, I would love one as I know I’d never find one overlooking the Great Orme in Llandudno [my favourite place in N.Wales] I never tire of going there and I’m sure if Rhyl could get up to the standard of Llandudno, Prestatyn and Rhos on sea both the people and businesses would benefit.

    Pavilion theatre has to stay as it is a great place to see shows with a friendly atmosphere. The Rhyl sun centre unfortunately was left to become run down but I’m sure Neptune will make good all that area too.

    Just remember there are two sides of the road in Rhyl as well as high/main street.
    Lots of potential with all the empty plots of land on the opposite side of road to beach for apartments, shopping malls
    .
    Plough money into Rhyl, its about time the town and beach came back to life.

    How about building beach huts to rent out for day till midnight as in St.Annes on sea. They are brilliant and such fun, we hired one for £65 on my husbands birthday-excellent!

    Unfortunately we have just closed our caravan down and won’t be back in N.Wales until 22nd Dec but hope the 7th and 8th Dec is good day.

    SO looking forward to transformation of Rhyl but don’t waste money by putting it all into areas that are looking good already, utilise it well!!

  • Morris Jones said (at 2:07 pm on December 2, 2015)

    The standards of work if they were to be undertaken would have to be far better than the work carried out on the high street. The way the new work is going it will have to be pulled up before long as there are so many trip hazards already.
    The council should be looking at this now and getting it put right before anyone gets hurt.

  • Ian Bayliss said (at 2:11 pm on December 2, 2015)

    Firsly when? We have enough of the false dreams and fanciful architects cartoons which will never fit on the sites available so we end up with rather less than was promised. Where are all the planned car parks and coach parks to accomodate all the promised visitors. Denbighshire CC have already driven away many visitors with yellow paint.
    Exhibition centre? How much return do you expect and what is your projected costs to hire the venue. We already have a grossly over priced and never used empty £14.5m centre at Venue Cymru in Llandudno combined with a theatre, yet another at Bangor with an Arts Centre. Another drain on public funds. We have a carbuncle of an architects fanciful imagination juting out onto the beach at Colwyn Bay which is closed more than it is open. I would be more positive about this if there is a proper business plan in place that is going to make a return for the council taxpayers of Rhyl and not just for the developers with little or no further public funds being wasted on such projects.

  • David Rushton said (at 7:14 pm on December 3, 2015)

    Having lived in Rhyl for all of my life (a full 35 years!), means that I believe in this town it’s people and it’s future.

    These Developments can be a life changing experience for all the residents if implemented properly and integrated with the current infrastructure of Rhyl.

    One of my chief concerns would be the need to provide a pathway through the town to the visually stunning beach setting, which too often is closed off from the shopping area by the building’s on the Promenade.

    The idea of a entertainment hub providing exhibitions, performances and conferences greatly excites me and complemented by accommodation and eateries would be the perfect reason for people to visit Rhyl in the Winter months, both those who are local and from further afield.

    In closing, my only hope would be that this scheme provides the boost in confidence this once proud town deserves.

  • Clare Vickers said (at 10:42 am on December 4, 2015)

    Rhyl used to have lots of beach huts, the bases for which are still there, (East Parade). Imagine lots of brightly coloured huts along the promenade filled with holiday people and locals alike. They need only contain the basics, toilet, small sink, chairs & a table. These could then be hired out, some yearly, some weekly, some daily. No matter what the weather, families could enjoy a day at the seaside, swimming and building sandcastles on a sunny day, playing board games and just watching the sea etc. on wet days. It is a way on encouraging people to spend time in Rhyl whatever the weather. They would provide income and employment for the town and help to give the town that “family seaside town” feel again.
    I would be more that happy to be involved with such a venture on a voluntary basis.

    Clare Vickers
    Vickers & Son (Plumbers’ Merchants)
    Vale Road
    Rhyl.

  • Glyn Evans (Sustrans) said (at 11:48 am on December 7, 2015)

    There proposals look really exciting and would be a huge benefit to Rhyl. Please make sure that people are put at the heart of any developments and prioritise walking and cycling in the area as well as the key connections between the beach, promenade, town centre and rail/bus station. Creating spaces where people want to spend time and extend their trip (both locals and visitors) will benefit the town and its economy in the longer term, please be careful not to create car parks with a restaurant in the middle.

    The promenade between the Drift Park and the Sun Centre should be improved so it’s the same surface as the Drift Park/Phase 3 Coastal Defence and this would also make the section of promenade north of the Children’s Village a more inviting place.

    There doesn’t seem to be any mention of Rhyl Harbour yet this is a key destination in the area, the bike shop and café are a real hub and are bringing in visitors from far and wide as well as being a meeting place for locals. The bike hire facilities, fishing spots and promenading are a real adventure for lots of people as not everyone wants high adrenaline activities.

    Good luck.

  • David clark said (at 4:25 pm on December 7, 2015)

    The plans look great, I’ll hopefully get chance to pop into town and view them close up. If the suncentre is demolished I would love to see the octopus and elephant slide relocated to either the paddling pool or a children’s play area, I think these two iconic play structures hold lots of great memories.

  • Stephen Lees said (at 9:33 pm on December 7, 2015)

    Nice feel to the plans, centered around sea views seems integral.
    The open air theatre currently in place feels like an asset, and I would like to see that stay as a concept.
    I like the idea of making a feature of the current skyride eyesore. A purpose to the lights? Düsseldorf use their feature TV tower as a giant clock, which somehow uses lights on the side to indicate the time. Amazing at midnight at new year, and a real focal point for them (when all lights are out it is midnight). I’d love to see something like that in place!!
    As a crown green bowls player, the bowling greens are a great asset, I’d love to see those stay, but understand practicalities.

  • Fiona Meehan said (at 9:49 pm on December 7, 2015)

    I have heard that the council are thinking of building a 50 metre open air pool. An open air pool is pretty useless though especially in the typical British weather we have, and it would be yet another red herring and a waste of money. A 50 metre pool will be fantastic but please one that is covered in, especially if you do it based on something like the one in Cardiff or Sheffield with the play pool also. If you were to build it, You would not only get the people of Rhyl and holiday makers using it, you would get an awful lot of demand for use from the North Wales Swimming Clubs using it for 50 metre training which at present they have to travel to Manchester and Liverpool for and have to take what little water time is available and a very considerable cost. You could also hold swimming galas there as there are no 50 metre galas in North Wales which would bring in an awful lot of income. We have to travel to South Wales which costs a lot of money. (When we go down at Easter for 5 days we end up spending about £700 and quite a portion of that goes to local business. e.g restaurants, hotel and shops). We really would like a 50 metre covered pool in Rhyl, it would certainly put it on the map and bring the tourism back into Rhyl which sadly it is lacking at the moment.
    Fiona Meehan

  • Miss Helen Charlesworth said (at 11:01 pm on December 7, 2015)

    I have looked at the plans for the forthcoming Leisure Complex on the seafront & I believe the plan is already flawed. I am not intentionally being negative & I do have some suggestions, please take the time to read my e-mail.

    It has been proven by negative comments for numerous years that the Children’s Village complex hasn’t worked and that the seafront should remain just that a seafront without huge buildings cutting locals and visitors off from the sea. I believe that any such Leisure Complex should be built in land or on the new development at the old fair ground site, maybe with the gym looking out to sea and the Harbour as Prestatyn have done with their newly improved Nova Complex.

    We need to de-clutter the seafront of these huge buildings. In truth the Cinema should never have been built on the seafront and the huge Grey Concrete Prison Wall protecting the Cinema and the Children’s Village that can be viewed from the beach needs to come down. Money would be much better spent developing a new Cinema complex inland and flattening the Children’s Village to provide a larger area for the fantastic Children’s Fair that is on the Children’s Village. The Fair would then be easier to see from the Road and encourage more locals & visitors to use it. The fair is a massive asset to the seafront and if increased & viewable from the High Street it could draw even more families.

    I believe that Rhyl could benefit from a development of Beach Huts for people to buy or rent. We have a perfect spot for these on the grassed area between the Sun Centre & the toilet block. Each year we have a number of Camper Vans from I presume a Camping Club which pitch up here, so why can’t we take this one step further and bring the Beach Chalets back. You never saw an empty Beach Chalet along the seafront in the Summer Season. A huge number of Seaside Towns are bringing the Old Fashioned/Retro Beach Hut back, why can’t we. This area of land is large and if positioned right you could get numerous Huts with great sea views on the land.

    The new higher sea wall could be continued from the West End to meet the Arena and the fair on the lower ground, therefore one area leading to another. Harbour – Children’s Park – Paddling Pool – Children’s Fair – Events Arena – New Hotel & Theatre Complex – Beach Huts – Splash Point Castle viewing point.

    We also need to bring a Cafe or allow a modern stylish Coffee House style trailer to park up at Splash Point as this is definitely lacking.

    I also believe that Rhyl High Street could draw people back by creating an indoor Food Hall/Market like in Towns such as Bury, Manchester (example only, there are a number of Food Halls/Markets around the U.K.). Rhyl High Street is lacking the draw for local people that it once had and at the end of the day it’s the locals who keep the High Street going in the Winter months. With a Food Hall/Market it could bring people back to the High Street, which in turn would encourage other Businesses to take on the empty shops in the Town. I’m not sure where this could be positioned, maybe increase the size of the Queens Market to accommodate a Butchers, Fish Mongers, Cheese stall’s, Oriental Food stall as well as existing DIY stall, Haberdashery etc. Bury Market still draws Visitors from all over the Country including Rhyl (Voel Coach Trips) and the Market Towns surrounding Bury still do well with their Food Halls. I am 100% sure this would bring shoppers back to Rhyl from all the surrounding Area’s & you would still have people shopping at the Supermarkets, it would not affect them to a huge extent. This is something that should be looked into further and something that Prestatyn hasn’t got, YET!

    I hear the Bike Shop on the Harbour hire’s bikes for use on the Promenade, why not have a half way drop off/pick up point for the bikes in the buildings near the Kite Surfing Centre and Cafe. Maybe bring back the double bikes with the sun canopy on the top for families to use along the promenade.

    Kite Surfing School, again a fantastic asset to Rhyl. We need an event in the Arena in the Summer to highlight this further and maybe other Outdoor Activity Companies could come along.

    In Rhyl we use to have fantastic flower displays and this is something that needs to be improved of late. We had some lovely boxes near the new Harbour Bridge (the Harbour Bridge Development is a Triumph), but the displays on the roundabout and East of the Prom could definitely be improved. I believe Prestatyn Town Council got charitable or outsourced funding for their flower displays, which beggars the question why can’t Rhyl. I in no way blame the DCC Gardeners for this, they can only do what they can with the plants they are given.

    The new seating/forms that have been popping up on the seafront are also a great asset and more of these are needed along the promenade. We would also benefit from further picnic benches along the Promenade.

    We need further events in the Events Arena. The ones we have already are truly fantastic, however due to weather conditions these can be spoilt. Maybe we need to invest in a roof that comes over half of the Arena or invest in a couple of huge marquees that can be erected in bad weather. The events held in the Arena are attended by both visitors & locals, massively enjoyed by all.

    Where is the money for all this coming from I hear, I don’t have an answer for that, but I do believe in the comments & suggestions I have made.

    Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on Rhyl going forward.

    Regards

    H Charlesworth

  • Nicola jones said (at 11:12 pm on December 7, 2015)

    This is a great opportunity to build a 50m indoor pool, to ensure all North Wales swimmers get a chance to train in their very own 50m pool without having to travel a hour or more to train. North Wales would benefit so much by holding galas in Rhyl. This is a great chance to help the swimmers of North Wales

  • darren Clark said (at 11:46 pm on December 7, 2015)

    I write in anticipation that a complete rethink of an outdoor 50m swimming pool is considered to be an indoor pool as north wales seriously lacks this valuable asset which would help fund itself with swimming competitions .

    For example we have just returned from a competition weekend where circa 400 children took part and if this pool followed the Cardiff pool then you could cater for tourists and the swimming club needs where the return on this investment could easily be seen .. Please consider this request in detail as north wales seriously needs to promote the swimmers who train 6 days a week ..

    Kind regards
    Darren Clark
    07743713254

  • Emma Park said (at 7:28 am on December 8, 2015)

    Fantastic news about all your plans, but please may we have a 50 meter indoor pool, as such as we love sunny rhyl, it only happens a few days of the year!!
    Mrs Park

  • Nicola Fairclough said (at 9:32 am on December 8, 2015)

    Regarding the propossed 50 meter pool in Rhyl. This is a greet idea but it is a MUST INDOOR 50 meter pool. Here in Rhyl we dont have the all year weather to make the most of a outdoor pool. I have 2 girls that swim for the local club Rhyl Dolphins and to have a 50 meter Indoor pool would be fantastic. It would be used to train and hold galas. As part of the Dendighshire Distant Training swimming team, made up from swimming clubs from Ruthin, Corwen, Denbigh, Holywell and may others in the area, we Have to travel to Stockport to the nearest 50 meter pool. Llanduno pool hold monthly swimming galas and have over 400 enteries plus spectators attend the galas. It would be a great asseset to Rhyl bring in revenue to the local area. Please concider an Indoor pool as this would be a great attaction for the area and very much needed.

  • ivor roberts said (at 11:01 am on December 8, 2015)

    I visited the exhibition and was very impressed with the ideas put forward, though having lived in Rhyl for over 30 years there have been frequent ‘studies’ such as these with ambitious suggestions which never got off the ground, but I am sure there was a consultation fee, so someone has ‘benefited’. with this project there were many good things, the adventure playground, getting quality hotels, may be able to host small conferences, the golfing project better than the lame putting they now have. At first I thought the 50 metre pool was a great idea, but then open air ! it will not get used even in the summer, and it would be a great shame to have a very active swimming club in the town who would not be able to use a 50mt pool, this would be the only 50mt in North Wales what an opportunity missed, hosting major galas with the new hotel accommodation on site. sadly missed is any mention of the development of the town itself which is slowly dying. So much more but lets crawl before we can walk and maybe later we can hope to run.

    • Peter Jones replied (at 4:39 pm on December 10, 2015)

      If you have lived in Rhyl for over 30 years, Ivor, how can you say it has only seen ambitious suggestions that never got off the ground? No other seaside resort in the UK has received a fraction of the funding for redevelopment Rhyl has – almost the entire promenade has been smashed to the ground and re-built from scratch.

      The result of this is that it is unrecognisable from the resort I used to visit in the 1970s and ’80s. Rhyl has lost its sense of place for visitors. It has also lost key attractions from its 70s and 80s heyday. My strategy would be to go ‘back to the future’ by bringing back some of those attractions, in the location they were originally.

      The original plans still exist to re-build the Arnold Palmer Putting Courses there used to be at West Parade and Central Beach, Prestatyn. The Ocean Beach Funfair should return, in some form, as has famously happened recently at Margate and Barry Island, and the outdoor pool should be built on the site of the old one – by the bowling greens.

  • Scott Macaulay said (at 1:01 pm on December 8, 2015)

    As we currently have to travel to Stockport to undertake long course swimming training with the Denbighshire Development Squad, I think it would be very avantagous for the area to have a 50 metre 8 lane swimming pool making it the only one of its kind in the entire North Wales area

  • Mandy Smith said (at 6:52 pm on December 8, 2015)

    Sounds absolutely FANTASTIC…literally brings a tear to my eye to think that all this could be happening to our beloved Rhyl…fingers crossed!! Xx

  • Georgia Fairclough said (at 9:34 pm on December 8, 2015)

    As a swimmer in Rhyl dolphins we have to travel a long way to either train or compete in a 50metre pool. Ovbously this effects our training, and reflect in big competitions that use a 50metre pools. We also have travel to these places which mean my parents have to spend a lot of money on fuel, hotels, food etc.. The will also have an effect on our training because we will be tired from all the traveling. Having an indoor 50metre pool would also help bring a lot of people from different areas to Rhyl to use the pool, because the closest on to us is Stockport, so people would travel to Rhyl to use the pool instead of traveling to Stockport. This is the reason why we need a indoor 50metre swimming pool in Rhyl, so we can train in a 50metre pool everyday, all year round.

  • Steven Fairclough said (at 9:41 pm on December 8, 2015)

    The ideal of a 50m pool is fantastic. However I think it would be a better idea to have it indoors. The North Wales coast is currently missing such a facility. As Rhyl and other Denbighshire towns have great swimming club. However we have to travel to Stockport to train and Cardiff to compete in any competitions. We recently attended a swimming gala in Lllandudno. There was in excess of 400 spectator some of who travel from as for as Newton, Powys to compete. This would have been a great source of revenue for the town. If you look at the facility in 50m pool facility in Cardiff, this would be an excellent option for Rhyl and the North Wales coast. This would also encourage other business to invest in the area, in my option.

  • Mrs Petula Humphrey said (at 10:16 pm on December 8, 2015)

    Visited the exhibition today and am impressed with what I saw. My only comment would be to consider the cost to local residents of using the new facilities. When deciding on a costing for use of the new leisure facility, golf, adventure site and exhibition centre please consider cut price for local residents. Purchase of a cut price season ticket, exhibition centre hire costs to be reduced if being used for charitable causes.
    I also discussed ideas with regards to the use of the Events Arena for a Christmas market and the Childrens Village for Santa’s Grotto. How about Santa arriving by sea down by the Exhibition Centre, then proceeding in a Santa procession on a land train to the Childrens Village? Would give the local children something to enjoy and local families could make a day by visiting Christmas stands en route.

  • Linda morgan said (at 10:34 pm on December 8, 2015)

    I have visited Rhyl from being born and still visit after 47 years my children grew up with holidays in Rhyl over the last few years it has fallen into disrepair which is a shame any improvement can only be good we very much miss the sun centre and the fairground and as a teen I lived the botanical gardens one more item please put some more public toilets up even if they are the pay ones like they used to be

  • Steve Savory said (at 11:34 am on December 10, 2015)

    I agree with all your Four big ideas and key aims except for the idea of Fairground rides near to the town center.

  • Paul Jones said (at 12:50 pm on December 11, 2015)

    I find the lack of design information on the proposed schemes disappointing.

    More information is required on the following areas, the development its self and its interaction with the beach front. The long existing concrete wall between the existing Childrens village (behind the cinema) prevents views of the sea and beach beyond. Perhaps opening this up would offer greater benefits.

    I think the travel lodge is unnecessary, but clearly their are commercial pressures for doing this, an understanding od Neptune Developments brief and proposed commerial spaces – areas m2 etc would give locals a better understanding of whta is being proposed.

    Whilst seasonal activities area nescessary i feel that more area could be given to local business providing a year round destination, oppertuniies for markets stalls or links to affordable workspace along the beach front would be a positive step and generate footfall.

    What are the long term aspirations of the development team? are they looking to own and operate the site or sell it on? this is the third ambitious redevelopment of this seafront in the last 20 years the developer and design team need to provide evidence that this scheme can work as a long term solution to Rhyl’s ongoing social issues. Work opportunities would go a long way to doing that.

    Another commentator on the saite mentioned Beach huts, these are a very good idea and could provide a source of design inspiration with local schools, charities and wider creatives getting involved in the project. One such competition has just been held in Eastbourne

    http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/dozen-make-eastbourne-beach-hut-shortlist/5079201.article

    There are a lot of opportunities hear but from what is available on this website (have not seen the boards from the public exhibition as i no longer live in Rhyl) more finesse of architectural expression is required. AFL are good architects but what about the rest of the team, the landscape and lighting will play a big part.

    Please provide more information. I do think the Travel lodge is completely unnecessary, Rhyl requires a focus and reason for visiting not a budget chain of substandard hotels to add to the existing stock (which should be compulsory purchased and upgraded)

    Thanks

    Paul Jones
    RIBA

  • Paul Frost MBE said (at 8:08 pm on December 12, 2015)

    I have lived near the prom for all of my 61 years. Being on the lifeboat crew I am on the beach or the station nearly every day. One of the biggest assets at Rhyl is 4 miles of glorious sands. Another thing that is not exploited is the fantastic sunsets we have here, with the sun dipping over the sea on good days. People travel miles abroad to see these sights. I know the weather is not conducive to sitting on the beach, but we don’t have any venues on the beach-side of the prom where people can go, have a snack and a drink, and generally enjoy evenings on the prom. There were over 15 licences premises on the prom years ago, now there are probably one or two. The sun Centre bar was never exploited. The buildings owned by the council where the taste academy was, were never fully utilised and a licenced premises there was frowned upon by the council. I agree a new venue events building instead of the sun centre is a great idea. Also, let’s exploit our harbour area, possibly a marina and associated shops, restaurants, etc. The harbour hub café is a great example of entrepreneurial success.
    With regards to the swimming pool, I do not really see that an open-air one is good with wind-blown sand a reality on the prom. The events arena really needs a great promotion team to get it going again.
    I hope at least Neptune put some solid matter to their rhetoric, more than Scarborough development’s one-man band have done for this town. Rhyl was great, and can be relatively great again with the right promotion, so long as the council don’t want their pound (possibly more) of flesh.

  • James McGuinness said (at 3:01 pm on December 15, 2015)

    I think it is important that any developments use and open up the biggest asset Rhyl has imo, its beach and position next to the sea. The beach is really nice and has beautiful views down towards Llandudno and snowdonia etc on a good day, but at certain parts of Rhyl prom you wouldn’t even know it was there! You can have new developments and facilities, whilst also tapping into the traditional British seaside town heritage that Rhyl has.

    One concern i have, that has been raised with by local young people (i work locally as a youth worker) are that the plans seem to build over the current skate park on Rhyl prom. This is a well used and FREE facility that young people value, indeed young people were involved in the design of the facility (although they will now be adults!). Is it the plan to do away with skate park and build over it? Or will it be moved somewhere else?

    Thanks

  • Betty Smith said (at 11:37 pm on December 17, 2015)

    – If the aim (2) is to strengthen ‘Rhyl’s traditional seaside offer’ then the paddling pool should be retained – not just a ‘possible’ water feature.

    – if the Big Idea (4) is to ‘open up access to the beach’ & hopefully increase views of the beach, then building a leisure centre next to the cinema & an exhibition centre and hotel next to the Pavilion seems contrary to this idea. Llandudno is the ideal with extensive sea views and very few structures between the promenade and the sea.

    – In my opinion all new building should be constructed on the south side of the B5118. Buildings on the beach side cast unwelcome shade and coolness to the pedestrian strip next to the beach eg behind the Childrens’ Village.

    – Parking facilities will have to be reviewed for visitors using the cinema and new attractions on the central section of the promenade including disables access.

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