Historic north Wales site set for visitor-friendly makeover
Richard Evans – Local democracy reporter
A recently regenerated historic tourist site in north Wales is set to be made more visitor friendly with a new interpretation panel and heritage information signs.
A Listed Building Consent application has been submitted by Conwy County Council to its own planning department for the Grade II listed Colonnade near Llandudno’s pier.
The Colonnade runs along the hill between the junctions of Happy Valley Road and Happy Valley Walk Road on Alex Monro Road, offering visitors an elevated place to sit and enjoy the coastal views.
The Colonnade re-opened with a celebration event in March 2026 after extensive regeneration works.
The new plans include an A1-sized portrait interpretation panel at the southern end, along with two smaller History Point panels at the northern and southern ends.
The History Point panels would feature QR codes allowing visitors to access digital information about the history of the structure.
Information in support of the application reads: “Happy Valley quickly became a natural draw for visitors as Llandudno developed into a resort. After Lord Mostyn gave the Valley to the town in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, gardens were laid out together with miniature golf courses, lawns, and an open-air theatre.
“The idea for The Colonnade came from George A. Humphreys, an agent for Mostyn Estates. There was no shelter in Happy Valley, so with funding available from the government to alleviate mass unemployment and utilising quarried stone left over from road improvements, this was the perfect opportunity to create a covered walkway from the pier to Happy Valley.”
It adds: “The Colonnade was opened on 31st March 1932 by Lord Mostyn and quickly became an iconic and much-loved feature of Llandudno. An extension was added at the lower end in 2000 so the total length today is 170m.The road is named after Alex Munro who organised popular variety shows in Happy Valley until the 1970s.”
According to the application, by 2025 the structure had deteriorated significantly, leaving it unsafe and at risk without urgent intervention.
Extensive repairs included structural reinforcement, restoration of the iron balustrades, drainage improvements, and installation of new lighting and seating, funded through the UK and Welsh Governments.
Neighbours are yet to be consulted.
The plans are likely to be discussed at a future Conwy County Council planning committee meeting at the authority’s Coed Pella HQ in Colwyn Bay.
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