A year ago the situation on Rhyl’s seafront looked very different. The promenade boasted a £15 million water park and a much-loved aquarium, with hopes of soon being joined by the Skyflyer attraction and the relaunched Queens Market.
But the balloon airship’s expected launch never materialized after it was plagued with problems – the attraction was eventually scrapped in October after storm damage. Then in November came the news that the SeaQuarium – which attracted 80,000 visitors a year – was closing permanently as a result of ongoing work by Coastal Sea Defense on Rhyl Promenade.
They say bad luck comes in threes and in December there was news that storms had damaged the roof of the SC2 water park – which opened in 2019. It has now been confirmed it will not reopen this year – the latest blow for the seaside resort.
Furthermore, even though the redevelopment of Queens Market has been completed, it remains empty. The Rhyl Airshow has also been canceled for this year as the Red Arrows are unavailable.
All this throws Rhyl’s entire regeneration into crisis, with the resort – already a shadow of the town in its glory years – losing some of its key reasons for tourists to visit. There are still incentives to come – including a gorgeous sandy beach, attractions, Ninja Tag and a popular theater and cinema – but there are serious questions about the direction of the seaside town after it had hoped to turn the corner.
Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism, said: “The announcement of the closure of both SC2 and the aquarium is of real concern for Rhyl. These closures are a significant loss for the town as they are a key attraction for local residents and tourists alike.” Skyflyer’s failure to materialize adds to the disappointment felt by many in Rhyl.
“This series of setbacks means that the town is now without some of its most important attractions, which could have a noticeable impact on tourism and the local economy, which, along with retail, is the mainstay of Rhyl’s economy. Peak season events like SC2 and the aquarium are not only depriving residents of the opportunity leisure but also affects the overall vibrancy and appeal of Rhyl as a tourist destination.
“It is essential to address these closures and work to regenerate the city’s tourism sector to ensure its long-term sustainability and prosperity, because without the tourism sector there is very little else.”
Shadow Minister for North Wales Darren Millar MS said: “Rhyl used to be a bustling tourist town with so much fun for families, but sadly that’s no longer the case. When SC2 first opened to visitors in 2019, I hoped it would be the start of returning the city to its glory days, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened and in the past few years we’ve seen nothing but closures of attractions and failed businesses in the city.
“Earlier this year, the city lost its much-loved Seaquarium, the new Queen’s Market building, which cost a whopping £12.6m, remains empty and children were left devastated when a popular promenade park was closed to accommodate sea conservation work.
“The current Labour-led county council doesn’t seem to have thought things through and as a result this once thriving seaside town is losing visitors in droves. Neighbors Towyn and Prestatyn are thriving and Rhyl could be too with the right vision and determination to succeed.
“It has one of the best beaches in Wales and some great businesses remain, such as Harker’s Amusements and the Kite Surf Café, but people who want to come here for a day or a holiday need to know that it will be busy in all weathers. The closure of SC2 for the rest of this year will undoubtedly hit the city hard as people will go elsewhere instead.
“It is a great shame that Rhyl has lost its popular watering hole to SC2, it should never happen. If it was still a separate attraction, at least families could flock there this summer. I know I’m not the only one who has been sorely disappointed by the lack of progress in Rhyl in recent years. Residents are sick of the excuses from Denbighshire Leisure and Denbighshire County Council, they are sick of the lack of progress and they are sick of reading negative press reports about the town they were once proud to call home.
Rhyl East County Cllr Justine Evans added: “I was extremely disappointed to learn that SC2 will not be open this summer and for the rest of 2024. How on earth can we expect people to want to visit our town when it’s not there for them nothing? do?
“As I replied to Denbighshire Leisure’s SC2 closure announcement, anyone who visits Rhyl this year is unlikely to return!”
Announcing the closure of SC2, Jamie Groves, chief executive of Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, said: “The last thing we wanted as a company was for it to close during our peak season, especially after the last three years of constant disruption. our business caused by various extreme weather events.
“We are very proud to offer an exceptional service and to have not only survived but grown while many leisure companies across the UK have suffered badly. So please remember that our staff and their families are reading the comments on social media . Please be kind – we are all in this together and are as disappointed as our customers that our water park is not open this summer. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.”