August 2007 Archives
Memories wanted as Rhyl fair set to close
Posted by Dan Owen on August 20, 2007 11:38 AM
ONE of North Wales’ most-visited landmarks will close for good in two weeks to make way for an £85m shopping and housing development.
Rhyl funfair closes after 53 years on September 2, in what is a sad milestone for the resort.
The Daily Post will mark the occasion with a special commemorative section in the days before its closure.
We will also be offering a special deal to allow people to make the most of the fair’s final day.
Thousands of people across North Wales – and beyond – still hold dear memories of days out to the fair in Rhyl.
So we want to hear your stories, and to know why a visit to the fair in Rhyl was important to you, your friends and your family.
What were your particular memories, which characters do you recall from your visits, and why was Rhyl different from any other visit to the seaside?
We are asking for any old photos you may have from your days out to Rhyl, so they can be included in a nostalgic feature.
And we are also asking for you to send in a description of around 200 words about what the fair meant to you.
Plans for the redevelopment, the biggest single building project Rhyl has seen in decades, were approved in May.
The Ocean Plaza scheme will see a hotel, restaurants, flats and shops built on the current Ocean Beach site.
Ocean Beach funfair, previously made up of travelling rides, was made a permanent fixture in 1954.
Its very first rides included the gallopers, speedway cars, rocket planes and dodgems.
Joe Trigg, marketing manager with owners Rhyl Amusements, said: “We know there is not another amusement park like this.
“There are hundreds of thousands of people who have a link to this fair, and there are a lot of memories connected to this place.
“But, sadly, times change. And Rhyl has changed too.”
SEND your photos and stories of Rhyl fair – up to around 200 words – to Roland Hughes, Daily Post, PO Box 202, Vale Rd, Llandudno Junction or to rolandhughes@dailypost.co.uk before Monday, August 27.
Please include a return address on any print photographs submitted to we can return them by post and a full name and telephone number should we need to contact you.
Video clips can also be submitted, but only in digital format.
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Cabbie slashed in Rhyl attack
Posted by Dan Owen on August 8, 2007 3:37 PM
A TAXI driver needed stitches after being slashed across the face in a late-night attack.
The taxi driver was in the Ffordd Las area of Rhyl on Friday night. He was slashed across the face and taken to hospital with serious facial injuries after the 11.30pm assault.
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of wounding and released on police bail.
Anyone with information is asked to contact North Wales Police on 0845 607 1001 (Welsh language) 0845 607 1002 (English) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Survey shows Rhyl is improving
Posted by Dan Owen on August 8, 2007 3:35 PM
QUALITY of life for residents and businesses in Rhyl has increased substantially, according to a new survey.
Research on people’s opinions of the town was carried out in 2005 as part of the Rhyl Going Forward project.
Now new research two years on has found a marked change in people’s attitudes.
On-street interviews were conducted with 395 residents, and 250 businesses or community groups were interviewed by phone.
The survey found a 34% increase in people feeling safe in Rhyl, 45% more people thought Rhyl looked cleaner and 22% more people felt housing stock had improved. Similarly, there was a 9% increase in long-established businesses, and 10% fewer businesses felt they could not recruit the kind of staff they wanted.
Denbighshire County Council leader Rhiannon Hughes said: “These results reflect the tremendous amount of work that has gone on in Rhyl to improve the quality of life for local residents.
“Generally, there is a better perception of the town compared with the figures of two years ago and this is very encouraging.
“This is a very exciting time for the people of Rhyl and we are delighted to be working with our partners to improve facilities and the general environment in the town.”
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister and the Minister for the Economy and Transport, said: “I’m delighted that all the hard work which the Assembly Government and its partners in the Rhyl Pact have put into the regeneration of Rhyl is beginning to bear fruit.
“Rhyl is improving and that confidence is beginning to grow in the town’s future.
“It’s important that we now continue working through the pact to tackle the key issues of poor housing and the higher than average economic inactivity rates.
“The key to this will be attracting further private sector investment to complement and add value to the significant public investment already being made in Rhyl.”
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Rhyl town centre faces huge redevelopment
Posted by Dan Owen on August 8, 2007 3:32 PM
LARGE sections of Rhyl have been secretly snapped up by the Assembly to help force through a major redevelopment.
A large part of central Rhyl could be demolished and rebuilt as part of the town’s biggest-ever revamp.
The Daily Post can reveal that seven shops or houses have been purchased by the Welsh Assembly Government along two streets.
Another nine buildings have been snapped up by Compulsory Purchase Orders – with part of 12 other properties also taken through CPO.
Campaigners against the redevelopment say the moves highlight the speed at which the WAG is determined to proceed with the plan.
A report by the WAG, and backed by Denbighshire in June, recommended a large area of central Rhyl be developed en masse.
Four blocks of properties have been earmarked for redevelopment. One of them – the West Parade, High Street, Queen Street and Sussex Street block – makes up a massive part of the upper town centre.
Two other blocks take in 50 to 57 West Parade and 85 to 90 West Parade, with the West Parade block from Sydenham Avenue to Sandringham Avenue also highlighted for rebuilding.
The Daily Post can now reveal that the WAG has already snapped up numbers 49, 51, 55, 57, 59 and 61 Queen Street, as well as 87 West Parade.
Assembly chiefs have also used Compulsory Purchase Orders to buy numbers 50 to 53, 55 and 56, and 57, West Parade, as well as six other small properties or parts of properties.
A WAG spokesman also confirmed they are in negotiating to buy, through CPO, 54 West Parade and parts of Aquarium Street.
The news came as a shock to those campaigning to stop the development, with many in Rhyl believing the plan was still some way off.
Steve Francis and wife Jo have started a petition to get the Queen’s Arcade building listed, claiming it is of historical importance.
Mr Francis said: “We knew they had gone for some properties already, but didn’t know it was so many.
“They are absolutely determined to get this through quickly. We believe they are not going to listen to any objections – I don’t think they care what the Average Joe thinks.
“We had some idea they were pressing ahead and that this was going on, but we had no proof they were pushing for it so hard.
“I think it will reach a point where we end up chaining ourselves to the building to physically stop this going ahead.”
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This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Rhyl News in the August 2007. They are listed from oldest to newest.
July 2007 is the previous archive.
Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.
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