Wetherspoon’s repair work is 'hitting other Llandudno businesses'

Nov 25 2010 by Eva Ketley, North Wales Weekly News

THE renovation of a landmark pub has upset neighbouring businesses who say they are losing out because it is dragging on.

Work on a £700,000 scheme to repair and renovate the exterior of The Palladium in Llandudno run by pub giants JD Wetherspoon started in April and won’t be finished until next March.

Meanwhile nearbybusinesses have had to put up with noise, dust, lorries blocking side roads, and also complain that the scaffolding obscures their shops from public view.

Jackie Powell of Female and Male hair salon in George Street next to the pub says she is nearly at the end of her tether.

“If it wasn’t for the support of my regular ladies who have been wonderful in putting up with it all I would have given up weeks ago.

“It’s been horrendous it’s like being in some sort of nightmare,” she complained.

She said the road outside her premises was often blocked and at one point contractors also closed the pavement.

And Andrew Roberts of David Roberts shoe shop in Gloddaeth Street said the scaffolding on the pub is hiding his business from passersby and dust created by sand blasting had ruined a newly laid carpet.

“We put a brand new carpet down in June and now it needs deep cleaning. There has been an awful lot of dust from the sand blasting and that treads in,” he said.

On Monday town councillor Brian Bertola organised a meeting between five businesses and Wetherspoon’s management.

“This is a terrible situation for these businesses to be in and they were upset that Wetherspoon’s didn’t consult them before starting work,” he said.

Wetherspoon’s spokesman Eddie Gershon said: " The scaffolding at The Palladium has been up for around 14 weeks and is expected to remain in place until the start of February 2011.

"Permission for the scaffolding to be erected was granted by the council.

"Wetherspoon is making repairs to the external fabric of the building which is in a very poor state of repair.

"Last year a piece of stonework fell from the building onto the pavement and the company needs to ensure that the building is both safe and in good condition, hence the work.

"We appreciate the predicament of local businesses, however, it is important that the work is carried out.

“We are doing all that we can to ensure that the work does not impair local businesses.”