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Future bright for naturist beach

Naturists have been enjoying nude sunbathing at Morfa Dyffryn Beach in Ardudwy near Harlech for a year after it was granted a special licence.

Now Gwynedd County councillors have agreed to reserve part of the beach especially for naturists for a trial period in 2000.

Many had been using the beach for some time prior to the decision - but the local authority received a number of complaints and sought a compromise.

The sectioning off now appears to have worked and councillors are considering making the arrangement permanent.

Complaints

Councillor Emyr Puw has told member that whereas there were 20 complaints by the public to police in 1999, only one was received during the trial period.

Members will discuss the situation in the next few weeks.

When the trial was first suggested, some councillors were concerned they were setting a dangerous precedent.

Others felt that attempts should be made to ban the nudists completely.

However, the majority felt that confining the nudists to a specific area would make it easier for the police to prosecute anyone who undressed outside the specified area.

Complaints had began when the relatively small number of regular naturists increased after the area was publicised on the internet.