Ahead of Friday's open day at the old Anchor pub, the Rhuthun/Ruthin Blog has been granted exclusive access to the new Ruthin School dorms, now renamed Goodman.
It was in late October 2012 that Stephanie's last pub, Rhuthun's Ye Olde Anchor, closed. It resulted in 14 jobs lost. Although a surprise, we all knew it was coming. Her ill-fated management at one time or another of the Clwyd Gate, Bodidris Hall Plough and Castle Hotel sadly made this a certainty. Yet, the pub traded for over a year after her empire imploded.
Then, in 2012, the building was immediately boarded up. There were those of us who wondered whether the interior would ever see the light of day again. And Booth had already allowed the exterior to deteriorate. How many recall the gay and floriated frontage of the Rod England era. And it was under England's management that the Anchor was extended along Llanrhydd Street.
Out of the blue came Ruthin School's offer for the site. They bought it and eventually began to convert the former hotel into student accommodation. It's been a long project. It's taken over a year from announcement to completion tomorrow. Obviously, the venture will not support the number of jobs available at the Anchor but Goodman's residents are well heeled and they do contribute to the local economy.
The conversion is to a high standard. The individual rooms were bright, clean and modern in appearance. The single beds throughout were rather elevated to maximise under-bed storage but it seemed that shorter pupils might struggle. Rooms were all en suite. Although very formulaic in nature "Travelodge" in nature, they were also personalised by the need to configure each of the variously shaped rooms that come in a range of different shapes, sizes and layouts. The communal areas were also to a contemporary standard.
Don't take my word for it: there's an opportunity tomorrow to inspect the premises for yourself. Expect some former old boys to be there.
The rooms will be for upper sixth formers only. Many are on the roadside and that may prove unpopular. The rooms will be allocated directly by the school. The only student who has a choice will be the head boy. The school said that it expects locals will not be disturbed by the Anchor residents: they're there to learn and any serious misbehaviour will result in their being accommodated back on the main Ruthin School site, the miscreant pupils' rights to use the Anchor being withdrawn.
Ruthin School had promised window boxes on the frontage, just like before. There's currently no evidence of them but perhaps it's still early days.
Ruthin School had promised window boxes on the frontage, just like before. There's currently no evidence of them but perhaps it's still early days.