THE SeaQuarium attraction in Rhyl is said to be involved in “ongoing legal matters” with Denbighshire County Council following news of its closure.

Based on the town’s seafront, the SeaQuarium closed for good as of yesterday (November 27).

Earlier this year, the attraction said it feared closure due to the impact of the council’s Central Rhyl Coastal Defences Scheme on its animals.

It had been established in Rhyl for beyond three decades, welcomed in excess of 80,000 visitors each year, and employed more than 20 people.

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A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The council is working with the SeaQuarium but cannot comment any further due to current ongoing legal matters.

“Following completion of these discussions, the council, together with the SeaQuarium, will release further information to the public.”

The MP and MS for Vale of Clwyd, James and Gareth Davies respectively, both expressed their sadness at the news of the SeaQuarium’s closure.

It follows on from the removal of the Drift Park play area and demolition of five beachfront kiosk shops in Rhyl amid the coastal works.

James Davies MP said: “The closure of Rhyl SeaQuarium is deeply disappointing.

“While coastal defence scheme works are important, it seems as though the county council is progressively sterilising the seafront of attractions and private enterprise in the process.

“This is very frustrating, when the Levelling Up Fund and other initiatives are working to regenerate the town.

“I have been involved in liaising between SeaQuarium and the council over the last year or so, and I am concerned that the council have been slow to recognise the needs of the business and its animals.

“It seems likely to me that better forward planning could have prevented this outcome. The situation is awful for all those losing their jobs, especially at this time of year.

“I understand that the SeaQuarium building is council-owned and I hope to see ambitious and rapid tourism-related proposals for the site.”

Gareth Davies MS added: “The immediate closure of SeaQuarium Rhyl is a devastating blow for tourism and jobs in Rhyl.

“My feelings and best wishes go out to the staff at SeaQuarium, who will now be looking for alternative employment.

“I have to straight in saying that Denbighshire County Council’s cabinet were warned time and time again that closure of the SeaQuarium may occur due to the flood defence works, and yet they’ve sat on their hands and done nothing about it.

“I’ve said before that I’m all for improved flood defences in Rhyl, but if it comes at a detriment to jobs, tourism and the local economy, it’s incumbent on council leaders and planners to work around those problems, rather than indirectly forcing good and long-standing businesses to close.

“I feel sorry for everyone involved in the closure of the SeaQuarium, including the staff and animals, but I’m afraid to say that the blame lies solely with the council leaders on this one.

“It could and should have been avoided.”

The attraction’s owners previously said they believed the coastal work would have a harmful impact on hearing, and induce a chronic stress response from seals with behavioural and physical welfare issues.

Denbighshire County Council had said it was working on the advice of an independent animal welfare expert, appointed by both sides, in relation to the delivery of these works and the impact on the seals.

The council had hoped the project could be delivered without the seals needing to be moved as the animal welfare expert advised that the animals could acclimatise to a gradual increase in the noise and vibration levels as the project developed.

In 2013, flooding in Rhyl led to 400 people being evacuated from their homes.

The council has previously said that the ongoing works in Rhyl are “essential” to protect 548 residential and 44 non-residential properties predicted to be at risk from further flooding.

Closing the beachfront kiosks adjacent to the SeaQuarium was said to be “unavoidable”, but carried out with the agreement of the tenants, the council added in June.