Developments will soon be underway on Rhyl promenade to improve links between the town centre and the beachfront.
One of the main aims of the Rhyl Town Centre Vision is to improve the visibility of the seafront and to better link the town centre with the beach. As part of this, Denbighshire County Council will be undertaking work to demolish the old SeaQuarium building to improve the public realm and declutter the promenade.
The 30-year-old building has stood empty since the closure of SeaQuarium at the end of November 2023 and is no longer fit for purpose as a modern tourist attraction. While the Council has offered the building to other operators, no-one has expressed an interest.
The building is in a prime location on Rhyl’s seafront with links to the town centre and the beach but needs significant investment to make it fit for purpose. Having fully considered all options, the decision has been made that the site can be put to better use. The Council is in discussions about how this prime location will be used in future once the building is demolished.
The Council currently has an 85% Welsh Government grant for the Coastal Sea Defence work and Welsh Government has agreed that the cost of demolition can be put against this grant in order to make the location safe and usable for a future attraction.
Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said, “As the local councillor for the Rhyl East ward, I believe this is a really positive step forward to improve the seafront in Rhyl.
“This is an opportunity to see this prominent site in the heart of Rhyl’s tourist zone re-imagined. It’s a fantastic location next to the Events Arena and links up the town centre with the beach. I’m really looking forward to seeing the developments on Rhyl promenade so we can make the most of one of the best beaches in north Wales.”
It is envisaged that the process of demolishing the old building will take between 2 and 3 months, with work likely to start in the autumn. Balfour Beatty, the contractor currently working on the coastal sea defence scheme, will undertake this work as part of the current programme of work they are completing.
