Author Topic: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?  (Read 2612444 times)

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Offline OrmeMac

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7890 on: November 16, 2017, 10:12:52 pm »
They'd need a store the size of Debenhams at least.

Perhaps Debenhams is closing?

Offline Ian

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7891 on: November 17, 2017, 07:42:23 am »
It's interesting you say that, since Debenhams has been running something of a tight-rope act in terms of business for some time. In October Sports Direct brought a tranche of shares in Debs and are thought to have paid quite a bid over the odds for them. And I do know that at the time they opened the Llandudno store they were in quite an aggressive expansion phase and their liabilities exceeded their income by a considerable margin at that time.

This is something of a trend, though; apart from really large cities - London, Manchester and the like - Department stores have been struggling for some years. But although Amazon is widely viewed as a town centre killer, I suspect really enterprising people could revitalise town centre shops by creating units that are dual purpose: internet and walk-in. Especially in places like here, where visitors love to browse shops, the key is to provide goods that reward browsing. Footwear, fashion, Artwork - the sorts of things people enjoy seeing at first hand.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

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Offline OrmeMac

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7892 on: November 17, 2017, 10:30:33 am »
It's interesting you say that, since Debenhams has been running something of a tight-rope act in terms of business for some time. In October Sports Direct brought a tranche of shares in Debs and are thought to have paid quite a bid over the odds for them. And I do know that at the time they opened the Llandudno store they were in quite an aggressive expansion phase and their liabilities exceeded their income by a considerable margin at that time.

This is something of a trend, though; apart from really large cities - London, Manchester and the like - Department stores have been struggling for some years. But although Amazon is widely viewed as a town centre killer, I suspect really enterprising people could revitalise town centre shops by creating units that are dual purpose: internet and walk-in. Especially in places like here, where visitors love to browse shops, the key is to provide goods that reward browsing. Footwear, fashion, Artwork - the sorts of things people enjoy seeing at first hand.

From a few months ago https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-debenhams-results-strategy/debenhams-could-close-stores-in-recovery-plan-idUKKBN17M0KM

Offline Bosun

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7893 on: November 19, 2017, 10:38:39 am »
Llandudno Christmas market, 136 stalls in temporary huts. Quite nicely done.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/llandudno-christmas-fayre-fee-anger-13911541

Some people would whinge if you paid them to go in.
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Offline DVT

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7894 on: November 19, 2017, 12:50:55 pm »
Was talking to a couple of elderly visitors from Birmingham the other day and they were going to Llandudno after they'd finished where I was (Bodnant Garden) - they said they went to numerous Christmas markets at this time of year and considered Lincoln to be the best ... they also said that Llandudno is the only one where they are charged to get in.  It must surely impact on the amount of trade that the stalls get.

Offline Bosun

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7895 on: November 19, 2017, 01:19:19 pm »
 Well, at the moment, I can see the it's rammed and there are long queues to get in. Not exactly neing boycotted because of the entrance fee!
Being negative only makes a difficult journey more difficult. You may have been given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it.

Offline Fester

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7896 on: November 19, 2017, 10:59:27 pm »
It was pretty busy from 1pm til 4pm when we were at the Xmas Fayre... but never rammed.
I have several thoughts on the admission fee.
£2.50 is simply wrong, I have never been charged admission to any Xmas market in Europe, never mind the UK.  If they MUST charge, then I think £1 is fair....  but I still have to wonder why.
Many of the more niche stalls were very quiet, many of the traders were sat looking bored and playing on their phones.  Yet they were paying £1000 for the 4 day pitch.  Not viable.
The food stalls were very busy indeed, and that is a theme which is seen in the high street these days.  More coffee shops, more cafes are opening... but shops that sell ‘things’ are struggling and closing down.

If the organisers are using the Live Entertainment as a justification for the charge (and I noted on Facebook that they are), then that is a gross misrepresentation.
The vast majority of the ‘acts’ on the inside marquee were simply schools and school choirs.
I watched two sessions of line dancing pensioners, and they were so bad they were hilarious.  They were having fun (I think?) but they were terrible.
Line dancing is a hobby, please don’t pass it off as entertainment... and please don’t pretend that they are being paid a lot of money to perform.

That said, the Xmas Fayre was the best one I’ve been to in Llandudno and we spent about £70 on the usual cheeses, bits to eat etc... but it is not anywhere near the size or quality of the Leeds, Manchester or Lincoln ones... and they are FREE to get into.

The prize for the cleverest entrepreneur goes to the lady who runs the Upper Crust cafe on Madoc St.
She pitched a gazebo outside the event (thereby not paying rent) and charged £4.50 for roast pork sandwiches, which were SIX POUNDS only 20 feet away inside the event.  She was RAKING it in.


Fester...
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Offline DaveR

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7897 on: November 20, 2017, 09:01:55 am »
We visited, too, and it was a well organised event.

However, when you have 136 stalls each paying £1000 for to attend, do you really need to charge an admission fee as well?

The organiser said: “Events like this cost a lot to put on and any profits that are made will go back to the community interest company for future events, the charge is not about making profit.”

I would say a £1 admission charge is more than enough if that is your objective...

Offline Bosun

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7898 on: November 20, 2017, 09:16:39 am »
I have to say that I had no idea that the stalls were charged that amount, and I have to wonder how many stalls would be making a profit after that outlay. Whilst it was busy when we went, there did not seem to be a lot of money exchanging hands. And, as Fester said, some of the entertainment was embarrassingly dire.

Having learnt of the £1k fee for stallholders, I can now wholly understand the resentment at the entrance fee. But, out of interest, how does that equate with the £9 entrance fee to Conwy Food Fair?

Just a thought, don't bite my head off.....!
Being negative only makes a difficult journey more difficult. You may have been given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it.

Offline born2run

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7899 on: November 20, 2017, 09:42:10 am »
Conwy food fair has proper entertainment. Case in point - If I want to see the Goat Roper Rodeo band play one of their own shows they are priced typically between £10 to 15 - same for the Welsh Pink Floyd. There I could see both of them and about 20 other quality acts for £9. Absolute bargain I would say. Z**

Offline SteveH

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7900 on: November 20, 2017, 09:57:38 am »
We visited, too, and it was a well organised event.

However, when you have 136 stalls each paying £1000 for to attend, do you really need to charge an admission fee as well?

The organiser said: “Events like this cost a lot to put on and any profits that are made will go back to the community interest company for future events, the charge is not about making profit.”

I would say a £1 admission charge is more than enough if that is your objective...

Found this link.
LLANDUDNO CHRISTMAS FAYRE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10470030/officers

Also the DP is quoting approx. 35,000 visitors to the fayre.

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7901 on: November 20, 2017, 09:58:48 am »
Here are the stall charges contained in the application form for the Christmas Fayre 2017 although you will need to scroll down to find them together with the cost of any extras.

http://www.llandudnochristmasfayre.co.uk/images/LCF_Appplication_Form_2017_New%20(1).docx

http://www.chaletevents.net/types-of-chalet/

It seems this company also provided the stalls for the recent Conwy Feast.

Offline Bosun

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7902 on: November 20, 2017, 11:22:46 am »
We visited, too, and it was a well organised event.

However, when you have 136 stalls each paying £1000 for to attend, do you really need to charge an admission fee as well?

The organiser said: “Events like this cost a lot to put on and any profits that are made will go back to the community interest company for future events, the charge is not about making profit.”

I would say a £1 admission charge is more than enough if that is your objective...

Slightly disingenuous, looking at the link in Bri's post, only the largest chalet type stalls were £1k, whilst the smallest stalls cost £300.

Still.....
Being negative only makes a difficult journey more difficult. You may have been given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it.

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7903 on: November 20, 2017, 11:27:34 am »
Found this link.
LLANDUDNO CHRISTMAS FAYRE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10470030/officers

I wonder why ‘Irene’ is known locally as ‘Eileen’

By the way, a community interest company is a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders.

Offline Fester

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Re: What's Llandudno Like Right Now?
« Reply #7904 on: November 20, 2017, 02:50:30 pm »
Conwy food fair has proper entertainment. Case in point - If I want to see the Goat Roper Rodeo band play one of their own shows they are priced typically between £10 to 15 - same for the Welsh Pink Floyd. There I could see both of them and about 20 other quality acts for £9. Absolute bargain I would say. Z**

Spot on B2R,
And... if I want to see elderly arthritic people shuffling about in an uncoordinated manner, I can look in my bedroom mirror, or pop into Weatherspoons any afternoon of the week.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -