Colwyn Bay family greengrocers celebrate award for 120 years service

Dec 9 2008 By Richard Evans

A COLWYN Bay family business has been presented with an award after trading in the town’s shopping centre for over 120 years.

Arundale’s, a family run greengrocers were amongst those who were commended on their long standing success at a ceremony at Colwyn Bay Town Hall on Rhiw Road.

The event was organised by the Colwyn and District Chamber of Trade to celebrate 13 businesses who had flourished for over 30, 50 and 75 years in the Colwyn Bay area. Each successful business was given a commemorative frame, or certificate.

Philip Arundale’s runs the family greengrocers on Station Road and said he was proud of his family’s achievements, after receiving the award for 121 years open in the town.

"I’m very proud, my family has worked hard and I’ve got to thank previous generations for bringing the business on. We are certainly looking to keep going."

Philip’s wife, Wendy put down the business’s success to hard work and good service.

"My husband works very hard- three times a week he gets up at 2am in the morning to go to Liverpool Market to get the best produce," she said.

"I think the key is keeping the quality up- the supermarkets get the first pick of everything.

"We offer a personal service- we do local deliveries and quite a bit of wholesale as well."

Gwenda Matthews is the president of the chamber of trade and paid tribute to all of the businesses who had managed to sustain their success. She also said Colwyn Bay’s success stories were testament to the town’s strength as a shopping centre, offering a wide range of shops and stores.

"By celebrating the fantastic diversity and longevity of the businesses we have in our area we are showing that Colwyn Bay is a town with so much to offer," she said.

"We have lots of independent traders here in Colwyn Bay and I believe that makes us far more appealing to consumers. We’re extremely proud of our traders and are looking forward to giving them the recognition they deserve."