Latest news with #Dragon'sRestCafe
North Wales Live
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
New service station planned on the A55
A new service station is planned along the A55. The location is the Dragon's Rest cafe site at Junction 31 for Caerwys which had for years been a popular stop-off for locals and drivers using the expressway. But the cafe closed in 2023 despite its rave reviews. It has been empty since then. Now Longacres Filing Station wants to demolish the building and create a new service stop on the westbound side of the A55. This would include a petrol filling station and electric charging points. There would also be a store and a coffee shop for passing motorists. Planning consultancy Caulmert have submitted a scoping request on behalf of the applicant. This is to establish if developers need to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment as part of their application. A letter to Flintshire planners said: "The proposed development involves the demolition of the existing Dragon's Rest Cafe and redevelopment of the site for a roadside facility including petrol filling station, pumps and canopy, and ancillary shop and coffee shop, with associated parking. "The proposed development comprises the following elements: • Demolition of existing Dragon's Rest Cafe • Erection of Petrol Station canopy (370.5m²) • Installation of Petrol filling station pumps • Erection of Petrol Station Shop (250m²) and Coffee Shop (80m²) • Waste compound area (60m²) • Provision of 39 no. car parking spaces including 10 no. electric charging spaces It added: "The site lies in the open countryside, and whilst there are a number of existing uses adjacent to and near to the site, the cumulative impact of these together with the proposed development would not have a significant cumulative impact. "The extent of any potential impacts arising from the proposed development will be localised, in terms of both the geographical area and the size of population likely to be affected. "As the detailed design of the proposed development progresses, appropriate mitigation measures will be incorporated into the scheme to reduce the likelihood of any potential impacts.
Leader Live
01-08-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Former Dragons Rest Cafe off A55 facing demolition
The Dragon's Rest Cafe off junction 31 of the A55 in Lloc, near Holywell, closed down in 2023 and has been empty ever since. Now a screening request – a pre-application check to see if developers need to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment for their planning application – has been submitted to Flintshire County Council. It details plans to knock down the Dragon's Rest and build a brand new petrol station on the site. Sign up to our newsletters to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox. A traditional welsh stone-built structure with a slate roof featuring a bright red Welsh Dragon and the word cafe whitewashed on it, the family-run Dragon's Rest was for many years a popular stop for tourists on their way to Snowdonia or Anglesey and a meeting place for motorbike and car enthusiasts, offering an initial glimpse of the Clwydian Range. Famed for its homemade cakes and hearty breakfasts made with local produce, it was also a great place to grab a memento of your time in North Wales thanks to its gift shop. It even partnered with neighbouring businesses to offer customers a car valet to send them on their way sparkling. 'Love this place,' wrote one regular Sharon Pugh on the Dragon's Rest's Google reviews. 'Their breakfasts are amazing. We always stop here on way to Llandudno and have a breakfast.' Read more Another regular visitor Neil Roberts wrote: 'I always stop here on the way to Colwyn Bay. Excellent steak and Guinness pie when it's on the specials.' But after closing its doors for the final time two years ago the site has been deserted. Now Rhyl-based Longacres Filling Station Ltd has detailed plans to level the building and replace it with a modern petrol filling station and shop with small cafe area and 39 parking spaces, including 10 electric vehicle charging points. Officers are expected to issue a screening opinion on the proposals by September 17.
