'Chaos' worries over beauty spot cafe plan

A new cafe in one of the busiest spots in the Clwydian Range could "cause chaos" by attracting more visitors, those opposed to the plans say.

The building, which will include toilets and a rangers' office, is planned for the bottom of the main path up Moel Famau.

Those in favour hope it will improve facilities and bring more money to the area, while others are concerned about littering and parking issues.

Denbighshire councillors voted to approve a new visitor hub on Wednesday, and members provided reassurances on the cafe element.

Moel Famau councillor Huw Williams said: "It's not a cafe. It's a tea and cake hub, not egg and chips.

"It will be good for the area to get 300,000 visitors down to our towns and into our pubs and cafes."

Moel Famau, the highest point in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is estimated to attract about 300,000 walkers a year.

The cafe is aimed at helping meet the "challenges" associated with increasing footfall - but some fear it will only draw more visitors.

The Clwydian Range Tourism Group is "split" on the issue according to its chair, Julie Masters.

"A lot of people are worried about the infrastructure if we attract more people to Moel Famau," she said.

"The roads are narrow. They worry there could be some chaos.

"But others feel that if there are wardens up there all the time, that will help. It could help give people a better idea of rural tourism and the Vale of Clwyd."

Plans include an earth mound roof covered in sedum plants, so the stone-clad, curved, single-storey building blends into its surroundings at the Bwlch Pen Barras car park.

But Edytae McGinn, who visits the area regularly with her family from their home in Wirral, is worried about the environmental impact of the plans.

"I think it will bring more visitors which is an advantage in some ways, but it will also bring disadvantages like bigger crowds and damage to the environment," she said.

"People will need to more conscious when they come here or we risk harming nature."

Others see the cafe as an opportunity to improve walker experience.

Katy Whittingham, who visits the area from Cheshire regularly, said: "I think it's a good idea because a lot of people visit here and I'm sure they'd use a cafe.

"It's always busy here and so bound to be popular. Toilets are also definitely a good idea, especially for the little ones."

A stone's throw from the propsed building site is the pub where Elyse Gerrard works. She says she can "see the benefits" of a new cafe but does worry about local businesses.

"We get a lot of people who come for a drink or some lunch after hiking up Moel Famau and I think fewer will do that if there's a cafe on site. So it's not great news for us," she said.

Under the current plans the cafe would open daily between 10:00 and 16:00 and would serve "grab and go" refreshments from a small kitchen.

The planning application is being presented by Denbighshire council to its planning committee on Wednesday.

The project would be funded by £1.3m from the UK government's levelling up scheme.

The Welsh government wants to create a new national park in north east Wales which would include the current AONB and a consultation on those proposals was held last year.