A CLOUD is hanging over some of Mostyn Street’s biggest traders with fears there could be a knock-on effect for smaller shops in Llandudno.
Blacks and Millets, clothing chain Peacocks and major entertainments chain HMV are all facing difficulties.
Blacks Leisure Group, which runs both the Blacks and Millets brands, put itself up for sale earlier in the month, with major shareholders Sports Direct ruling out buying the company last week.
Those interested in buying the company are expected to declare tomorrow (Thursday).
A spokesman for the group said the business was trading as normal.
Fashion retailers Peacocks, which also owns Bon Marche, could close up to 200 of its stores in a bid to ease its £240million debt.
A spokeswoman for the company said: “We continue to progress re-structuring discussions, with no decision taken at this point.”
HMV has reported a pre-tax loss of £36.4million during the first half of the year, and factors such as online competition and digital downloads of music and films making its future uncertain.
Susan Morris, chairwoman of Llandudno’s Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Small businesses have got their own problems and are really struggling as well.
“But the big stores - we need them. We need them desperately. If people stop coming in to town for the bigger named brands, their support drops.”
But there was some good news with travel agents Thomas Cook confirming the Llandudno branch had escaped the latest round of closures and a new store opening in the town.
Husband and wife team Mark and Amanda Richards, who own the Manor Hotel on the Craig y Don Parade and Manor Fine Foods and Wares store on upper Mostyn Street, have opened Manor Kitchen and Wares, on St George’s Place.
Mr Richards believed the town’s high street was undergoing a “little resurrection”, with the opening of stores such as the RNLI charity shop, the arrival of fashion chain Country Casuals and a hairdessers opening next to his shop in the spring.
He said: “Llandudno’s bucking the trend and inviting independent retailers like ourselves, which makes it more interesting. Other towns are struggling to compete but Llandudno’s held its head up.”
This week, the Welsh Government urged shoppers to support local traders over Christmas.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Alun Davies, said: “We all tend to buy something a little bit special or different at Christmas so now is the ideal time to try something new, something Welsh, and to support a local food producer.”
PLANNING applications to transform an empty Llandudno store into a Sainsbury's supermarket have been registered.
Permission to display two illuminated signs outside the former Alworths store on Mostyn Street have been lodged with Conwy County Borough, along with a request to hang one illuminated sign, three non-illuminated signs and two timbre frame signs indoors.
A separate application for 113-117 Mostyn Street also requests permission to site two air conditioning condenser units and one refrigeration condenser on the roof, surrounded by an acoustic screen.
The consultation expiry date for the applications is January 11, 2012.