A woman was left appalled after a nostalgic trip to her hometown.
Penny Colegate, 68, who once worked in the seaside resort, historically one of the UK’s most famous, was left utterly dismayed after a trip down memory lane turned sour upon visiting.
The pensioner, who had fond memories of working in the town, was shocked to find the streets littered with refuse.
Back at her current Hampshire home, Penny lamented the sorry state of her old stomping ground, now “swimming in litter”.
She described sidewalks covered in litter, which accumulated around street fixtures.
The condition of the town not only presented an eyesore and health risk, according to Penny, but it also sullied the image of Llandudno as a prime holiday location.
“Seeing the town like this really upset me,” Penny told North Wales Live, expressing her disappointment. “Llandudno is the premier tourist destination in north Wales and to say it was dirty is an understatement.”
During her stay at the local Travelodge for two nights, Penny had been eager to revisit cherished places from her past. This visit marked her first return since relocating to Basingstoke 13 years prior, following her ex-husband’s passing.
She recalled: “As soon as I stepped out of the Travelodge, I saw a side road full of litter that was tumbling towards me in the wind.”
“The whole place was filthy. Everywhere there were Coke cans, plastic bottles, serviettes and fast food wrappers. Cigarette butts too.
“Litter had accumulated in shop doorways and under public benches and it looked to have been there for a goodly period. I moved a glass left in the road so that it didn’t hurt anyone, and picked a glass jar from a drain and put it in a bin.
“Most of those responsible were visitors, I imagine, and it’s left the town looking dirty bordering on filthy.”
Like many British towns, Llandudno is battling with litter problems, exacerbated by the influx of summer tourists, a thriving hospitality scene, and seagulls rummaging through bins.
Street cleaners and volunteers, including Asda employees and school pupils, are at the forefront of tackling the issue, with numerous beach-cleaning events organised throughout the year by various organisations and solo activists.
However, despite these efforts, the task can often feel thankless and never-ending.
This sentiment was echoed by a former resident who revisited Llandudno after eight years: “Just been to Llandudno for the first time in eight years after living there for 45 years. Felt sad at how rundown it looked. Happy to be back home in France without the litter and traffic.”
Regular visitors have echoed these sentiments, with a yearly visitor from Yorkshire lamenting: “I just don’t understand why people travel a couple of hours each way to a lovely seaside town and then spoil it.
“The cost of cleaning this mess up is funded by a council that visitors don’t pay a penny towards.
“And whilst tourists are good for the local economy, it’s just a shame so many don’t respect your beautiful town like we do.”
Penny, who comes from Dyserth in Denbighshire and spent four days touring North Wales visiting different towns, said: “Most of these places had issues with littering but not on the same scale.
“The situation in Llandudno was appalling. If the council doesn’t have the money, a tourist tax would help pay for extra litter-picking. Tourism is Llandudno’s lifeblood and if the town doesn’t tackle its litter problem, people will stay away. I found it so sad.”
Earlier in the year, a meeting took place in the town to discuss how to clamp down on the litter crisis.
Visibly angered by the state of her ex-husband’s gravesite in a nearby churchyard, Penny said: “It used to be immaculate, now it’s a disgrace.”
Responding to the criticism, Conwy Council said: “We regularly remind visitors and residents to be responsible with their litter, via our social media accounts and on-site posters.
“Most people dispose of their litter responsibly, and it’s disappointing that there’s a minority of people who don’t.
“Littering can have a negative impact on everyone’s enjoyment of nature, can be a danger to animals and can pollute our environment.
“Take all your rubbish home with you, or put it in a bin, and leave no trace of your visit.”
