The charming village suburb of Craig-y-Don may be nestled alongside the bustle of Llandudno, but it has a buzzing shopping district that’s drawing attention in its own right. This community treasure has recently welcomed ‘destination’ stores such as Dylan’s, which gave a new lease of life to the seafront’s historic Washington building, and Benjamin Lee Artisan Bakery, renowned for its sweet and savoury delights that attract people from afar, reports North Wales Live.
However, some feel Craig-y-Don doesn’t receive the recognition it warrants, prompting local business owners to band together to promote the village as an attraction for locals and visitors alike. Alix Donaldson of Givealittle gift shop is at the forefront of this endeavour.
She said: “After attending business forum meetings for Llandudno, a few consistent Craig y Don attendees formed a group to essentially try and promote the village as a place to visit for both locals and tourists to the town. There is a distinct lack of signage.
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Givealittle gift shop in Craig y Don
“The aim is to showcase Craig y Don as a ‘complete village’ with everything you need in one place and that it is not just an add on to Llandudno but very much part of it.
“We have hotels and holiday accommodation, artisan bakery, cafes, delicatessen, bars and pubs, hair and beauty, health and well-being, restaurants, takeaways, a gallery, florist and retail, several of which offer workshops too. There is a real sense of community buzz. Each business plays its part and we all want Craig y Don to thrive all year round.
“There is a lot more activity, there are quiz nights, Spanish nights, Coffee Vino (previously Coffee V) now have a license and have been hosting local events and pop ups, Ballooning Marvellous have put up Candy Cane Christmas decs to decorate Queen’s Road and we have a business Christmas party organised.
“The quality of shops, eateries and accommodation is very high with an artisan element, the majority of which are individually owned, and have great feedback on Google and Tripadvisor too.”
The group has created a map with a list of all the stores, bars and cafes in the area. Alix added: “When mapped, there were over 90 businesses. Next year the land train will have a new route incorporating CYD and hopefully that will have a positive effect on the area.
“The group is open to anyone who wishes to have a positive impact on the area and next year the group are going to organise clean ups and events alongside the distribution of the maps.”
One of the businesses that has seen that change in recent years is Dylan’s. They opened at the landmark Washington site seven years ago, playing their own part in the revival.
Outside Dylan’s in Craig-y-Don which has become a popular eatery in the area -Credit:Mark Williams
David Evans, co-owner of a local business, expressed his satisfaction with the growth of Craig y Don’s hospitality and retail scene. He said: “It’s really pleasing to see the range hospitality and retail options to choose from now in Craig y Don. It’s moved on significantly in the seven years we’ve been there.
“We’ve just had our busiest year ever in our restaurant – despite some pretty serious challenges to the sector in 2024, and Conwy opening up relatively nearby.”
Casa Reme Delicatessen, which is owned by Remedios “Reme” Aldana Lopez
Remedios “Reme” Aldana Lopez, who opened Casa Reme Delicatessen in 2022, offering Spanish delights as well as Welsh products, also shared her thoughts. She said: “Craig y Don in Llandudno has so much to offer and there’s a special feeling around in this little area full of amazing independent and local shops with unique and individual products, specialising in different types of food, drinks, art, quality and exquisite taste for business.
“Customers are important for us, we offer personal and excellent customer service because we care about them! I can’t understand why Craig y Don isn’t more busy. We all go to big cities and love to get into these beautiful independent little shops with quality products and services but I would love to see more people coming to an area like this.”
Lopez also expressed her frustration at seeing people buying Spanish products in large supermarkets, often at higher prices and lower quality than what she offers in her shop. She concluded by saying: “Personally, I get very frustrated when I see people buying Spanish products in big branding supermarkets paying probably more than what they would in my shop and for worse quality! Craig y Don is now a lovely cosy local area in such a small town and we don’t appreciate it enough.”