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Last updated
29 August, 2010

Save Plas Dulas from Demolition

An application has been submitted to Conwy County Council to demolish Plas Dulas and clear the grounds to make way for a new residential development. Local residents, local and National amenity societies and our Trust are all working towards it being rejected and this historic house and its gardens preserved.

A Public Meeting has been arranged at Llanddulas Community and Youth Centre, Beach Road on Wednesday, August 26th 2009 at 7pm. Please try to attend, if possible, or alternatively send any objections in writing. To see how, click here.

Walkers’ Castle Route

An extract from an article taken from the Rhyl, Prestatyn and Abergele Journal by Andrew Boyd, August 12th 2009:

The first health walk in Abergele saw a multi-cultural group enjoy the delights of the town.

Newly qualified walk leaders Simon and Amy Yau led the party of 17 as they set off from Gwrych Castle, with organisers hoping to make the walks a regular occurance in Abergele.

As the walks are health walks they are ideal for people who are new to walking or feel that they want to walk at their own pace without worrying that they aren’t keeping up.

Simon and Amy are part of a 14 strong Chinese team trained by Let’s Walk Cymru to enable residents of the area to participate in walking activities that are both enjoyable and social.

The team are part of the Black Ethnic Network, which received a grant from the Sports Council of Wales earlier this year to train and promote walking in the Chinese communities in North Wales.

Caroline Moncrieff, team trainer and mentor, said: “That the walks are growing from strength to strength and are very popular with everyone in the community.

“So far we have held walks in Pwllheli, Bangor, Abergele and Menai Bridge. We like to theme the walks so that we can talk about the local history and wildlife along the way.

“It is an opportunity to get to meet new friends, find out what is going on in the community and talk. I hear the walkers swapping ideas on gardening, cooking and travel to name just a few things.”

For more details on health walks and nordic walking in the area, contact Caroline Moncrieff on 07980 538811 or email carolinemoncrieff@yahoo.com.

Gwrych Medical Centre

‘As those who travel past the North Wales Business Park will know, the construction of the new Primary Care Centre for Abergele is now well underway. I am pleased to report that the project is on schedule to be completed before Christmas with the Centre on target to become fully operational towards the end of January. I am working with Conwy County Borough Council and the Abergele Surgery Action Group to ensure that the new Medical Centre is adequately served by local buses and that pedestrians are also able to access the Business Park safely.’

Darren Millar, AM

Gwrych to Feature in New Documentary

The documentary is called ‘Time May Change Me’ and is set to be aired on Monday December 1st 2009, 7.30pm, BBC2 Wales.

An extract from an article taken from the North Wales Weekly News by David Simister, November 20th 2008:

An Abergele landmark will be the focus of a new documentary on the BBC.

Gwynedd-based production company Chwarel say the half-hour documentary on Gwrych Castle, located near the town, is the most exhaustive film ever made about the historic site.

Producer Sioned Morys said: “I’ve been trying to get the BBC to feature Gwrych in a documentary for years so when I heard the site had been sold to its current owners I decided to film it off my own back for this series.

“The series features people and places which have been shown in previous BBC programmes, and, using footage recorded of the site from a series made in the 1970s, you really get to see how it’s gone into its present derelict state.

“It’s a full-on history of a site that’s very important to the people of North Wales.”

A team from Chwarel spent more than a year filming progress on the site, under new owner Clayton Hotels, for the show Time May Change Me, a 10-part BBC series which explores people and places featured in the broadcaster’s previous documentaries.

Gwrych Castle had in previous decades fallen into a state of disrepair but saw a resurgence last year when Yorkshire-based firm Clayton Hotels bought the site for £850,000 under plans to turn it into a five-star country house hotel.

Historian Mark Baker, an Abergele resident who has written several books on the site and was involved in a campaign to save the site during the 1990s, is also featured in the programme and is pleased the castle is being featured.

“It’s going to bring the restoration of Gwrych to the public eye so I’m really pleased Chwarel and the BBC have decided to make this documentary,” he said.