Huge blow for struggling UK seaside town as it’s ‘abandoned’ by big business

A struggling seaside town has seen another big business shut a branch amid a series of closures.

Vue has announced it will abandon its multiplex cinema on the seafront at Rhyl in Denbighshire, North Wales.

The closure comes after the town’s SeaQuarium attraction closed last year and the SC2 waterpark was forced to shut its gates due to storm damage. It has since reopened.

Vue has said it won’t extend the lease at The Village, West Parade, where it operates a five screen cinema seating more than 600.

Management will return to Denbighshire Council, which Wales Online reports is exploring options for the site.

A spokesperson for the local authority told the same publication that the lease on the Vue cinema building will expire in 2025.

They added: “We are working closely with Vue to arrange the handover at a date which is yet to be confirmed.

“We are also working with other parties to develop plans for the future use of the site, but it is too early at this stage to make any further comments.”

Vue has been approached for comment.

Ageing populations, lower wages, low educational achievement and a lack of affordable housing have all been identified as driving a decline of seaside resorts across the UK.

Local authorities’ finances also mean towns have struggled to diversify or improve their offer to tourists.

More than £12million has been spent on Rhyl’s new Queens Market retail, events and food hub but the building stands vacant for want of an operator.

Plans for an airship in the town fell through when Zip World announced it was abandoning plans for the Skyflyer attraction.

North Wales Live reported in October last year that the scheme’s collapse was a “major blow” to Rhyl’s regeneration.

Zip World said it was “hugely disappointed” to have reached the conclusion Skyflyer’s operation wasn’t possible.