Urgent repairs costing around £800,000 need to be made to Grade II listed feature that was officially opened in 1932
The 170-metre long Colonnade is set to undergo an £800,000 renovation(Image: Google)
A key Welsh seaside road will be closed for up to five weeks as part of a major restoration project. Llandudno’s historic Colonnade structure, which is “at risk”. It is set to undergo significant repairs after a structural report revealed significant deterioration which requires urgent intervention.
The 170-metre covered walkway, located behind the Grand Hotel and offering views over Llandudno Bay, the Victorian pier and promenade, is a cherished cultural asset according to Conwy County Borough Council. However, the structural report placed the future of the Colonnade at risk without urgent intervention.
The Llandudno Colonnade is a Grade II listed, two-tier covered walkway built in the Doric style using reinforced concrete and local stone. It was formally opened on March 31, 1932, as a work creation project during the Great Depression. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here.
It was designed to provide a sheltered walk to the Happy Valley and Great Orme headland, but now needs urgent work.
As the £800,000 work continues, Alex Munro Way, directly in front of The Colonnade, will be temporarily closed from November 10 for up to five weeks.
- The road will be open on Saturdays and Sundays
- Pedestrian access will be maintained along Happy Valley Road
- Businesses along the route will be open as usual.
During the week commencing November 10, the closure will be between the following times: Monday 8am-3.30pm, Tuesday 8am-3.30pm, Wednesday 8am-1.30pm, Thursday 8am-3pm, Friday 8am-2.30pm.
From 17th November onwards, the closure will be between the following times: Mondays 8am-3.30pm, Tuesdays 8am-3.30pm, Wednesdays 8am-1.30pm, Thursdays 8am-3pm Fridays 8am-5.30pm.
Conwy council said: “We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate everyone’s patience as this repair work is carried out.”, reports North Wales Live.
The work will include:
- Structural reinforcement and waterproofing
- Anti-carbonation coating
- Restoration and/or replacement of iron and steel balustrades
- Drainage improvements
- Installation of power and lighting
- Seating and interpretation panels
- A History Point tag offering voice and BSL interpretation.
The idea for the colonnade was proposed in 1928 by George Alfred Humphries, an agent for the Mostyn Estates, as a practical solution to offer shelter to visitors heading to the Happy Valley, a popular leisure area at the time.
A major motivation for its construction was to alleviate mass unemployment during the Great Depression, with Llandudno council receiving a loan from the UK’s Unemployment Grants Committee to build it using local labour.
During World War II, many of Llandudno’s hotels were used as offices and lodgings for evacuated government organisations like the Inland Revenue.
In August 1943, the colonnade unexpectedly provided overnight shelter for many holidaymakers who arrived by train but were unable to find accommodation in the busy town.