In Passing—October 2015

The newly appointed and soon to start head teacher of Ysgol Brynhyfryd joined with staff on October 1st to welcome parents of the prospective September 2016 entry. In spite of the Wales v Fiji rugby world cup match, attendance was much better than in recent years, with excellent feedback from parents. Afterwards, some were reporting that they left with a very positive impression of the school, with others saying no more will they listen to ill-founded rumour and tittle-tattle spreading around town.

Meanwhile, to coincide with the period in which parents need to make up their minds about secondary schools, Brynhyfryd has attached an over sized banner to the Theatr John Ambrose advertising board, quoting a favourable excerpt from an otherwise lacklustre Estyn report. It seems to be selective.

The former nursery on Ffordd Yr Wyddgrug, almost opposite Rhos Street School, has enjoyed a paint-up, as it transforms itself into a private residence.

150th anniversary celebrations at Capel Bethania were held this month, although the actual anniversary is early next. We will cover this on the day, November 2nd.

Some interesting additions to the housing scene. The two brand new properties on the market at Glasdir via an Altrincham web-based agent have from October 15th also became available via Town & Country estate agency, Mold. If going along the more traditional local route, why not a Rhuthun/Ruthin agent? At least with Town & Country there are actual rather than fabricated photographs. One of the homes is to that awkward design that builds two together at right angles.

A most interesting property joined the market on October 13th. It's an end-of-terrace two-bed house that's just off St Peter's Square. No drive-bys here, though, as the house is nicely hidden down the alley beside Gayla House. As such, its location is excellent yet it is also tucked away in a very private part of town (although the rear overlooks Market Street car park).

It's also very small, with a very odd layout. But estate agents can spin that into a unique character. The views over Rhuthun are worthy of note. Perhaps all this is the reason its asking price of £180,000. Or perhaps that's because the chosen agent is Cavendish Ikin who, probably thinking they do their clients the best they can, seem to overprice.

Not mentioned last month was the second revision to B & M Bargains' hours, from September 27th, that closes the store half an hour earlier on Saturdays.

Over half term, Llanrhydd has been shut for resurfacing works. There was patching on Borthyn/Denbigh Road.

Also undergoing resurfacing during the same week was Bro Deg, a road that over the last 30 or so years has been punished by increasing volumes of local traffic to the once expanding residential area south east of town.

Castle Bell, sort-of a newsagent and sort-of a general stores has begun stocking perfumes. These are not an especially good fit with existing stocks of, well, various things.

The Children's Society is undergoing a second refurbishment in six years. It reopens early next month. Aside from shifting the position of the till from the long back to the short side, the refit has actually slightly reduced the usable floorspace by introducing a partitioned wall where the till once was.

October's St Peter's Square market met with one of the rare wet days of the month. The market was a complete wash-out.

Even so, October is generally the wettest month of the year. This year, it's been both mild and dry. There was one mid-October frost during the third week but warm weather returned. A lack of frosts, rain and wind no doubt accounts of the better than usual splendid autumnal colours on the trees and hedgerows of the Vale.

Clough & Co has finally moved out of its town centre premises and now occupies part of the agricultural mart's extension.

The transformed Montecito has become Cwtch. The addition of the rough treated timb tumbers seemingly thrown up to hid the former Montecito name actually add to the frontage of the premises. Cwtch has moved from the corner of St Pewter's Square/Clwyd Street, premises now occupied by sister trader Choo Choo.

Delightful Cupcakes closed for a week in October to facilitate her and her mother visiting Turkish relatives. Husband stayed in Wales to continue to run the adjacent fisdh & chip shop.

The longstanding empty property in Bryn Eryl, a candidate that didn't quite make out Top 10 Esyesores, is at last fit for occupation after more than five years and is being offered for rent at £795 pcm. Williams Estates are responsible for some unacceptable proof checking.

Not previously reported are plaques attached to the Jubilee Tower on Moel Fammau. These went up over the summer and were funded as the Heather & Hillforts project comes to an end.

Giant poppies have again sprung up in the town centre, put up on October 24th.

There's *still* no evidence that Corwen Carpets' new premises on Well Street is fit for commercial use. It's now been almost six months since Corwen Carpets first were linked to the former Santander and Newydduion Rhuthun premises and Corwen Carpets will shortly be outside the six-month rent-free period, with nothing really to show for it.

To complement the arrival of the new town trail, Denbighshire has errected a couple of interpretation boards, seen here at the Craft Centre and, with the twin poles of the former boards standing empty, at Market Street car park.

Appeared immediately before half-term is this Tesco banner which appears to imply some sort of sponsorship from the town's largest supermarket of the town's highest-performing primary school. This was in recognition of a group of Tesco staff volunteers helping the school with the gardening at the front of the school. They dug up many overgrown borders so that the children could subsequently plant bulbs for the spring. The banner was to show gratitude to Tesco in promoting their community work.

Work has begun on the erection of a new structure on the vacant site on Lôn Parcwr adjacent adjacent to Automark.

It seems that the owners of No. 16 Castle Street have alighted on a pail steel blue/grey conservation colour for the exterior of their home.

Whatever happens to the large pumpkins that the Co-op and Tesco have been unable to sell for Hallowe'en? They disappear rather suddenly without any trace whatsoever, leaving only the smaller miniature vegetable pumpkins. Some of us actually like pumpkin pie!