Historic seaside cafe shuts doors

The cafe is a handy spot for cuppa for walkers on the Orme

An historic seaside cafe in Conwy has closed after the owner lost a planning battle to add room for a caretaker.

Frank Gorka, 76, said he was not prepared to continue unless he could have someone living in at the site near the Great Orme headland, Llandudno.

He said he might consider reopening but was worried that vandalism and thefts from the Rest and Be Thankful Cafe would only increase otherwise.

Amended plans were rejected by Conwy councillors.

A planning inspector had turned down an appeal against earlier plans and said other forms of security should be considered.

The cafe has been a refreshment spot for walkers around Llandudno's Great Orme for more than 90 years.

There's no point me putting money into an extension if I can't have accommodation as well, as it will make it even more of a target than ever Frank Gorka

Mr Gorka, a Polish-born former British Army soldier, has been its proprietor since 1996.

He claimed that the property, which does not have facilities to pack away its chairs and benches at the end of the day, was vunerable to night-time vandals and needs someone to remain on the premises after hours.

Conwy council rejected a planning application to include a bedroom in an extension Mr Gorka had planned.

'Petition support'

Council officers told the planning meeting that the policy was clear and that to grant permission would make it difficult to turn down similar requests from enterprises in rural locations

Mr Gorka said a CCTV specialist had concluded that it would be impossible to operate a suitable system at the cafe's location.

He said 2,500 visitors had signed a petition backing him and he had received dozens of phone calls from people asking him not to stay closed.

"It's very sad, and it's very disappointing for the regulars," he said.

"It's closed at the moment. I may reopen in the summer, I don't know yet.

"There's no point me putting money into an extension if I can't have accommodation as well, as it will make it even more of a target than ever."