On December 1st, I T Williams' Lapland branch delivered Santa's grotto. It's basically a shipping container part-clad with wood. It's packed in beside the rear of the Old Courthouse and this, it seems, was something of a compromise.
The background is that there's to be no Rotary float again this year thanks, no doubt, the the shaky number of members prepared to volunteer within this organisation. Last year, the town council gave Ruthin Forward permission to use The Old Courthouse as a replacement grotto but tightened restrictions on inside venues resulted in Ruthin Forward moving outdoors, to Ruthin Castle. So successful was this (apparently) that Ruthin Forward booked the Castle again. But the new manager at the Castle has overturned this decision. So, it's potentially back to The Old Courthouse. Except that the Clwydian Art Society have it booked.
Tight fit at the rear of The Old Courthouse
Ruthin Forward nevertheless hired a container anyway. Permission to plant this on the highway was refused, hence the request to use the rear of The Old Courthouse... except Ruthin Forward seem to have publicised this before permission was granted, placing the town council in an invidious position. Either they'd be viewed as the grinches who cancelled Christmas; or they would need to concede to Ruthin Forward using a very tight space with the risk of damaging the building when unloading or loading.
The matter was resolved and, today, with the container is in situ and Ruthin Forward were decking it out from their stock of decorations already stored at The Old Courthouse.