Here are some town changes noted in passing at the end of May 2015:
Corwen Carpets is moving from its Lôn Parcwr premises to within the town itself, in the former Santander/Newyddion Rhuthun News unit. This must surely be an admission of defeat when you compare the three other flooring retailers within the town centre itself: longest established Vale Carpets (also Well Street); Tasker's (St Peter's Square); and Castlemews Carpets (Castle Mews, Well Street). Not to mention Uptown Furnishings opposite Bridget Services. Corwen Carpets is keen to point out that it was established (by the current proprietor's father) in 1978—and this makes this the oldest established business of its kind in Rhuthun, by far—but I wonder how may people will realise. The slow movement of stock began w/b April 20th. Corwen Carpets has been at several premises on the industrial estate and in the early 1990s it occupied a town centre location at 2 Well Street, as well.
Older readers will recall that it was in 1993 that Corwen Carpets, already established on the industrial estate, also moved into premises next to Boot's the Chemist, Well Street.
Glad's Rags is closing down. It's been with us in Castle Mews for just eight months.
The foundry works at the junction of Wernfechan and Rhos Street, adjacent to Rhos Street car park, has closed. It lasted six months.
More CCTV cameras have appeared on Goodman, the sixth form dorm of Schola Ruthinensis. These, however, bristle high on the building and are far more intrusive than the door-height domes already in place.
Back in December, we said,
Bus shelters, telephone wiring cabinets and the occasional shop window see bill posters promoting the first Ruthin Comedy Club event. Personally, we like to support productions at Theatr John Ambrose but this, this states "very strong language". Why is it that comedians these days feel the need to use foul language in order to get laughs and bring in audiences? Why should this be necessary?
This notice was in Beresford Adams but was torn down by a manager on May 28th at 11.15 a.m.
Who'd've guessed that the former Steptoe's premises would ever be occupied. But this month, Andrew Trussell opened Andrew's Crafts within. It sells crafts, of course, and also some secondhand books and, like Steptoe's, bric-a-brac.
Bridge Services has significantly reduced the range of titles at what was Rhuthun's largest magazine supplier. Here are before-and-after images. Bridge has always managed a healthy selection of titles, far more, ironically, than were ever available at the town's last-remaining newsagent, Castle Bell and more than at Tesco, too. Back in its heyday, even before Huw Howatson's ownership, it was always possible to find the most esoteric of titles there. Those days now appear to have long gone. Shame.
"This property's also been on the market for two years. It's on the premier Parc Brynhyfryd development. It started life with Cavendish Ikin and subsequently swapped to Beresford Adams and is now with Williams Estates. In terms of agents, there’s now nowhere else for the owner to go (locally) unless you count agricultural specialist Clough & Co. In fairness, she did drop the asking price by £5,000 under Beresford Adams"Well, the Parc Brynhyfryd vendor remains on the market with Williams but from May 7th she's additionally gone back to Beresford Adams, who call it, erm, "new on the market". Nice try. Meanwhile, from May 22nd, an extra £25,000 buys you a house, below, of similar size but one that has been sympathetically extended to the side & upwards, and is arguably more modern within.
Bridge Services has significantly reduced the range of titles at what was Rhuthun's largest magazine supplier. Here are before-and-after images. Bridge has always managed a healthy selection of titles, far more, ironically, than were ever available at the town's last-remaining newsagent, Castle Bell and more than at Tesco, too. Back in its heyday, even before Huw Howatson's ownership, it was always possible to find the most esoteric of titles there. Those days now appear to have long gone. Shame.
The current Bridget Services May 2015 range, above...
... compared to the number at the beginning of the month