Small Town Mentality?

As part of its "Let's Move to…" series, yesterday's Guardian featured no less a place than our very own Rhuthun/Ruthin. It was an extremely positive and encouraging write-up, which we reproduce below, but with our own comments. It's been over two years now since the Daily Telegraph placed Rhuthun in its UK top 50 places to live. We in Rhuthun should feel honoured and blessed that we inhabit such a favoured place.

"A small, magical place that's not on the way to anywhere—and all the better for it, too. What's going for it? Ruthin feels a bit like a lost world.

"Come from Wales and it's buried at the end of the Clwyd valley; from England and you have to cross the blank wall of the Clwydian hills. It's not especially on the way anywhere."

Unless, perhaps, you ride a motorbike. But being off the beaten track is one huge advantage in terms of our lifestyle but equally it makes it somewhat difficult to get *from* Rhuthun to somewhere, anywhere really.

"It requires seeking out. Thank goodness it's worth it. Imagine traipsing and tramping, only to arrive at Pinner or Slough."

You could never expect Rhuthun to be the focus of Sir John Betjeman's infamous lines, 'Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough, It isn't fit for humans now'.

"Ruthin feels slightly magical. Those wild Clwydian hills loom, giving the valley an alpine splash. The architecture has a touch of the fantastic about it, too. Medieval remnants totter on stilts out over the pavement. The castle was torched by Owain Glyndŵr, its ruins gothicised in the 1820s by the romantics and pumped up again with a pair of over-flash stone lions when they turned it into a hotel. Weirdest of all, this all-alone town has lately attracted those totems of the 21st century, a lauded restaurant, a boutique hotel and, in the National Craft Centre, the architectural avant garde. A very, very odd mix. I like it."

The author must be in good company. But does the town cater for everyday life or just visitors? And did Glyndŵr really burn the town?

"The case against. Magical or not, it's a very small town, with all the parochialism that entails—and relatively isolated: either your bag or not."

Ah, there's the rub. Whether we like it or not, we're a small town in size. But are we small in mentality? Do we welcome incomers? Those who can't speak Welsh? Do our children move away, searching for education, employment, opportunity or a change of pace? Does local employment bring a reasonable reward? Is there an 'attitude' or 'mindset' against change?

Or is a small town mentality a positive way of life, an outlook, a contentment and does it offer security, a watchfulness, a looking out for your neighbour? Do our young people come back? Does Rhuthun extend tolerance and respect? Is it best to know what's going on and who's doing it?

"Well connected? You'll need a car. The nearest rail is 20 miles north at Rhyl or Chester."

According to Taylor Woodrow's marketing of Glasdir, the nearest railway station is Penyffordd near Yr Wyddgrug/Mold! We've mentioned the need for a car before and that's pretty much a universal requirement. Pity it's actually quite a way to travel to buy one.

"Thankfully, the countryside is so mesmerising round here that even a drive to the council tip would be captivating."

Couldn't agree more but did the author drive along Lôn Parcwr?

"Small town: eminently walkable. A55 and the M53 are 25 minutes away.

"Schools. Primaries: Rhos Street, Ysgol Rhewl and Ysgol Llanbedr all mostly 'good', says Estyn, while Ysgol Pen Barras has some 'outstanding' features. Brynhyfryd secondary is 'good'."

I think you need to add that Ysgol Brynhyfryd has some 'outstanding' features too and is probably the best in Sir Ddinbych/Denbighshire. What about Ruthin School? And perhaps the piece should have added that Penbarras accepts only pupils wishing to study through the medium of Welsh.

"Hang out at... Manorhaus, an unlikely and rather good boutique hotel, with great restaurant and cool bar, brings a welcome cosmopolitanness."
The Manor House also got itself into the Grauniad's (sic) Sunday sister, The Observer, in February. The Observer columnist, though impressed with the Manor House, was less charitable towards Rhuthun, calling it 'an unassuming market town in the Vale of Clwyd'. Ah well, she *was* from Caerdydd/Cardiff, after all.

"Where to buy. It's so small, nowhere's exactly rancid. The centre, much of it a conservation area, is rammed with some magnificent period property: from medieval to stone-fronted Victorian terraces on the main roads out of town (which can get quite noisy). There's some prime suburbia north off Greenfield Road and Denbigh Road."

Thee ain't a lot of suburbia north of Greenfield Road or Denbigh Road for that matter, unless they mean Glasdir : ) In terms of "prime suburbia", surely that's to the east: Bryn Goodman, Bryn Eryl and Parc Brynhyfrd.

"Market values. Large detacheds, farmhouses and barns, big period town houses, etc, £250,000-£400,000. Detacheds, £180,000-£275,000. Semis, £125,000-£225,000. Terraces, £110,000-£200,000.

"Bargain of the week. Lovely-looking,three-bedroom stone town house, Grade II listed, in the centre, needing modernisation, £85,000, with Cavendish Ikin."

Which turns out to be the former bric-a-brac & butcher sandwiched between the former Carpedi Rhuthun Carpets and the Manorhaus/Manor House. Needing modernisation? Certainly. Charming property? Definitely.

This is an example of something that the Grauniad missed: the residentialisation of the town centre, where older properties give residential character. It's something that's been going on for decades and, with the arrival of Tesco, is unlikely to change.

See the Grauniad's article on Rhuthun and the Observer's review of the Manor House and feel a certain satisfaction that you live in this part of the world.