Sunday 1 November 2009

WALKING ON WATER

In 1966, Rhyl Pier closed for the last time. It had been one of our principal attractions for 100 years (on and off). It was the first pleasure pier of its kind in North Wales but as its age increased the maintenance costs increased, and eventually the poor old thing had to go. It was a liability.

The photo above appears by courtesy of Gaynor Williams and we believe it dates from early 1950s. By that time the tiny theatre-on-the-pier (the Bijou Pavilion later renamed Pier Pavilion) had gone, the number of kiosks had dwindled and the world was changing.

There was a certain magic about the pier and the sound of water lapping beneath your feet, but there is no point in being sentimental about any of the old attractions. That was then and this is now, and these are somebody else's good old days.

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