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| Holyhead Town Centre: terminal decline? |
Last week we looked at some
policy ideas which might help Anglesey have the best of both worlds: vibrant, profitable town centres AND the choice and convenience of out-of-town superstores. However, the problem with our proposed solution is that it is already too late to implement because most of Anglesey's major towns already have a variety of large out/edge-of-town superstores whilst shops in town centres are already in desperate decline. Its clear therefore that we need solutions which are more suitable for reviving our already suffering high streets - and nowhere is that needed more on Anglesey than in Holyhead where at least 40 per cent of town centre shops appear to be currently derelict.
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| Liverpool One: a shopping mall integrated into the City Centre |
The Druid thinks that a possible solution might lie in another not-so-far-away port town: Liverpool. Not so long ago Liverpool's town centre - like many other parts of the city - was also suffering from gradual decline with unkempt and unattractive streets, a dwindling number of shops, and gradually less and less shoppers. All of these factors made the city centre unappealing to new high quality retailers and the opening of the Trafford Centre outside Manchester sucked up all the regional shopping business. Clearly building a similar self-contained shopping mall on the outskirts of Liverpool would further exasperate the problems in the city centre, therefore Liverpool City Council embarked on an astoundingly radical plan called the Paradise Project. Centred around Paradise Street, a satellite street from the city centre, Liverpool City Council redeveloped a staggering 42 acres of land and essentially constructed an open air shopping mall similar in scale to the Trafford Centre, but one which was located in the heart of the city and which seamlessly integrated into the city centre itself. Liverpool One, as it is called, is now completed and is composed of 30 buildings, 160 shops, more than 500 apartments and two hotels. Since its completion, not only Liverpool One but the rest of the town centre too has seen a marked increase in the numbers of shoppers and the opening of new shops.
Could such a scheme revive Holyhead's fortunes? With over two million travellers passing through the ferry-port every year there is certainly a potentially attractive market in Holyhead which could be tapped to possibly make such a scheme viable. The pedestrian bridge from the port to the town centre already exists - the problem is that there is nothing attractive there to tempt visitors. However with a very large number of shops on Market Street currently closed, is there an opportunity for Anglesey County Council to work with a private developer to purchase a large chunk of Market Street, adjacent to the pedestrian bridge, and redevelop it along the lines of Liverpool One? Private developers have shown an interest in building a retail village on Anglesey previously (notably at Tŷ Mawr), so why can one not be built which is actually integrated into the High Street of Anglesey's largest town, rather than in an out-of-town location where it would just further cannibalise local businesses? Liverpool One cost in total £920 million to develop - thats a huge sum of money, but according to the blurb in the
Holyhead Forward plan, they have already spent £67million in Holyhead between 2003-06 with no discernible improvement to the town centre at all - arguably it is worse now than previously.
I know there are no doubt lots of reasons why it can't be done - but surely the time has come for some radical, new thinking in Holyhead? The truth is that all the brand workshops in the world will not save Holyhead unless we stop doing what we have always done and instead try something completely different. As always I look forward to your learned comments.
P.S. I will be away for the next couple of days so blogging may be light.
82 comments:
As a professional, I don`t believe Holyhead Town centre will recover unless, until -
* Retailers, small and large, return and take the considerable risk to open "needed" shops there, again....but why should they ?
* Business rates are crippling...lets look at reducing them or waiving them for a period...a rate-free zone as an incentive to recovery ?
* We, the public, change our convenience habits,and patronise such shops...but are we likely to ?
* Junk shops, and charity shops are removed.
*A major retailer is persuaded to locate in market street, free of rates...other smaller retailers may follow...that is their habit.
* Space over shops are ued for residential purposes...thus giving the place some added footfall and vibrancy.
Etc Etc.
Layout is a huge problem for Holyhead, as is the very fact that it is a port town. If you look at things the other way, when you take a car to Ireland, you hardly ever think 'oh, let's have a good look around Dun Laoghaire'. The first thing you think of is getting through Dublin and as close to your ultimate destination as quickly as you can. It's the same here - people have Liverpool or Chester as their first major destinations, and getting off Anglesey and down the A55 is the first priority.
The trouble with £multi-million developments is that they seem to think people will come to have a look just because it's there. They won't! You have to ensure people are almost forced to go through the retail areas, so that they might stop. Even then, they are hardly going to want a range of products - and those they do want are all available at the terminal.
It is a pity for Holyhead - a place that still has very friendly, varied and open people, despite some of its inner city problems. A fantastic place to have a walk and relax, too. Maybe concentrating on the natural attractions is the way to get more people to pass through the retail areas?
Yes, Holyhead town centre is quite sad to see. It's remarkable to see how much the out-of-town supermarkets have increased in numbers and size over the last 10 years. I wouldn't have thought such a market was there, but obviously there is. And as a result (I'm guessing), it was sad to see Hefin's Fruit and Veg closing a few months ago, along with a good butchers on Market St.
I'm quite familiar with the towns of Llanelli and Carmarthen, both in Carmarthenshire, about 15 miles apart.
Just outside Llanelli, the large Trostre shopping area has been developed, and as a result Llanelli town centre looks quite similar to Holyhead town centre.
Carmarthen, on the other hand, is different. A couple of large supermarkets have been developed out of town of the years, but calls to develop a large out-of-town shopping area/centre somehow have been rejected at various levels. About a decade ago, the livestock mart moved from the town centre to a place a couple of miles out, and the old mart area in town has been used as a car park. But very recently, it has been (and still is being) developed into a large modern shopping centre. Despite the downturn, it has managed to attract some large names such as Debenhams, Topshop, River Island, Pizza Express etc, as well as a multi screen cinema. And the best thing about it is that it has been linked in brilliantly with the rest of the town centre, passing right along the historic indoor market, with stallholders there apparently seeing an increase in sales.
So, it seems to be going well there so far. It's still early days, but, with regards to size of the town, and socio-economic/demographics, Holyhead might want to keep an eye on what is going on in Carmarthen.
You will see no investor/developer interest or risk-taking in Holyhead town centre without a substantial increased and sustainable future footfall and a change of shopping habits.
Likely ? Not !
The trouble with the shops in the town centre is that they are just too small to attract any of the larger retailers, this was borne out by the fact that Home Bargains would not consider the old Woolworths building as it did not have enough square footage, as this is one of the larger stores it doesn't seem that anyone would want the smaller shops of which a few have been refurbished but still remain empty.
There is also the issue of parking, people want convenience it seems, they want to park outside shops, load their shopping and drive away, they don't want to lug heavy bags and I for one don't blame them. I think the famous bridge we have in the town centre should have been built higher up the street, linking over to where the marine yard and various other Stena unused building are, these could have been developed and linked to the town centre, unfortunately I believe the town centre has had it's day now and any money spent on it now will be wasted as they need people with foresight to sort it out, which hasn't happened in the past
Druid I think you correct in one respect, Holyhead are does need radical ideas to find a solution to it's problems, unfortunately radical and Anglesey do not fit well if the past is anything to go by.
I have said before that consumer habits have changed out of all recognition in the past few years. The online market is worth £60 billion and rising at a phenomenal rate. You can buy nearly anything you want on the internet and have it delivered to your home in 24 hours (Ok I know you cannot get a haircut) why go to a run down high street where you have to pay for parking and search desparatly for a shop which hasn't closed down.
I believe that a plan for Holyhead as a whole needs to be produced by people who know what they are talking about. i.e developers and others who are looking at the bottom line, they rarely make mistakes as it is their money they are taking the risk with.Keep the council and Assembly out of the equation except when it comes to ensuring that radical ideas like free parking and business rate holidays are dealt with.
Whether anything can be done, I don't know unless someone took the really radical idea and demolished the town centre and started again.
As a professional in these matters, I`ll say this only once...so please listen...There is no economic hope for Holyhead Town Centre....its moved to Penrhos retail park...so get used to it. With respect...End of.
God save us from professionals. Thats how we got into this mess!
19.32 Old Mona !
Only being OBJECTIVE.
Sort it out yourself then, clever dick !
There is a Kikuyu saying, "You can't get a fart out of a dead man", which I am reminded of when I think of Holyhead.
Can someone remind us again *why* town centres deserve to have millions spent trying to save them? Is it just because a couple of people think it would be a great shame to see them empty?
20.03
In a word YES.
Local politicians of the colour of the government of the day succeed in obtaining this money....absolute WASTE.
Better spend it on HOSPITALS and SOCIAL CARE.
DRUID. THIS IS A DEAD-END SUBJECT.
SORRY.
Anonymous 1932
I don't know what you are a professional at but that sort of comment doesn't sound very professional!
It seems to me that some of those posting comments only have one view and that is their own. There is no compromise. Surely that is the problem with Anglesey today
No compromise.
Tell it to the Council and those who signed up to the Alliance's "Terms of Engagement" breaching the Human Rights Act's.
Where's their Compromise?
Until they change their unlawful behaviour, there will be no compromising at all.
We are now at war with the crooks and we will win. NO TOLERANCE. NO COMPROMISE.
£67 million spent on Holyhead between 2003 and 2006. How much has been spent from 2003 to 2010 ?
Makes one wonder where has it all gone.
Holyhead is a terminus, therefore foot passengers do provide passing trade.
I live in Holyhead and don't drive so I shop in Town and have only been shoplifting to Penrhos Retail park twice this year.
Remarkably, i've never seen an elected Councillor (past or present) with shopping in Holyhead Town Centre with the exception of Denis Hadley.
Bolsachian
"Makes one wonder where has it all gone"
Yes, doesn't it? You'd think that someone, somewhere would have thought to make it more obvious and accountable. I hate the WAG signs that go up everywhere, but at least you know that the WAG is there, doing something, even if it's a pile of dross. Canada also does a good job of signing everything with their 'your tax dollars at work'. We need more than just signs, of course!
Holyhead town cetre needs decorating. The paint on most of the shops is peeling especially the windows on the upper levels. It is no wonder that major retailers won't pitch here.
Anglesey Council don't help the issue of footfall by restricting parking on Victoria road and pay and display in all but one car park. No wonder then that we all shop at Penrhos, the parking is free!
So, solution:
1, Lick of paint
2, Free parking
Cost peanuts. That is how you encourage investment.
28 July, 00.17: £67 million spent on Holyhead between 2003 and 2006. How much has been spent from 2003 to 2010 ?
Makes one wonder where has it all gone.
Absolutely shocking.
What is this Holyhead Forward thing? Do they have capable people with vision for the town or just rent seekers?
So many people who have lived in the area for years tell me the town is a "disgrace". Who are the people holding the purse strings for these "projects"?
Why is public money being thrown away like this, with nowt to show for it?
Sorry for being blunt.
Holyhead town centre is a waste of public money.
10.47
I agree...Holyhead town centre will just die a slow withering death as a retail location...it`ll take time...but its an inevitability. How much longer will the banks, Boots etc. remain there.
The solution might be to convert the tertiary and secondary shops into affordable homes for local people, and retain a small cluster in the centre, as convenience shops.
As long as there are easy pickings for the Fat Cats at County Hall, they will do anything to keep the millions in grants rolling in.
@ 10.47 I quite agree with you the town centre can only be classed as convenience shops now, the rest should be classed as residential. People are obtaining grants to do the shops up with flats above, unfortunately when this has been done the shop remains empty. Indeed the two shops in the photograph are owned by WAG and I believe are in line to be improved, one can only wonder what for as there is one across the road newly completed and empty
Druid said:
"The truth is that all the brand workshops in the world will not save Holyhead unless we stop doing what we have always done and instead try something completely different. As always I look forward to your learned comments."
How can you "stop doing what we have always done and instead try something completely different" when you have same people runing show and they no ideas?
Who runs Holeyhead Forwards?
I was refused a Commercial Improvement Grant for my shop because it was retail.
Quote :-
1. The terms and conditions of the above scheme has changed.
2. Officers from our Economic Development Departmant responsible for the "Business Development Fund (BDF) confirmed at the last CIG Panel meeting on the 9/6/05 that because the business being carried out from the premises is retail, that includes (e-bay trading). BDF assistance is not eligible.
It seems that if you own an empty shop you get assistance. If you try your best, you only get a new shop front.
The Housing Renovation Grant and Town Improvement Grant that I did receive was unsuccesfully delivered and finished my business off altogether.
G. Pierce
Can I just add that the HRG was to convert above my shop into two - one bedroom flats and the TIG was to enhance the external of the building.
G. Pierce
This annoying Pierce fellow again !
Enough !
Be away with you.
19.01 thats what you wrote the other night. Wouldnt you and quite a few others working for the Council love me to go away.
Unlucky for this Council I will not.
G. Pierce
19.52 What makes you think I work for the Council...Paranoid ??
19.52 What makes you think I work for the Council...Paranoid ??
The very names Holyhead and Isle of Anglesey County Council conjure up too many negative conotations for an outsider.
Given the dross that turns up when you type Isle of Anglesey in particular into Google, is it any wonder that potential investors aren't exactly beating a path to your door?
Why not do away with both and start afresh with Caergybi and Ynys Mon?
19:01
Anyone who advocates or condones shutting people up who are trying to expose corrupt Council Officers, similar to yourself, must be a Council Officer. Ca-peach.
YAWN !
Holyhead is a ghost town, in fact they all are, there's no getting away with that fact, they are just skeletal remains of a time that has well past. We live in the 21st Century now, the past has gone, we should look ahead, and try our best to erase memories of these good old days and think of how we are to survive, the state of these towns like Holyhead, Amlwch, are the same state of the nation, we are all on our knees, facing extinction, unless we make a drastic change and decide what we want, how we want it, where we want it, and who is it for. Is it for the future or is it to be wasted on past sell by date politics and principles that have failed us all? It's our choice, it's your choice,it's our children's future, choose wisely.
Huw Terry.
Holyhead town centre is finished as a retail environment. There are several factros that are causing this, the main one being social change.
People have cars - they want to shop close to where they can park, in as few outlets as posible who in turn offer as wide an array of selection as possible at a cheap price. Until the oil runs out or the population can no longer afford transport then that's the way it will be.
Get a map. Draw a circle ten miles out around Holyhead. How many people live in it? Draw a ten mile circle round Liverpool city centre. How many people live in that? Now you know why multi-million pound town centre upgrades do not and will not get done in Holyhead.
Look at the state of the closed shops. The owners are trying to sell them for a price that is based on their worth if they were modernised. Most of them, if you worked out what that price was and then deducted how much it would cost to upgrade them are near-worthless.
mentioning the port and it's 2 million transitees is a red herring. Most are in cars and disappear straight down the A55. The proposed changes to the port and the access road under Black Bridge will actually speed that up. Foot passengers are for the most part bound by train times and the ferry timings are deliberately geared around those train times. People on foot are not here long enough. Again the proposed redevelepment and relocation of the station - in conjunction with the port develepment - will actuall make it more difficult (in fact nigh on impossible) for foot passengers to visit the town.
Radical suggestion. CPO the empty shops, demolish them, build desperately needed council housing - both houses for families and flats for couples and singles. Won't happen of course, providing for the people of Anglesey is not something the council prioritises.
I see the 'keep it simple' (because they are), 'I know the answer' (then why hasn't it been done), 'doom merchants' (too easy to kick a place down rather than positively contributing) are sticking it to plucky Holyhead. While not professing to know everything or anything one of the real issues about why Holyhead appears to be going nowhere fast is the over provision of low quality, low rent housing. To suggest further social housing as a solution is to reinforce a large part of the current problem. Holyhead desperately needs developments which respect its past but also provides positive opportunities for the future. If housing development is part of the solution then make sure it's at the high quality, high price end to encourage those who do have money to spend it locally. Surely creating more social housing will only serve to reinforce the benefit culture and its deeply unfortunate associated social issues, which blight the town. Enough town talk, I'm off for a sail(it's only a small dinghy)!! At least Holyhead has a very decent sailing club.
is the over provision of low quality, low rent housing. To suggest further social housing
Social housing has to be built to a higher standard that ordinary housing, and most of the old run-down housing in Holyhead is actually private.
There is a huge need for more social housing for rent - unless of course you have no problem continuing to pay taxes to subsidise Housing Benefit to private landlords who in turn don't have to provide housing of as high a quality as the council and housing assosciations.
You do understand don't you that with the reduction in tax credits coupled with the dramatic lowering of the average working wage due to the closure of Tinto, unless that housing is forthcoming and pretty sharpish, you will witness a fairly severe localised slump in the value of private housing in the Holyhead area along with the assosciated decline in repair and maintenance.
If housing development is part of the solution then make sure it's at the high quality, high price end to encourage those who do have money to spend it locally. Surely creating more social housing will only serve to reinforce the benefit culture
What a remarkably pathetic thing to say. And where pray, are all the local people supposed to live? The days of well-paid jobs on the island are gone for a decade at least. That damage will - over the next few years - filter through to local tradesmen just as it has done to high street shops. Building posh houses to attract rich people is pretty pointless and will do nothing to improve anything for local people. It will only provide low paying jobs, so they will still need more public housing. If there were too much, there wouldn't be the demand and the waiting lists.
Or would you rather that the 'poor people' just moved away out of sight.
Utter snobbery.
If housing development is part of the solution then make sure it's at the high quality, high price end to encourage those who do have money to spend it locally. Surely creating more social housing will only serve to reinforce the benefit culture
What a remarkably pathetic thing to say. And where pray, are all the local people supposed to live? The days of well-paid jobs on the island are gone for a decade at least. That damage will - over the next few years - filter through to local tradesmen just as it has done to high street shops. Building posh houses to attract rich people is pretty pointless and will do nothing to improve anything for local people. It will only provide low paying jobs, so they will still need more public housing. If there were too much, there wouldn't be the demand and the waiting lists.
Or would you rather that the 'poor people' just moved away out of sight.
Utter snobbery.
Not snobbery. Far from it. I think respondants are confusing issues. If there is an over predominance of a low earners and a benefits culture then this is going to reinforce the town's continuing decline, as they have very little additional disposable income with which to encourage or demand new services. All that is suggested that a better social mix would help the process of starting to address many of the town's issues. You only have to look at Rhyl and Colwyn Bay to see that changing the social mix is part of their recently adopted regeneration strategies. On a smaller scale building marinas in Conwy and across the river have transformed the fortunes of the local independant retail offer. So FACT building high end worth properties can contribute to positive change. Empirical evidence trumps anecdotal nonsense everytime.
PS When Wlyfa B starts new well paid jobs will be available long before 10 years away. The real challenge will be can the Island, the Council and WAG respond to ensure that local people have the skills required.
PS When Wlyfa B starts new well paid jobs will be available long before 10 years away.
Which goes to show how much you know. The dismantling of Wylfa A and construction of Wylfa B will be done in the main by a specialist workforce (brought here as opposed to recruited and trained here) and so not only will few locals be employed in the demolition/construction phase but those that are will be predominantly at the lower no-skill/lo-skill end with the appropriate wage levels - in fact (to use your phrase)'Empirical evidence' shows that when big businesses recruit in areas of high unemployment they offer lower wages than in comparison to other areas. The imported high-skill workforce will invariably export the bulk of their wages back to their families - in major projects such as this usually Italy for some reason.
Also, you quote Wylfa however you omit to mention that although ‘will’ is there current Westminster policy is 'no subsidies', and without massive subsidies the new-build project is economically unfeasible.
Quoting Rhyl and Colwyn Bay is a bit mickey-mouse. Both - as it is far to assume you very well know - are fast becoming something we can never be - dormitory towns for the Chester area.
Our problem is housing local people - a large amount of who, under post-crash monetary policy, will never be able to buy a house in the foreseeable future . Quoting Rhyl and Colwyn Bay and Wylfa does not house local people here and now.
And I agree with Anon further up you are a snob and quite blatantly so.
It's surprising that in this supposed age of online reason and debate people have to resort to debasing issues to 'snobbery', when they simply don't agree with a point. Personally, I won't demean myself to such a level but that comes from an education that put great stall on being able to disagree and put together cogent and logical argument in forum of peers without fear of referring to class or such nonsense, which says a whole lot more about those who denegrate open dialogue. Surely, we're all hear to learn and enlighten each other not point fingers and claim who know's more. All very disappointing and small minded. No wonder the island's up the creep without a paddle with such helpful contributors.
It is snobbery. It is ridiculous to blame Holyhead's problems on an oversupply of social housing (to much? He's having a laugh surely), particularly when most of the 'scruffy' housing is in fact private housing. As one of the Anon posters rightly points out - social housing has to be built to a higher standard of build than private housing.
It is pure snobebry to suggest that the answer lies not in providing affordable rented housing for the low/no earners but rather to build more 'posh' housing. I notice that the poster who suggested this made absolutley no effort to suggest where these people (which for the foreseeable future will be a substantial and increasing percentage of the islands population) - in short, not the slightest bothered and regards them as something to be discarded and moved on. The same poster is also fundementally wrong about Wylfa. As has been pointed out, most of the skilled high paying jobs will go to specialist foreign companies who bring their own workforce with them. Even the rubble will be handled by specialist companies because of the hazard. Anglesey will provide the labour for the most part.
I blame the Council for lacking vision and for allowing Stena to call the shots.
For instance, IoACC Plannning Department have rubber stamped a project for a second marina together with 400 unaffordable houses to be built on Newry Beach and Soldiers Point.
Stena has formed a subsidiary Company named ConygarStena Limited, which involves Stena providing the land and Conygar Investments financing the construction operation.
For the record ConygarStena labelled Newry Beach as surplus water-frontage, which says it all.
I suspect influential Council Officials have already entered into off the record negotiations with StenaConygar to pave the way.
Bolsachian
This is how it works:-
Stena want to build a bonded warehouse at Ty Mawr Industrial Park supposedly creating 400 jobs.
They will use this as leverage by claiming they are not prepared to go ahead with the warehouse unless they are granted permission to develop Newry Beach.
If the homes/second homes go for about £300k StenaConygar will turnover approximately £120 Million from this development and Newry Beach is lost forever under a pile of hardcore.
23:46
Sounds like are you saying:
'I'm not snob, I've just had a better education than you ignorant plebs'.
Yor 'aving a larf shurely!
The bonded warehouse at Ty Mawr is a fantastic example of manipulation of figures. The '400 jobs' breaks down as a fair chunk being construction staff (from a non-local construction company) and so will exist only a matter of months and employ few if any local people and the remainder of these '400 jobs' will be filled by the staff currently working in Stena's Mona warehouse which in turn will close and relocate.
Guess what - a lot of this is subsidised by the WAG. So Stena get a state of the art warehouse at a dirt cheap price and really no extra permanent jobs have been created at all. Companies should not be allowed to say they are 'creating XXX jobs' unless they are permanent and on top of what they already provide. Otherwise they actually aren't - they are just playing with numbers.
The same smoke and mirrors is being used with regards the Newry development. Again this will be built by major off-island companies employing few local people and those they do for no longer than the build time(this is part of a major development also including Stranraer and Fishguard and the chosen building companies will be used on all of it - economies of scale ). Up Soldiers Point end there will be shops (like Holyhead desperately needs more shops yeah) and some sort of hotel. They will employ local people in long term jobs but in the main they will be low-paid part-time 'service' jobs - shop assistants, waiting-on staff, cleaners etc.
The inhabitants of these luxury apartments will be here for the odd weekend and holidays and although they are obviously well off will actually spend little in the local economy and anything they spend iin a big chain - Tesco's for example - isn't being spent in the local economy anyway. Apart from which, there are still unsold ones down in the marina development and unoccupied shop space at ground level. To build more would seem foolhardy if the demand isn't there.
And Puck, well said to your response to the poster of 23:46.
15.26: - You hit the nail on the head. They should be made to justify the job creation figures.
Holyhead Town Clerk Cifford Everett fully supports the second marina complex and he blogs into the Druids Revenge, therefore, he can enlighten us as to how this project is going to create 400 jobs.
Also, the timing of the article in the H/H Anglesey Mail happened to be less than a week after Tinto closed. Insensitive to say the least, and that's the result of the local rag been spoon fed by the authorities.
If car passengers flowed into Stena Port without being stuck in traffic, then they would probably venture into Holyhead Town safe in the knowledge they won't miss the ferry due to traffic.
Please bare in mind that if you planned a journey to catch a ferry you would allow time for unforeseen circumstances, therefore, if the journey went like clockwork you would have time on your hands to spend in Holyhead.
A very simple solution to this is a fly-over or tunnel from the A55 into Stena Port.
Bolsachian
So come on Bolsachian and other Investor kickers on here what's your plan to revive Holyheads ailing fortunes - its so easy to knock others when your doing nothing about it yourself apart from pontificating from a computer.
I'm just waiting for a well crafted researched business like case that isn't dependant on the dwindling grant regime or some ludicrous pie in the sky rubish ill informed dream .You know the sort of thing - where the money comes from to do something , who benefits and by how much , how many jobs does it create , how much wealth does it bring in etc etc.
Build a tunnel into Stena Land - duh!!!!!
Bolsachian, that is already planned. A feeder road will come off the A55 under Black Bridge and down what is the rail tracks now, over a roundabout that will be opposite the Eagle & Child (now Bar 2 two) and onwards to Salt Island. The whole of the ferry terminal will be on there and where it is at the moment by The Edinburgh, will be redeveloped into...........an inner harbour Marina development (you really couldn't make it up). This new road - specifically built to link the terminal to the A55 directly - will effectively by-pass going through any of the town at all and as passengers hit the McDopnalds roundabout they will be on Salt Island before they even know Holyhead is there. Likewise coming off they will be on the A55 within minutes. You have to remeber that the HSS is in it's last few years and will not be replaced by a similar type vessel. As a result Terminal One is surplus - there is no need for it and logistically moving everything out to an enlargeed Salt Islan makes perfect sense from Stena and Irish Ferries perspective.
The moving of the rail station will take place at the same time. The plan is move it out the otherside of Black Bridge to somewhere in the area of where the signal box is. Complimentary coach shuttle service will then ferry passengers straight to Salt Island or if coming off the ferries straight to the rail station - again effectively by-passing Holyhead town.
The plans for all of this were in the disused Barnardo's Charity Shop window for at least 2 years and they even had an open day and 'road show'.
Your right anon there is a planned road route OUT of the port but the downside is the £20m of cost needed for the road build. Stena have agreed(I think ) to fund the in-port section of any new road but Railtrack want circa £15M to relocate the West Dock railway lines that will need to be taken up on the West Dock to make room for any new road.
Of course Railtrack want an all singing covered in sidings in return for land - greedy beggars .
Its not going to happen in these austerity days - sad to say !
@anonymous 22:27 -You use the word OUT. From that I assume you mean the plan where the incoming traffic goes undwer Black Bridge, down where platforms 2/3 currently are and where the Terminal One building currently stands, over the current inner harbour bridge to the proposed holding area on Salt Island. There is also a second variant (that mentioned above) where it goes in and out running over where the disused rail lines are on a new road parrallel to Victoria Road straight to Salt Island. Interestingly, this variant is the favourd one and also involves demolishing the car bridge currently in the inner harbour by T1. You are absolutelyright there is some arguing going on about financing with Railtrack however it is small-change compared to the overall cost and there are thought to be negotiations going on with the EU, WAG and the council and to assist. Where T1 currently is is all prime building land and medium and long term is that the entire inner harbour is from Stena House, past Termonal one and beyond, is redeveloped as a Marina Complex with moorings and the area where platform one is and running parrallel to the new road, wait for it..........shops and restaurants.
HABannana - As far as I am aware there is now only one variant left on the table ( and I think that table is about to leave the room ).
The plan involves taking traffic coming off the ferries out of the port direct onto the fire station roundabout and A55 via West Dock rail sidings land and under the town side station bridge arches.
So from that you can conclude that the East Dock will still be used for arrival freight and cars so the east/west bridge will be needed.
As for creating an Inner Dock Marina, I agree with you in some ways if you had a magic wand this would be an ideal location but realistically who on Earth would pay for that lot to happen on top of a complete port reconfiguration , could the Port still operate, how would it operate, would the huge amounts of freight have to go closer to the town for it to be able to operate etc etc etc
and the biggest question of course - would anyone want to invest money in Holyhead in the first place when there are probably much less risky places to invest money . From what I see around here lot of people don't want change they just want to put barriers up to repel any mainland investors .Anglesey home of Nimby'ism - personally if I had the money to invest I would steer well clear of Anglesey and head for a county that's pro investment.
Anonymous 19:28 - There is one main plan, several minor technical 'variations' based on the dynamics of what is going on globally. What was it Von Moeltke said "No plan survives first contact with the enemy". The 'enemy' from the developer's perspective being the locals and global conditions.
The Stranraer port relocatioon that Stena and partners is doing is costing over £200M. and will take around 2years without any interruption to service on that route. The port reconfiguration that is proposed for Holyhead is driven a large part for when the HSS finally ceases some time in the next few years. Terminal 1 is then entirely surplus. From their point of view it's just a case of move all of the port to Salt Island or just the vast bulk of it.
Should the developers opt for a design change involving which side the vehicles go in to the system do you think the council would delay it more than 5 minutes or just rubbe stamp it.
If the emphasis shifted from road to rail freight then Livepool Port would become the main route for Irish freight.
This would hit Holyhead for six and wipe us off the map unless they decide to build a bridge to Ireland.
Bolsachian
The emphasis will eventually shift from road to rail (or even bizarrely, airship) - it has to, the dynamics of oil dictate it, just as it dictates that we will have to become more 'local' in our thinking - ie live, work, shop, produce, consume - all in a smaller area.
I heard a whisper that Railtrack have plans to ship freight from Holyhead to Ireland.
Can someone kindly explain to me why Stena are always at the front of the queue when it comes to securing grant aid.
Stena developed Terminal 1 with the backing of European money to facilitate the HSS. The Council and Stena failed to consider the approach to Stena Port (Black Bridge) because grant aid was not available outside of the port and the cheapest option was to instal traffic lights and pedestrian crossings in the most dangerous of places.
Clearly, they have no regard for the people of Holyhead.
Anon 3Aug (20:14) - Building a marina and 400 second unaffordable homes does not amount to inward investment.
Building houses on our shore's is not the answer although it would certainly 'shore-up' the developers balance sheet.
Holyhead is dead because vital Objective 1 funding has not impacted although £67 Million of funding has been spent.
This does does not surprise me considering the Council are unaware of their own Grant Policy.
I have documents showing that the Senior Grant's Officer estimated the cost of skimming a ceiling as £1,800 which works out to be over £100 per square metre.
The bottom-line is, we are not getting value for money.
Bolsachian
£100 per square metre for skimming a ceiling is approximately ten times the going rate.
The Senior Grant Officer should know that Council Official's determine the amount of "Estimated Eligible Expense" and reduce items of expenditure accordingly. This is a counter measure to deter price-fixing and collussion between agents, builders and applicants.
I assure you now that the Senior Grant's Officer would not pay £100 per square metre on his own properties.
The above is a prime example of how official's have no value for Public money and are literally giving it away at someone else's expense.
I have a Council Costing Sheet that confirms the going rate is £10
per square metre for skimming.
Lug
I wish the council had just paid the grant money direct to the builder and agent without either of them coming near my home - that way it wouldn't be in a worse condition than when the work started.
I could have carried out the 'emergency repairs' myself for the money I've had to borrow to pay the legal fees incurred, plus the work would have been done properly and would be covered by insurance - which it isn't now!
Ok lets test the ‘the knock Stena ‘ theory..seems to be a popular pastime for a lot of folk in Holyhead :-
1)Who can list all the grants that Stena have had in Holyhead Port (with info source )?
2)How much has Stena invested in the Port ?
Talk about skim ceilings.
When I complained about the skim ceiling to my shop, I was told that it was done as a "favour" I had to agree because it was not in the schedule of works.
It was then shown as a Town Improvement Grant extra, at a cost of £1,700
@21:35 - I see plenty of knocking of the council, but not really very much kknocking of Stena. I see some disillusionment with what they intend to do in some areas, and I see very valid points as to how it will disadvantage the people of Holyhead.
22.07
I thought the Town Improvement Grant (TIG) was for external works?
00.11 You are correct and I am contesting the cost of the shop ceiling. £1,700 should not have been added.
Anonymous said(5 August 2010 13:53)
Can someone kindly explain to me why Stena are always at the front of the queue when it comes to securing grant aid.
Are they really?
I know they had £3m towards the big 1995/ 96 development which cost them circa £80M but to be fair that included huge improvemnts to the station public access area.I know they had circa £3M towards the Terminal 5 work which cost them £16M plus £200M for the ship and they also had circa £200,000 towards a new call center which brought 50 new jobs to the town and they are still there .
Now if you look at how much the Council and other quango type outfits have had over the years and what you have gained then I would say at least Stena deliver value for money - perhaps all grants should go to private companies who seem able to work out whats worth investing in and what is'nt.
Stena also had a lot of money to move their Call Centre from Kent to the top floor of the Terminal 1 building. It was subsidised and supposed to provide 60 jobs for the first 3 years but it never has, nowhere near. Around 40 I think at it's peak and some of them were brought up from Kent on short term contracts.
Hey Anon 1305
All I can say is RUBISH - I think if you read my post I said the Call Center had a grant of circa £200,000.I can also tell you for sure that ALL the staff are local and staff numbers are well over 40.
People really should chk thir facts before posting .
I can assure you that the call centre staff including it's support staff, (three of which were seconded - 2 from kent and one from europe) at it's peak - which was in year 2, didn't break 50 full/part-time.
Yet accordiong to the Holyhead Forward Regeneration Strategy (on this blog if you care to look), there are supposedly 60 working there.
So 'rubbish' that.
And further, no-one disputes the 200K figure, but you seem to think it's not a lot of money whereas I don't know anyone who doesnt think it's a bloody lot of money.
Oh, by the way. I know a lot of people who work there and if you want I will get one of them to come up with a definitive answer as to exactly how many work there as of now.
'Largest' cruise ship to call at Anglesey
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-10894566
"We have also organised things for people to do and see in Holyhead and the rest of Anglesey," she added.
Local coach companies were expected to line up along the jetty and shuttle buses take visitors into Holyhead where an AlFresco Festival has been organised with live music, street entertainment, and face painting.
"This has been very much a team effort, and we've all worked hard to make sure there is plenty for people to do and see once they arrive on shore".
This is the first I've heard about an 'AlFresco'(sic) festival in Holyhead and what is it thats been organised for the rest of Anglesey?
It's not that there aren't plenty of interesting things to see and places to go on Ynys MOn, it's just that I don't anyone who knows about this event, (admittedly I don't get out enough).
I'm sure the council team worked hard "to make sure that there is plenty for people to do and see" - but seeing as all the historical places were there before the cruise co-ordination team was set up - I'm assuming that much of the work is the publicity for the 'cruisers' and I can see that the Al Fresco festival would need organising.
Now without wanting to sound like a kill-joy, I thought that cruise passengers were more likely to have fitted the SAGA profile rather than the 'Playschool under 12's' profile. I'm just tossing this image around that I have of pensioners walking round Holyhead with their faces painted like lions,tigers, Batman and Darth Maul; (unless the Druid is there being liberal with the woad. Maybe with robes, sickles wild whirling women as an optional extra?
How absolutely exciting......Three thousand people having spent thousands to take their cruise of a lifetime will come to nglesey for an exhibition of face painting.
No doubt this wonderful concept was voted on by our County Councillors at the suggestion of the County Tourism Officer and the Councillor for Tourism. You are wonderful people. I guess messrs Carnical Cruises will be head-hunting you guys to sort out their future.
Salty
To the people arguing about Stena's Holyhead Call Centre - you're both half right and both half wrong.
Just in Holyhead (there are other people at the ports who also take calls and also Lithuania) at the ports.
There's currently about 45 full and part time people split between tele-sales and support. You never see that many because of shifts, holidays, sickies and there's some on maternity leave.
It got some sort of funding/grant aid for it's first three years.
It did have some people from Ashford. At the start about 6. Then just three - 2 from Ashford and one from Holland. That was a sort of training-come-continuity type affair.
Most of the staff come from Holyhead or close by, but some come from farther afield - even one of the mangement coming from Caernarfon.
How much money they were given for those three years I can't say and probably wouldn't on here if I did know. I should imagine it's business confidential.
The Holyhead Forward council document on this blog says 60, but I don't think it's ever been that many but may have been close in the first couple of years or so.
I thinkj the argumnent is detracting slightly from the actual problem which is lack of employment prospects coupled with high unemployment. That leads to lack of competition for employees and as a result locally depressed wage levels. It also creates a climate where Holyhead is becoming a 'one trick pony' - the port, which again is never a healthy situation to be in.
Don’t forget the Data loaders and IT technician folk that back up the Call Centre...... no how many are we up to !
The IT are not part of the Call Centre. They are IT support for Stena House, the port and the ships as well as the call centre and aren't part of it's organic organisation.
The Call Centre consists of the tele-sales teams, the Database, ACD, Admin and customer services.
The whole lot is about 45 strong at present.
Bet the grant form would have included IT staff as Call Center FTE's ..Go ask the person that filled in the form bet im right !
There's no more IT staff than there were before. Infact, I think there may be one less.
continued...In fact, even if you added them in, it stil wouldn't reach 50.
HOLYHEAD INVESTMENTS
The scale of public investment in Holyhead appears to have been greatly exaggerated by some people.
Holyhead Forward website says public regeneration capital investment to date since 2003 is about £8m (a lot less than the £27m being given to the Pontio project alone in Bangor). Most of the capital investment in Holyhead in recent years appears to be private money eg new sewerage system (Welsh Water private funds c£35m), and the new Morrisons Supermarket (private commerce c£25m. The biggest public investment has been the Parc Cybi business park (WAG c£10m).
I frequently visited Holyhead as a child, over 60 years ago.It was a pleasant place to come for a day out.
I came here to live, from Liverpool in the late 80's.
Holyhead will never be regenerated as Liverpool was and is still in the process of, on a wider scale, socially.There doesn't seem to be the will or know how of carrying out such a development, by the present Anglesey Councillor's. Unfortunately there has always been a lack of vision, so how can we move forward.There are no jobs, no industry, no apprenticeships...nothing.Holyhead is at a standstill, and that affects everyone.The calibre of people in government here, just are not up to the job
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