h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Several major things have changed in Llandudno in the last few years. I can't remember all the minor ones because, well, I have a life, but here's a brief update on what has changed.

First of all a large out of town retail park was added to the existing Mostyn Champneys area, 'Parc Llandudno' (hours of Reasearch and development must have gone into that name) has several giant to mid sized and well designed units such as Debenhams, BHS, Next, New Look, River Island, Outfit, Costa Coffee and many others.

Unfortunately the north eastern end of the park became the first casualty of the 2008 banking crisis in the area. Originally home to a very welcoming rock garden and walk way, the corner was boarded off so the developers could build another huge unit. This all seemed very strange to me at the time because several of the other units were already unoccupied and had failed to let to major retailers.

Then, when the inevitable happened and the economy went south the developers gave up and left the corner boarded up, no north eastern entrance way, no slightly Japanese style rock garden. They did eventually make a small paved walk way between the sea of boards ala Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, but it still remains a giant eye sore when you consider how nice the original design looked. Greedy developers take heed.

Anyway, the retail park was built on the old Asda site, with Asda moving to the site previously occupied by John Bright's school after it moved to its excellent new location next to Llandudno FC's stadium. The school has never looked better in my view.

The other change, which was completed a matter of days ago, is the £26 million renovation of the Oriel Mostyn Art Gallery. While it is a thoroughly modern upgrade it isn't alienating and works well with the limited space the gallery had before the conversion. Don't expect any Monet's or Van Gogh's but you will find many interesting works by local and resident artists. The Gallery is located down the road from Llandudno train station.