Residential Development,, Wellington Road, Rhyl

BUILDING AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AT RHYL. For some years it has been evident to the careful observer of the progress of development of Rhyl, that the Palace Theatre and Skating Rink in Wellington Road is serving no useful purpose to the Town, and that so far as the intentions of the original promoters were concerned, the building has resulted in complete failure. It has been practically unoccupied during the last five years, and those who attempted to cater for the public within the huge structure have only met with loss and disappointment. Having regard to this, it may be asked, in the language of old “Why cumbereth it the ground?" We may anticipate another change in this part of Rhyl, for we hear it has been decided to completely demolish the whole structure. The purchaser is Mr David Owen, Contractor, of Rhyl, who has acquired the property on terms which represent very little beyond the actual value of the bare land. A building which originally cost some thousands of pounds is thus passing away with few regrets, "for an old song," and those who invested their money in the undertaking will henceforth have nothing to remind them of a big financial failure.

It is, we learn, intended to erect a new terrace of dwelling-houses on the site, extending from Butterton Road to Palace Avenue, the latter being opened out to a width of fourteen yards, and a building line set back of two yards on each side. This width of eighteen yards will give a splendid view from Wellington Road to the extended West Parade on the sea front, flanked on the left hand by the handsome new Hotel now approaching completion. With the extended West Parade on the north, the opening out of Butterton Road on the east, and the formation of new roads on land enclosed within the boundary of the old Winter Gardens, the whole of the property, under the direction of Messrs Booth, Chadwick and Porter, Architects and Surveyors, of Colwyn Bay, Rhyl and Manchester, for the West Rhyl Land and Building Company, is rapidly assuming a pleasant residential aspect, contributing largely to the material prosperity of the town of Rhyl, and to its rateable value,-a good omen for the future. [Weekly News 6 April 1900 page 8] [Welsh Coast Pioneer 30 March 1900 page 7]

PROPERTY SALE AT RHYL. On Friday Messrs John Booth & Co., of Colwyn Bay offered for sale at the Palace Hotel, Rhyl, several villa residences and building lands, situate in Lake Avenue and Butterton Road, Rhyl. There was a good attendance. In the course of some appropriate remarks the auctioneer said that it was generally admitted that Rhyl had enjoyed the most prosperous season on the North Wales coast, and that prosperity was to be attributed to the enterprise not only of the local authority, one of the most progressive on the coast, but to private enterprise. Alluding to the estate of the West Rhyl Land Company he said its progress had been most steady and gradual due to the fact that the Company had vigorously safeguarded the character of the erections upon it. The first to be submitted were four villa residences known as Hawthorne Villa, Ivy Deane, Starlight Villa, and Shireley Villa, situate in Lake Avenue. They were started at £1.000 and withdrawn at £1,350. They were subsequently offered singly but no bids were forthcoming. Two freehold houses known as No. 15 and “Seafield,” Butterton Road, were next offered. £700 was the initial bid and they were withdrawn at £876. No. 15 on being put up singly was started at £400 and withdrawn at £435. Seafield commanded an initial bid of £400 and was withdrawn at £460. There was no offer for a freehold corner building site, containing 57 I square yards with a frontage to West Parade and Butterton Road. A corner building site containing 886 square yards with frontage to Palace Avenue and to North Avenue was started at £250 and withdrawn at £270. There were no offers for the remaining sites in Butterton Road and North Avenue, and Butterton Road and South Avenue, each containing 651.5 and 1063.5 yards respectively. [Rhyl Record and Advertiser 3 October 1903 page 3]

Twelve houses, Wellington Road, Rhyl - plans approved. [Welsh Pioneer 18 May 1900 page 7]

Reference    Welsh Coast Pioneer 30 March 1900 page 7
Reference    Welsh Pioneer 18 May 1900 page 7 – plans approved.