Craft fair, ‘homework stations’ and gaming area at Rhyl community hub

"High Street Hwb", at 1-4 East Parade, will host the event on Sunday, October 15 from 8.30am until 4pm.

It marks a continuation of the site’s progression, having previously been used by Woolworths and Gala Bingo, before it was left abandoned after a £1.5million cannabis farm was found there in 2021.

Rhyl businessman Stephen Wright (Sovereign Trophies) has overseen its development in the last year, with Tom Ward (Wardy's Gaming, Colwyn Bay) now taking on much of the hub’s day-to-day running.

Among other new plans for the hub are its “homework stations”, a gaming area, a “community camp”, and a “rent-a-shelf” scheme.

Inside High Street Hwb. Inset: Stephen Wright, owner of High Street Hwb (Image: Newsquest)

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Tom said about the craft fair: “We’ve got about 32 tables booked, so I’m hoping that, if it goes well, we can do it more regularly; either weekly or fortnightly.

“A few traders have already asked if we could do it more regularly, because the car boot sales are stopping for the winter.

“They’ve got nowhere to go, and we’re inside, so hopefully, it might help them out a bit.”

In May, a designated soft play area for those aged five and younger was opened, while the hub has also introduced a pool table, dart boards and a board game area.

More nights specifically for gaming are also being considered at the hub.

Inside High Street Hwb (Image: Stephen Wright)

Tom added: “I’ve known Stephen for a long time. It’s a good cause, and I just like helping people. It’s giving kids something to do and somewhere to go.

“We now have two ‘homework stations’, so that anyone who doesn’t have Internet or computers at home, who needs to get homework done, can come in to the hub and use our computers for free.

“If they need anything printed for homework, that can also be done at the hub for free.

“We now have a gaming area, which includes table tennis and a retro gaming machine, which costs £2 an hour.”

The hub also offers free printing for CVs, job applications and missing pet posters, and no charge for any good causes who need to use the space.

It also operated as a storage and drop-off point for a toy giveaway it hosted last Christmas.

There are also plans for a foodbank to be set up at the hub, as well as a “school uniform exchange”.

The pool table at High Street Hwb (Image: Stephen Wright)

Tom said: “We’ve brought back ‘rent-a-shelf’, so instead of charging a commission on traders’ sales at the hub, it’s just a flat rate we charge per week.  

“They then have up to three shelves that they can put stock on, and then we sell it for them.

“We’ve opened up a ‘community camp’ where the old bar used to be – we’ve cleaned that up, and serve hot and cold drinks, and pre-packaged snacks.

“So, instead of spending up to about £3.80 for a coffee on High Street, it’s £1.20 here. It’s highly subsidised for the community to come in and use.”