A LLANDUDNO gallery will be re-opening its doors on Saturday after three years of planning and renovation work.
The former Oriel Mostyn gallery on Vaughan Street will be open to the public on Saturday, May 22, following a £5.1m transformation, where it will be rebranded as simply ‘Mostyn’.
Martin Barlow, director of Mostyn, explained: “In line with simplification we’ve just called it Mostyn. Mostyn is very distinctive and it's totally connected to the town. And it’s one word - like Tate.”
Despite suffering slightsdelays early in the development, the expansion project has kept to schedule and on the eve of its relaunch promises to be a major centre for art on the North Wales coast.
Mr Barlow said: “We have updated the original large gallery and the beautiful 1901 facade, but we've got a cafe which we never had before, we’ve got a much larger shop with a proper shop front, and we’ve got another three galleries. One is at the front of the building and from the street you can see in.
“Obviously we will have more exhibitions because we have more galleries, so can work to a higher level than before.”
One of the most noticeable additions to the renovation, which was designed by Ellis Williams Architects, has been the gold spire which sits on top of the building.
Visible from vantage points across Llandudno, Mr Barlow confirmed it was intended to give the town a recognisable landmark.
“Llandudno has some great architecture and is a great place, but it doesn’t have a single building which stands out. We wanted to include something which did.” The new Mostyn gallery also has an education area to work with local schools and aims to attract more art lovers into Llandudno.
“Looking at visitor statistics before we closed, we've always had a strong following in the town,” said Mr Barlow. “We are aware we are a resource for the community - we've had strong following from Llandudno and North Wales as a whole. We aim to draw a lot of new people into the town, or give an extra reason to visit - or visit more often.”
Cllr Goronwy Edwards, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “I’d like to congratulate Oriel Mostyn and join in their celebration of this re-opening. It has taken significant investment to achieve this refurbishment; an investment in the area’s culture for the benefit of both local residents and visitors alike.”