They're late

Yesterday's April fool announcement on this blog about CCBC's plans for Happy Valley seems to have struck a chord, possibly because this sort of thing is becoming an all too familiar pattern for CCBC.  In fact, we probably need a new county motto for CCBC: "Decimate not Innovate".

That aside, the Easter weekend promises the usual traffic chaos on the A55, although the main problem is on the East bound carriageway, so at least visitors will make it here fairly easily.

Providing the weather behaves itself, we can look forward to the start of another season, and we can hope that this year sees some real ideas and progress in respect of Happy Valley - a wonderful site that has been allowed to deteriorate beyond recognition.  We allowed sheer stupidity and greed to lead to the incredible loss of the Penmorfa and we mustn't repeat it, although all might not be lost.  Ten years ago, the Times wrote

Thanks to the survival of two of the holiday homes of Alice Liddell, the child who inspired the Alice books, Llandudno has long been the world centre of Mad Hatters, March Hares and Mock Turtles

In 2012 we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the writing of Through the Looking Glass and it would be innovative indeed if something could be created for the same year we're expected to host the Olympics to remind visitors that Llandudno's more than just a seaside town.  Although avarice saw the demolition of the house itself, the outline and foundations remain and could be rebuilt. Arguably,  a new Alice attraction could be created as a walk-through experience in some of the larger houses nearby as they come up for sale. The old joke 'Nostalgia's not what it used to be' couldn't be more wrong;  nostalgia's a bigger incentive for visitors now than ever, thanks to the ubiquity and availability of information.  And creation of something along the lines suggested could be a wonderful and lasting legacy. And the irony of CCBC caring about Alice in Wonderland shouldn't be lost...