WE VISIT THE NORTH WALES TOWN NAMED AMONG UK'S BEST PLACES TO LIVE - AND FIND PROS AND CONS

An historic North Wales town was recently named among the top 72 places to live in the UK by The Sunday Times. Conwy was one of five Welsh towns with Abergavenny topping the list in this country and North Berwick in Scotland pipping rivals for the overall UK title, for the first time.

"Every kind of natural adventure is within easy reach of the brooding towers and tumbledown castle walls that cast an enchanting spell over this coastal hotspot," they wrote of our local gem.

"Those lucky enough to live in the town can pick up groceries and grab a coffee in impeccably historic surroundings, while enjoying the reassurance of regular trains and a fast road.”

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But what's the walled town of Conwy really like beyond the cobbles, ramparts, ice cream and shrieking seagulls? I headed along to see what the town would have to offer.

It felt like Conwy Quay was a good place to start. It's so evocative with its lobster pots and fishing paraphernalia. Near The Liverpool Arms pub an information board gives prices for mooring your boat in the harbour.

If you've never squeezed inside it The Smallest House in Great Britain is always worth a look. It re-opens this Saturday, March 23 after the winter break.

Chatting to a couple taking in its curious dimensions (72 inches wide x 122 inches high and occupied until May 1900), they said they'd come up by coach from Cornwall and were staying in Llandudno. "Would you come and live in Conwy?" I asked.

"Definitely," said the lady. "And it's much cleaner than Cornwall." We drifted on to the subject of the NHS and they said the NHS was apparently under even more pressure in south west England than in North Wales.

Back to the town and barely a minute's walk from Conwy Quay is Bodlondeb Park.

It seemed like a good idea to take a stroll there - as residents and indeed visitors can currently do - given that there is some uncertainty surrounding whether there would be public access to all areas if and when the Conwy CB Council HQ and grounds are snapped up by a buyer.

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It was pleasant to stroll along its sun-dappled paths. The grounds are thoughtfully laid out with some grass left to grow long for seed eating birds such as goldfinches, according to a display board.

Turning back towards the town, I passed tennis courts which were getting a makeover. A workman in a protective mask was busily spraying green paint into the Tarmac to simulate grass, while another was pushing a machine to deposit vivid blue paint over the courts' fringes. (If his trainers weren't blue beforehand they certainly are now).

But the point is there is a civic pride here - and an eye on how much revenue can be gleaned in court hiring fees - which bodes well for residents. However, a resident returning to her home near Crown Lane gave me a reality check before I went all Darling Buds of May.

"It's not as idyllic to live here as you might think," she cautioned, with a bag of heavy-looking shopping in each hand. "It's noisy, there are arguments about parking and there are too many Airbnbs in Conwy so the community spirit disappears.

"I'm from England but I feel sorry for the Welsh." Warming to her theme, she added: "Across North Wales the homeless are in hotels and the tourists are in the houses. It should be the other way around."

Mulling over her sobering words, I dropped down into High Street for elevenses. The L's Coffee & Bookshop was sadly closed this Monday morning so I popped into M&J Bistro, opposite The Potter's Gallery (Oriel y Crochenwyr).

I ordered a bara brith and a latte. It was a chunky slice on a slate plate and very moist and sticky. It came with butter and strawberry jam which were welcome although it would have been quite delicious enough without them.

It was time to make a move but such delights are what the resident of Conwy can enjoy if they are lucky enough to call this place home.

There's also the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the 13th Century Conwy Castle, Thomas Telford's Grade I-listed Suspension Bridge, the Elizabethan town house Plas Mawr and the Royal Cambrian Academy among its many attractions. I know there are pressures of space but this is indeed an enchanting place.

Just be prepared for the fact that lots of other people will think it's enchanting too.

2024-03-23T09:33:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd