A Welsh town once ranked among the worst seaside destinations in the UK is set to be transformed thanks to a huge levelling-up investment.
The seaside town Rhyl, found on the North Wales coast, has been branded in recent years one of the least-desirable resorts to visit after years of decline and the consecutive closing of various attractions, including its pier, a funfair and a shopping centre between the 1970s and 2000s.
Far from its Victorian heyday during the bathing tourism boom, The Telegraph ranked the town in 2023 as one of the worst seaside towns in Britain, noting that it has been dubbed “Blackpool after a neutron bomb”.
However, Rhyl’s local council has hit back at this reputation, stating that the town has undergone a huge transformation in recent years, with further funding to also give the area an even larger facelift.
With four beaches, and attractions including a waterpark, a fun fair and a 1,000-seat theatre, the area hopes to restore itself to its former glory with its ongoing transformation.
A spokesperson from Denbighshire County Council told The Mirror it is committed to a “long term” development of the town, stating that a huge £200m has already been injected into the area over the past decade.
“This includes over £100 million to upgrade the sea defences to protect Rhyl from coastal flooding and to safeguard the future of Rhyl as a place to live, work and visit,” they added.
“The final part of these sea defence works (in central Rhyl) is due to be completed this summer.
“This has also enabled us to replace the old drift park children’s play area with a brand-new play area which has been designed to be accessible to all.”
The spokesperson also highlighted how “the council has delivered many projects to improve green space areas for the health and well-being benefits of residents and visitors”.
“For example, the Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve has undergone a period of transformation and redevelopment, areas of the historic Rhyl Cut waterway have been improved, and the Maes Gwilym nature reserve has recently been created in Southeast Rhyl.”
Other investments into the area also promise to give this seaside town a boost. Last year, the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Programme also opened up applications for properties in Rhyl’s town centre to receive a grant for regeneration and enhancing businesses’ shop frontages.
The private sector also seems to have taken an interest in Rhyl, with new accommodations for tourists developed on the promenade, such as a Premier Inn and Travelodge, while the White Rose Shopping Centre was recently bought at auction.
Certain buildings and facilities in the town have also been identified as key catalysts for Rhyl’s regeneration, such as the redevelopment of Queens Market multi-use building, the “centrepiece” of Rhyl since 1902, which will soon provide a space for a food hall, retail and events.
The council said there has been a “significant” investment in leisure and entertainment facilities, too, with a new indoor water park and a multi-level obstacle course adding 65 new jobs to the area.
Meanwhile, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre has also undergone a £2.4m transformation, adding a new restaurant and bar to the venue.
The council was awarded £20m from the previous government’s levelling-up scheme, with a large portion of that being allocated to “improvement projects in the town centre and central promenade”.
The council’s website shows almost £11m of the levelling-up fund going towards the town centre, redevelopment of sites into green spaces, further development of the Queens Market building and transforming the promenade.
For example, the promenade project hopes to “streamline the parade, including active travel and walkways, connect the town with the beach and create a gateway with greener, natural public realm, whilst unifying the leisure offer”.
In January 2024, Jacob Young, the former minister for levelling up, visited Rhyl to see how the funding will be used, said: “These projects show how committed we are to levelling up in Wales and it is heartening to see how the money will positively impact communities for generations to come.”
The Independent has contacted the Denbighshire County Council for further comment.
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