BRITAIN'S worst seaside town nicknamed “Costa Del Dole” is set to have a massive £200million makeover to counter its tragic downfall.
Rundwon Rhyl in North has been slammed as one of the country's worst resorts after decades of “rapid decline” and vanishing .
The once thriving hotspot's pier, funfair and shopping centre have shut down between the 1970s and 2000s – leaving the centre “rundown”.
Locals described the area as ““, with empty shops, buildings and “streets lined with rubbish”.
It was described as “ after a neutron bomb” when it was ranked by The Telegraph as one of the worst in Britain in 2023.
Fed up even discouraged visitors from coming – they told they were “” their town had ranked so low.
They also noted their town's disastrous spiral came with a worrying increase of .
But seaside town Rhyl is now fighting back with a wave of aimed at reversing years of crisis and .
“Costa del Dole” boasts four beaches, a waterpark, a fun fair, a 1,000-seat and a host of other attractions which aim to bring the town back to life.
Denbighshire County Council said that the transformation is part of a long-term strategy – and not just a quick fix for the area.
They said that a whopping £200million has already been injected into the coastal town's glamorous facelift over the past decade.
Over £100million has already been spent upgrading sea defences to protect and businesses from coastal flooding.
A brand-new accessible children’s play park has also replaced the outdated Drift Park, in a push to make the beachside town once again.
The council said they had “delivered many projects to improve green space areas for the and well-being of residents and visitors”.
They said: “For example, the Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve has undergone a period of transformation and redevelopment, areas of the historic Rhyl Cut waterway have been improved, and the Maes Gwilym nature reserve has recently been created in Southeast Rhyl.”
Extra funding from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme helped brighten up shopfronts and independent businesses too.
Meanwhile, private investment into the seaside town has also been gradually increasing.
New seafront , including a Premier Inn and Travelodge, have opened to draw back into the picture.
The iconic White Rose Shopping Centre recently went under the hammer and was snatched up at auction – opening the door to an exciting makeover.
The historic Queens Market – dubbed the “centrepiece” of Rhyl – is also getting a flashy shake-up.
The renowned site will become a modern food and events hub, with new space also added to tempt locals and tourists alike.
The council added that they had put “significant” investment into leisure and entertainment facilities.
An indoor waterpark and multi-level adventure course have created 65 new for example, the council said.
The stunning Rhyl Pavilion Theatre has undergone a major £2.4million revamp.
Its new stylish bar and restaurant aim to boost the theatre's appeal.
In 2023, Rhyl secured £20million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund.
A large share of that is being used to overhaul the which its own locals have called ““.
The money will also need to turnaround crippling issues such as “overflowing bins” and empty houses that become ““, which locals told The Sun about last year.
Plans include smoother walkways, better links between the high street and the beach, and a greener, space along the infamous seafront.
Former levelling-up minister Jacob Young visited in January 2024 to see the work in progress, and said it was “heartening” to see how the project sought to improve the community.
It comes after a popular English seaside town was set to receive a major £30million overhaul to revitalise its “rundown” shopping centre.
The once bustling shopping mall in was reportedly getting an incredible multimillion-pound renovation – to attract back millions ofahead of.
