Welcoming

Almost everyone I speak to says the same thing about the restoration job they've done on the Castle Hotel. It looks resplendent. I predict a Civic Society Quayle Award will come their way, this time around. And rightly so.

Here we have the view from Clwyd Street to St Peter's Square and one of Rhuthun/Ruthin's most prominent buildings once again looking their best. In the years of ownership by Booth and the Llangollen/Lloyd's Hotels, the external fabric of the building had basically been allowed to rot and crumble. Shame. What it means is that the transformation has been even more marked and obvious.

There's a large number of people who pause on the Square to admire the change. The wrapper and scaffolding came off on Tuesday 10th January, a fortnight before opening. The well-lit night time facia is a remarkable sight. It was on Monday that at last they cleaned the windows following a top coat of paint. It's now even easier to peer inside.

Inside it looks welcoming. It also looks all very modish, all very early 21st century chic, with modern shades of brown, beige, cream, tan and white; and faux leather armchairs. In fact, it looks as if it's come straight from Good Housekeeping magazine.