Beloved UK seaside hotspot is reduced to a heartbreaking ghost town every winter

20 November 2023 , 08:58

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Many hotels, including The County Hotel, are near the seafront in Llandudno (Image: Stoke Sentinel)

Businesses are diversifying - or closing altogether - during winter months in a beloved seaside town due to the dramatic drop in trade.

Llandudno, north Wales, is typically bustling in the summer with tourists enjoying the beach, beautiful limestone headlands and Grade-II listed pier.

But local firms have found it hard to maintain this trade in the off season and things have become so bleak - akin to a ghost town - that some businesses have made big decisions about their operations. The County Hotel, an establishment by the seafront, will now close for all of the winter because bosses see it as the "most viable solution" to keep afloat.

Llandudno, a beloved tourist destination, boasts shops, restaurants and history (Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the three-star hotel, a Victorian building with impressive views across the promenade, said: "Hospitality is seasonal in nature and, as has been the case in previous years, The County hotel is set to close for the winter months, with the significant drop off in trade making temporary closure the most viable solution to maintain the business.

"The hotel, along with the rest of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection's portfolio, is currently on the market – something that was announced earlier in the year. Whilst dialogue will start with any interested parties once an offer is received, we’re continuing to run the hotel as normal with a view to reopening once tourism picks up."

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The 100-room hotel will now reopen in late March, according to North Wales Live. It, and other businesses across Llandudno, have also been hugely impacted by the rise in energy costs, it is believed.

But Bill Bryson, a travel writer, once described the town as his "favourite seaside resort". Another guest gave the town a five-star review on TripAdvisor, writing: "First visit to Llandudno and won't be the last. We visited on a sunny but cold January Friday afternoon and were able to park for free at the top end of the promenade before driving fully into the town centre.

"Wrapped up well and lots of fresh air really made the walk invigorating. Not a single piece of litter, lovely seeing brightly painted seating shelters and the Mad Hatter statue. Lovely views and nice to see the promenade being enjoyed by everyone, with it being so flat and plenty of room, great for cyclist, pedestrians, wheelchairs, prams, runner etc."

Llandudno has a proud place in North Wales’ heritage. The town is just a stone’s throw from the natural beauty spots of the area, such as Snowdonia and Great Orme; a limestone headland.

Owen Hughes