Colwyn Bay postcard: Concrete-and-pebble shelters
This granite postcard on the promenade at Rhos-on-Sea depicts one of the distinctive concrete-and-pebble shelters which were installed along the seafront in the 1960s.
The seafront previously had shelters of metal and glass, as seen in the lower photo courtesy of Conwy Archive Service. They needed regular repainting to prevent corrosion.
The 1960s shelters needed less maintenance. Their modern design incorporated the layout of the traditional shelters: a central screen wall parallel to the sea; walls at each end of the screen; a roof with a large overhang; and benches on each side of the screen and at each end.
The new shelters’ walls were made of square concrete panels into which pebbles had been pressed. Between these panels were smooth concrete panels with coloured glass insets. The upper photo, courtesy of Conwy Archive Service, shows some of the shelters at Rhos-on-Sea in rough weather c.1990.
At least 10 of the shelters were placed along the Colwyn Bay seafront, along with half a dozen new refreshment kiosks. Most of the shelters had become structurally unsafe by 2014. All were demolished except for one at the Old Colwyn end of the promenade. They were replaced with shelters featuring solar-powered lighting.
Click here for a map of the postcards' location.
Website of Conwy Archive Service
https://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Resident/Libraries-Museums-and-Archives/Archives/Archives.aspx
 |
  |