Mid Wales as having more ‘hidden gems’ but is closed to tourism

ONE of the world’s leading guidebooks has criticised the policy of a Welsh council to shut its tourist offices. The new Lonely Planet guide to Great Britain heralds Mid Wales as having more “hidden gems” than any other part of the country but says the recent closures of tourist offices have left it “increasingly closed to tourism”. Elsewhere in the guide – which the Western Mail has been given an exclusive first glimpse of – highlights include Anglesey’s “great” coastal walking, Blaenavon World Heritage Centre, Dylan Thomas’ Laugharne, and Cardiff’s matchday atmosphere followed by a pint of Brains Gold. But the guide is less than complimentary about other parts of Wales. Bangor is described as “a place to stop, not stay, with decent eating options but virtually no worthwhile accommodation”, while Conwy is labelled a “major letdown”.

Of Bangor, the guide’s author David Atkinson says: “Despite its large student population, it’s hardly a cultural hotspot. Indeed, it feels rather low key overall and acts primarily as a transport hub for the region. “The city is the last stop before crossing to the Isle of Anglesey – stock up and push on.” Of Conwy, he adds: “Conwy is all about the castle. The approach to the castle gate is highly theatrical, with three bridges spanning the river. “But while the castle, one of Wales’ finest and a Unesco World Heritage Site, remains one of the essential visits in North Wales, the town of Conwy itself feels like a major letdown. “The regeneration of the run-down Conwy Quay has stalled and the town feels eerily quiet after 5pm when the majority of day visitors have departed and the shop shutters have been pulled down. “A place to visit, not stay, the best of the accommodation lies out of town, or at the nearby and more go-ahead town of Llandudno.”

For further details visit at www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/04/15/mid-wales-has-hidden-gems-but-is-increasingly-closed-to-tourism-according-to-new-lonely-planet-guide-91466-23387638/