Former Majestic Ballroom

Link to French translationFormer Majestic Ballroom, 88-90 Mostyn Street, Llandudno

The Café Royal and the Majestic Ballroom were the jewel in the crown of the Payne’s family catering business in Llandudno, owned by Arthur Payne.  In 1914, when it was then just the Dorothy Cafe, this building served as the recruiting depot for the 15th (1st London Welsh) Battalion of the Royal Welphoto of majestic ballroomsh Fusiliers (then known as the Royal Welch Fusiliers) during its raising and training of soldiers for the First World War.

After the war it had its own eight-piece orchestra, which played for the morning coffee drinkers and for the dancers in the evening. It was a popular place for socialising. The ballroom, with sprung floor, and café were designed in the Art Deco style by local architect Arthur Hewett in about 1925. The decorative features still survive. The graceful stairs behind the bandstand lead to the oval balcony, which gave the diners a bird’s eye view of the dancers below. A cool drink from the American Soda fountain was very popular, as were cakes and buns from the confectionery shop.

Today the building is home to the Llandudno branch of clothing retailer Peacocks.

Footnotes: Personal recollections of the ballroom

With thanks to John Lawson-Reay, of the Llandudno & Colwyn Bay History Society

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Postcode: LL30 2SB

Website of Peacocks

Footnotes: Personal recollections of the ballroom

Elizabeth Maddocks of Llandudno recalls:
“I met the man who became my husband at the Café Royal when I was 16 years of age, in 1956. It was the Llandudno Catering School’s Christmas dance, and I was on a blind date! There was a three- or four-piece band and the music was sort of Glen Miller type. After every three pieces they had to have a rest!
    "Jiving was not allowed. Coffee was the preferred drink, and if an alcoholic drink was wanted it was usually half a measure of gin with orange cordial and no ice. It was the in place to be: Payne’s Café Royal.”

David Kavanagh of Llandudno recalls:
"I used to go to the Hotpoint dinner dance there, when I was an aprentice toolmaker [at Hotpoint's factory in Llandudno Junction]. Eventually they allowed half an hour of disco on a Saturday night, and then the band would play again. Afterwards there would be Crosville buses waiting outside for Bangor, Conwy and other places. There were police there to stop any fights breaking out. Maybe 800 people would all come out at midnight."

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