The long (and town) haul

Despite yesterday being the day after the holiday weekend, Llandudno was still heaving as we discovered when we tried to reach Smith's, mid-afternoon.

That end of Mostyn St now seems only a faded remnant of its former glory, and that's unlikely to change until business confidence returns, at the very least. But Llandudno businesses are a curious contradiction; the welcoming attitude that does much to promote Llandudno and its people is often at odds with the short-sightedness of the business philosophy that only sees as far as the next week. It's in vogue to blame the councils for everything, but that's only half the picture. We need far-sighted business people in the area, businesses that see years down the line, and not weeks. The other popular whipping boy - Mostyn's - does exactly that and, although the very name conjures fear and loathing in equal measure, no one can deny that they take a long-term view of the town's future.