THE SeaQuarium attraction in Rhyl has agreed a financial settlement with Denbighshire County Council following the closure of the seafront attraction 12 months ago.

After being open on Rhyl’s promenade for more than 30 years, SeaQuarium closed for good last November, and attributed its decision to Denbighshire County Council’s Central Rhyl Coastal Defences Scheme, the development of which is taking place by the site.

A council spokesperson said last November that it was engaged in “ongoing legal matters” with representatives from SeaQuarium, which went into solvent liquidation last month.

Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by the Journal, the council today (November 1) confirmed that those legal matters have now concluded and a financial settlement was reached, but said the value of this is confidential.

The council’s response to the FOI request read: “The council discloses information where possible. We aim for transparency in our decision-making and spending.

“However, we have a duty to uphold private companies’ expectations that their commercially confidential information will be protected from disclosure.

“The business involved believes that the information in the agreement is confidential.  The disclosure of their details would prejudice or harm them commercially if their competitors were made aware of the amount paid.

“From the council’s perspective, we are required to avoid deterring companies from negotiating with us for fear of disclosure.

“Disclosure of payments would impact on other council negotiations and would drive up compensation payments, and complicate those negotiations.

“We are also obliged to protect the public purse in negotiations and agreements. Having considered the above, I confirm that the withheld information is commercially sensitive.”

A declaration of solvency document, published on SeaQuarium of Rhyl’s Companies House page on October 15, states that the company has £21,828 in outstanding debts, but £1,256,435 in assets.

In total, “three local businesses” expressed an interest in taking on the building formerly occupied by SeaQuarium, but none subsequently pursued their interest in it.

Balfour Beatty, the contractor currently working on Rhyl’s coastal sea defence scheme, will oversee the demolition of the SeaQuarium building, due to be completed by January 2025.

A Freedom of Information request made by the Journal in February revealed that the council spent £90,000 on relocating SeaQuarium’s six seals.