Conwy to hand over Bodlondeb after nearly three decades

Rhyl Journal

28-05-2025

The local authority has called the Grade II listed building home since 1996 but at the end of May, the keys will officially pass to Quidos Investments Ltd, marking the end of an era.
Bodlondeb Hall, described as "one of the most beautiful buildings in Wales", was the house seat of the Wood family, built by industrialist and Mayor of Conwy Albert Wood in 1877. It came into municipal ownership in 1937, its family rooms becoming the offices first of all of Conway Borough Council [Conwy was formerly known as Conway] and later, in 1974, of Aberconwy Borough Council.
Conwy County Borough Council has been based in the building since its inception in 1996.
The Grade II listed building boasts beautiful high ceilings (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) The Pioneer was given a tour of the characteristical building earlier in May. Most employees had already relocated to Coed Pella - the council's £58 million purpose-build office complex in Colwyn Bay. At the time of the visit, only the IT department remained on site and the building felt noticeably empty in anticipation of the full move.
The central atrium (which has been used for weddings) (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Bleddyn pointed out some of the building's standout features to Coastal Chief Reporter Suzanne Kendrick, which included intricately designed fireplaces - each unique in style and some adorned with decorative panels, carved mahogany mantel pieces, wooden staircases, stained glass doors, the atrium and spacious, high-ceilinged rooms and the imposing entrance doors.
Each fireplace is unique in its design (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) We saw the old and the new; offices feature in both the original house and the modern extension. The extension, which includes the Council's chamber, was added in the 1990s.
Stained glass windows around one of the imposing entrance doors (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Sharing his personal perspective on the building's standout features, Bleddyn said: "What stands out to me is the unique detailing in the old part - fireplaces, staircases and balustrades, tiled floor to the old hall."
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Many fireplaces feature hand-coloured tiles (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) The Pioneer were also given a tour of a lesser-known feature - the Emergency Control Centre, located underneath the council offices in the basement. Work to convert the cellar at Bodlondeb was undertaken in 1983. The 'bunker', built in the event of a civil emergency, including potential nuclear incidents, included operations rooms, sleeping quarters, and communication systems.
Richard Jones, Corporate Office Services Manager, said: "People were going to die down here. It is one thing having showers and stuff but they didn't have the suits... the thought is pretty grim.
"It was for show..."
'Keep Bunker Tidy' poster (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Talking about another room in the bunker, Richard said: "This had an air and water purifying system. Through the hatch is an escape hatch to an underground picnic bench at the rear of the building and adjacent to another picnic bench, there was a vent for the generator which lies beneath this facility."
Down in the 'bunker' and in the background, the hatch which could have been used as a way of 'escape' (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Quidos Investments Ltd intend to transform the Bodlondeb into a Business and Innovation Centre. They will sign a 250-year lease on Bodlondeb this month.
Bodlondeb woodland, war memorial, lawn, cricket ground, tennis courts and children's play area are not included in the lease, and will continue to be available for the public to use.
A Welsh Dragon drawing on a white board at Bodlondeb (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Nick Pritchard, director of both Quidos Investments and Ideas Forums [Ideas Forums will be working with Quidos to develop the new business centre] described Bodlondeb as "one of the most beautiful buildings in Wales in an area of outstanding importance to our history".
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Bleddyn, who has been Project Manager for reducing the council's office portfolio and has overseeing the sale of Bodlondeb (method of disposal, choosing preferred bidder, instructing solicitors) and the re-modelling of Coed Pella [so staff and functions from Bodlondeb can be relocated there], said: "Quidos Investments Ltd shared an exciting vision for the property and an appreciation of its heritage and importance to the locality."
The huge windows bring light into the original house and offer some impressive views (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Coed Pella, which opened in November 2018 has 500 desks, compared to just 219 at Bodlondeb.
CCBC said that "significant capital investment" would be needed at Bodlondeb to address the "backlog of maintenance" and to improve working conditions. This would include modernising the Council Chamber and associated areas and decarbonisation work.
The Council Chamber at Bodlondeb is in need of modernisation (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Speaking about why this is the right time for employees to move into Coed Pella, he said: "With the post pandemic world and technology, we are a lot more agile and don't needs as much floor space.
"Like all organisations, we have funding challenges and are looking at way where we can be more efficient; reducing our building footprint also supports reducing our carbon emissions.
The building was looking very empty when the Pioneer visited (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) "We've undertaken some limited remodelling work at Coed Pella to accommodate staff and functions so we can get most office based staff onto one site."
The estimated cost to keep both Coed Pella and Bodlondeb, and carry out only essential building maintenance work to Bodlondeb, was £990,000.
One of the office spaces Quidos Investments will refurbish (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Costs to keep both Coed Pella and Bodlondeb, and carry out full refurbishment of Bodlondeb, was between £8million and £10million plus.
A number of heritage items that were housed in Bodlondeb have been moved to new locations. The remainder went to auction.