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This document is a snapshot of content from a discontinued BBC website, originally published between 2002-2011. It has been made available for archival & research purposes only. Please see the foot of this document for Archive Terms of Use. 15 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only BBC Homepage Wales Home Hotel 70 Degrees Last updated: 24 October 2008 One of the best known buildings in Colwyn Bay was more from this section the Hotel 70 Degrees, now demolished. Graham Roberts BBC Local Colwyn Bay of the town's Civic Society told Town guide North West Wales its story, before the bulldozers In pictures Things to do Here For You moved in. Local history People & Places Welsh Mountain Zoo Nature & Outdoors As a young boy one of the delights in returning home from Your say History Hall of Fame our summer holidays was the sight of the spectacular curve Religion & Ethics Cymraeg of the bay and sweep of the beach and sea below the Towns & Villages index Arts & Culture headland of Penmaenrhos. To many people it was a great Music sadness that this lovely view was obscured for ever when in Weather for Colwyn Bay TV & Radio 1972 the hotel was built. Sunday Monday Local BBC Sites max 15°C max 10°C News The builder was Gwynedd Caradog Jones from Llysfaen and min 8°C min 7°C Sport the architect was Stewart Powell Bowen who was in Weather partnership with Gwilym Parry Davies at the time. Mr Edmund Travel Hall was also associated with the two men. interact Tell us about a web page Neighbouring Sites Found a web page we should know Mid Wales Mr Bowen was born in Colwyn Bay and before he went to about? Send us the details. North East Wales school he could only speak Welsh. He always used to say he was lucky not to be called Val as he was born on February Email A Friend Related BBC Sites 14. Stewart Powell Bowen was an early and highly respected Wales member of the Civic Society; his name is recalled in the firm Cymru he founded, Bowen Dann Knox. Gogledd Orllewin related www links Mr Bowen had expressed a wish that when he died his body Colwyn Bay Civic Society http://www.seventydegrees.co.uk/ was to be buried in a country churchyard; and so it is that he is buried in the churchyard of The Cathedral In The Hills, more from North West Christ Church, Bryn-y-Maen. The simple Welsh slate headstone reads: 'Stewart Powell Bowen. Pensaer. 1918- Wales 1982. Your Say Mr Jones, the builder, owned the land beside the layby at Talking points Share your views, gripes Penmaenrhos and it was his intention to build a small and passions and make your wayside restaurant, more or less where the hotel is today, voice heard. and bungalows or houses on the rest of the land, where the hotel bedrooms are. Traffic and Travel Getting around However Mr Bowen persuaded him that a grand hotel would Take the train, boat or plane, or hit the region's be better suited to this premier and spectacular position roads. overlooking Colwyn Bay. After all, at the time, this land was beside the main road into Colwyn Bay. Mr Bowen took his Activities plans to Cardiff where he secured grants for the realisation of Head for adventure his idea. He estimated the cost of the building to be in the Your guide to pursuits on mountains, rivers and at region of £110,000, an estimate that proved to be highly sea. inaccurate. The Seventy Degrees Hotel was so named because of the angles used in its construction. It made for an unusual concept, but from the builder's point of view, proved a terrible waste of material. The carpets had to be cut at 70 degrees; even the stairs are constructed at 70 degrees so wasting wood after it was cut to this particular design. The whole building is based on a steel frame erected on rock. The rock had to be drilled energetically before the steel stanchions would hold. It was just as difficult to excavate the drains which eventually led down into Tan Lan at the bottom of Tan-y-Wal. Oddly enough, although the roof looks flat, it was constructed in the shape of a low angled V with the valley running along the centre of the roof, which was covered in three layers of felt and mastic, with a grill in the middle of the roof to collect the water. The water then ran down pipes hidden inside the steel supports inside the hotel. This arrangement has since caused some problems. The whole effect, especially in 1973, especially in Colwyn, was spectacular and the hotel became a popular venue for evening functions for many local societies and clubs. The name of the hotel was eventually changed from Seventy Degrees to the Colwyn Bay Hotel, but to local people this name conjured up an entirely different bygone building. The Colwyn Bay Hotel which we recall, those of us who have lived here more or less all our lives, stood where Princes Court now stands overlooking the promenade; for us the hotel at Penmaenhead was always the Seventy Degrees Hotel and with good reason. We romanticise the past; we think we are dealing with history. We are not. We are in fact, mythmakers. We must always be wary not to imbue nostalgia with an importance it does not deserve and if the Seventy Degrees Hotel is demolished, let us not be sorry, for the future holds endless intriguing possibilities." But what was there before the Hotel 70? your comments Wendy from Colwyn Bay Before we were married about twenty five years ago my now husband took me to the hotel 70 for a meal, as it was the best restaurant at that time for a romantic dinner. I remember that the view was spectacular and the meal expensive! I cannot believe that it is going to be more expensive homes that the locals cannot afford. Mon Aug 7 10:12:07 2006 steve amery, heswall, wirral I went past here on 17/06/06 and saw how sad the building looked. I had to find out if there were any websites dedicated to it and was amazed to find this and several others on google including interior dereliction photos. Went here as a family with my parents and brothers and sisters. It was fantastic and holds brilliant memories of when we were all living at home. Excellent restaurant, Manuel the waiter, Roy Schneider look-alike wine waiter, Mr and Mrs Sexton the glamorous managers, American porter, display cabinet where my brother spent about an hour looking up a female manequin's dress, space invader tables in top lounge, platters of sandwiches, smart clothes in the restaurant, coloured sugar, never forget it nor the amazing views. Would love to get inside and would love to do a scheme for a refurbishment. Fri Jun 23 09:45:17 2006 John Burgess from Colwyn Bay As a resident of Colwyn Bay I am constantly astounded by the lack of vision of certain individuals within our community who are more interested in clinging onto remnants of the past without any consideration of the future of the town. While surrounding towns continue to prosper and attract the best shops, leisure, housing and job opportunities our community is being left further and further behind. The 70 Degrees Hotel has served its purpose and run its course. Surely it is now time to put that behind us and create something special on this landmark site that flies the flag for our town. We don't need more hotel! accommodation but we do need a landmark development to put Colwyn Bay back on the map. Wed May 24 11:11:12 2006 Dawn Glindon I have many treasured memories of this outstanding hotel. My family and I used to travel here on an occasional Sunday from where we lived near Birmingham just to have Sunday Lunch with my Grandad (may he rest in peace). I remember Albert carving the beef, I remember the Bavarian night they held and I remember the rabbits. I loved that place, please don't destroy a wonderful piece of history. Sun Mar 5 12:04:14 2006 Ste Dexter from Manchester I had a part time job at the Hotel 70 back in 1975, I used to wash dishes in the kitchen. I was 15 years old. I was paid thirty pence an hour, I later left to work at the National Milk Bar in Colwyn Bay for thirty five pence an hour - sad really, but those were the days! Fri Mar 3 11:13:54 2006 Barbara Stokes from Bilston I had a free weekend at the 70 Degrees in April 1992. I used it for my honeymoon with my husband David and my little boy Daniel who was 4 at the time. I hold memories of the rabbets running by the cliff and the food was great and the staff were very helpful and the rooms were tidy. I hope they don't Demolish the Hotel - it was a very nice place. Sat Sep 17 15:32:58 2005 Marilyn Hopkins Manchester I used to love to see the rabbits hopping across the grass outside the bedroom windows. The restaurant food was very good and the views from the lounge spectacular! There was also a 70s-style disco dance floor which was glass cubes lit up with multi-coloured lights from underneath. Along with many other stays, we spent a great Christmas and New Year there! What a pity it wasn't bought by someone with the vision (and funds), to renovate it.

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