On Tuesday, Gareth Davies, Senedd member for Vale of Clwyd, asked for an update on the Queen's Market in Rhyl after the development was described as a “white elephant”, and called for the Welsh Government to work with Denbighshire County Council to find an operator as soon as possible.
More than £12m has been invested into transforming the Queen’s Market in the town. However, the building is currently empty after the Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group pulled out of an agreement to run the facility.
Speaking in the Senedd today he said:
"As we embark on the summer months, the Queen’s Market in Rhyl is still without an operator, coming up to six months since the Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group sadly pulled out.
“Local people are starting to see the new development as a white elephant, with over £12 million invested into what was envisioned a year ago as the nucleus of retail activity, but that, four years on, is now just an empty building.
“I believe that the Queen’s Market could be a catalyst to rejuvenate the town, but it’s unacceptable that, after a considerable length of time and a considerable amount of taxpayers’ money invested, the market still isn’t operational.
“My constituents would like to see some oversight on how their money is spent.
“They’d like the Welsh Government to ensure that, when they spend taxpayers’ money on the development, they ensure that taxpayers see the results of their investment and the money isn’t forgotten about.
“Can I have a statement to confirm to my constituents that this government will work with Denbighshire County Council to ensure that this long-overdue project secures an operator and starts to benefit the town rather than it being an expensive white elephant that nobody can access?”
Trefnydd Jane Hutt, the minister responsible for organising government business in the Senedd, responded to his request, saying:
“You have raised the question of Queen’s Market, and it’s important that that is a partnership approach with funding from a number of sources.
“Clearly, the cabinet secretary will be aware of this point, and we will follow it up in terms of the latest position, particularly the responsibilities of Denbighshire County Council.”