January 27, 2026 - 138 views
Concerns have been raised by residents and local representatives in Llandudno over the possible transfer of Llandudno Town Hall to an undisclosed community interest company, with reports also suggesting the adjacent Market Street car park could form part of the proposal.
The car park is understood to generate around £200,000 a year in income for Conwy County Borough Council, prompting questions about the potential financial impact at a time when the authority is facing continued budget pressures and council tax increases.
Llandudno Town Hall is a prominent Victorian landmark, built in 1899 and gifted to the town by Lord Mostyn. For much of the 20th century it served as the headquarters of the former urban district council and today houses the Llandudno Town Council chamber, the registrar’s office and other community uses. Residents have described the building as a key part of the town’s civic and historical identity.
At present, there has been no formal public consultation announced on any proposal to dispose of the building or the car park. This has led to growing concern locally, with rumours circulating about potential political support for the handover.
Speaking at a recent meeting of the Local Area Forum North, Cllr Harry Saville said members had been told the council was working with Reform UK councillors on a proposal involving both the town hall and the Market Street car park.
He said it was suggested that the assets could be transferred either free of charge or potentially with financial support to remove them from council ownership. He also raised concerns about the loss of income from the car park, which he said represented a significant proportion of the council’s parking revenue stream.
However, when questioned on the matter, the cabinet member responsible, Cllr Mike Priestley, denied any knowledge of such a proposal. He questioned how the council would replace the loss of £200,000 a year if the car park were disposed of and raised concerns about the impact on services during a period of financial constraint.
The issue has also drawn comment from Janet Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for Aberconwy, who said she was shocked by reports that the handover may be supported politically.
Ms Finch-Saunders described Llandudno Town Hall as a building of “immense historical value” and warned against repeating what she described as past mistakes involving the loss of heritage assets. She pointed to the demolition of the former Gogarth Abbey Hotel on West Shore, which remains an undeveloped site more than 20 years later.
She said residents should be fully consulted on any proposal of this scale, particularly in light of council tax rises of almost 30 per cent over the past three years, with further increases expected.
Calls have now been made for greater transparency and public engagement before any decisions are taken. At the time of writing, no formal proposal to dispose of Llandudno Town Hall or the Market Street car park has been published by Conwy County Borough Council.
