'We live in UK's 'worst seaside town' — it used to be thriving and full of tourists'

This historic seaside town was a destination visitors adored. It once drew thousands of holidaymakers thanks to its expansive beach, historic pier and Brighton-esque Sky Tower and those who recall the town during its heyday fondly remember the bustling seafront and families enjoying the funfair.

Fast-forward 50 years, and it has become a shadow of its former self. Following decades of abandonment, the holidaymakers have vanished, the pier has long been demolished and the Sky Tower will never function again. Despite being amongst Wales's earliest seaside destinations, Rhyl, situated on the nation's northern coastline, began its downward spiral following a string of closures during the 1970s, reports the Express.

In 1973, the town's pier was demolished after vessel collisions, storms and fires inflicted substantial damage. Merely a year afterwards, the magnificent Pavilion Theatre was torn down, with locals claiming that losing the structure felt like "losing a dear friend." Another cherished location that no longer exists is Rhyl's Ocean Beach funfair. It was formerly so well-liked that it required relocation to larger premises, but shut permanently in September 2007.

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Just three years afterwards, the iconic Sky Tower, comparable to Brighton's i360, ceased operations due to safety worries. It has since been decommissioned.

The Telegraph then placed it bottom of its UK seaside towns ranking in 2023, awarding the resort a pitiful score of 5 out of 100 and branding it "Costa del Dole" and "Blackpool after a neutron bomb".

But Rhyl, a town once dismissed as past its prime, is now seeing a resurgence of hope and investment. Locals who remember the town's heyday are optimistic about its future, with significant funds being pumped into rejuvenating the area. The aim? To restore Rhyl to its former glory.

One such hopeful local is Tim Roberts, 28, a resident and business owner. His café is a hive of activity, with hardly an empty seat in sight. Amidst serving hot beverages, he shares: "There are great people here with great community spirit. It's coming up now. We've been here for over seven years now."

Tim believes there's plenty on offer in Rhyl for visitors. "People can come for a walk around town, they can pop for a coffee," he suggests.

"There's the beach and if you've got children, there's play areas, skate parks and arcades. A lot of work has been done on the promenade, which looks stunning, especially at sunset.

"I just think it's a shame to see shops close in the town, again with online shopping being easily accessible to people. I think Rhyl is a town that has great infrastructure, which can further help maximise the great potential that it has. I still believe Rhyl is a great place to live in".

The seafront has seen a major facelift, with a brand new promenade making the beach more accessible and attractive. Arcades with their vibrant signs line the road, and despite the chilly, grey weather, there's a fair number of people inside.

While some visitors are browsing sticks of rock and others are heading towards the coffee shops, Sharon Wallingdon, a shop assistant at Cramers, is patiently waiting for her next customer.

Sharon, 67, laments: "Rhyl itself - it's just had it. I was born here, and over the years, it's just gone downhill. You go to Prestatyn instead of coming here. We get some great people come into the shop - they're normally quite cheerful which is nice. A lot of the shops have closed which is a shame. When I was young, you couldn't walk along the seafront because there were so many people."

Sharon shares that she believes the seafront in Rhyl has improved and that the new housing developments have been beneficial for the area. However, she admits that the high street leaves much to be desired.

At the start of the high street, there's a variety of tourist beach shops, but not too many customers around on a gloomy day. Sheltering from the rain under a bright yellow umbrella, Fiona Keane, is seen browsing jewellery through a shop window. The 54-year-old optical manager doesn't believe Rhyl deserves the title of the UK's worst seaside town.

"It's like every town centre," she says. "You see boarded-up buildings wherever you go - that's not specific to here. Working here, there's some pretty nice people and that's definitely something it's got going for it. The beach is lovely but there's not enough to entice people into the town - the footfall has dropped."

Brits first began holidaying in Rhyl during the 19th century when it emerged as a beloved seaside retreat. The town boasted the first pier in north Wales, and by the century's end, it had flourished into a bustling holiday haven. During the 80s and 90s, tourism reached its absolute zenith.

Reminiscing about her holiday experiences from the town, posting on Tripadvisor, Kelly G writes: "I used to come to Rhyl as a youngster in the 80s and 90s, I can honestly say it was my favourite place ever. There was always something magical about the place when walking down the seafront! Seeing the fun fair lights glowing, lots of people happy, children playing, hearing the music, hearing the fisherman opposite the fair singing 'have a boat ride by the seaside', seeing the big sun centre at the end of the promenade, grandmas playing bingo... the list goes on!"

During that era, Rhyl was a dynamic and spirited coastal resort teeming with visitors, theme parks and an extensive array of shops. The town boasted numerous dining establishments and a thrilling funfair. It's evident that additional investment is heading Rhyl's way to revive it to its former glory.

Tony Ward, corporate director of environment and economy at Denbighshire County Council, said: "Rhyl is not, and never has been, the UK's worst seaside town. Anyone who has visited Rhyl recently will tell you that it is a town in transition. Like all seaside towns in the UK, Rhyl struggled for several decades to adapt to the decline of the domestic holiday industry and the increase in foreign package holidays."

He explains that Rhyl town centre has faced difficulties in recent years due to shifting consumer habits, with increasing numbers of people choosing to shop online. However, he emphasises this isn't exclusive to Rhyl, as numerous other high streets across the UK are encountering similar challenges.

Tony reveals the council, alongside other public sector bodies, has pumped more than £200 million into Rhyl throughout the past decade.

Visitors to Rhyl can enjoy a magnificent coastline, a brand-new promenade, the new Queen's market, a renovated theatre and the SC2, an indoor waterpark.

He continues: "Investment in Rhyl is far from complete. The council has been awarded £20m by the UK Government from the Pride of Place and Natural Environment Fund.

"Around £12 million of this will be invested in Rhyl to deliver further public realm improvement projects in the town centre and promenade.

"One of the greatest challenges facing Rhyl is the persistent and unfair narrative (which is mainly created by people who don't really know the town) that Rhyl is in continual decline and is not a good place to live and visit. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"Rhyl is a place of natural beauty, with a proud history and strong community spirit. It boasts excellent transport links to many major cities in the Northwest of England such as Chester, Manchester and Liverpool, and has a direct rail link to two capital cities, London and Cardiff.

"Rhyl is a town on the rise, rather than in decline. The future for Rhyl is exciting, and we remain confident that the building blocks put in place by the Council and public sector partners will lead to long-term benefits as the private sector recognises the opportunities presented by this wonderful town."