Llandudno’s historic restaurant building to be auctioned
The Lloyd Street property, home to the town’s longest‑running eatery, heads for auction on 15 October with a £175,000 guide price.
Llandudno’s longest‑running restaurant will soon change hands as the five‑storey Lloyd Street building is set to go under the hammer on 15 October.
The property, which houses the family‑run eatery Candles and a block of flats, will be auctioned by All Wales Auction with a freehold guide price of £175,000 and a starting bid of £160,000.
Candles opened its doors in 2000 and is widely regarded as the town’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, serving locals and tourists for more than two decades.
The restaurant occupies the lower ground floor and is currently let until April 2028, meaning it will continue trading regardless of the outcome of the sale.
Above the dining area, the building comprises eleven residential units spread across the upper floors, all of which are presently vacant after a period of use as office space.
The five‑storey structure is a period building, characteristic of Llandudno’s Victorian‑era streetscape, and forms part of the town’s historic core on the promenade‑adjacent Lloyd Street.
All Wales Auction will conduct the sale as an online auction, allowing bidders to participate remotely while the property remains occupied by the restaurant.
The freehold guide price of £175,000 reflects the building’s mixed‑use nature, combining commercial and residential potential within a single historic shell.
Local property analysts note that the availability of a freehold period building with an established commercial tenant is relatively rare in the Conwy County market.
Flat owners in Llandudno have previously expressed interest in converting former office spaces into residential units, a trend that could influence future development plans for the vacant apartments.
The auction follows a recent spate of high‑profile sales in the area, including a £650,000 Llandudno house crowned BBC’s Home of the Year and a former Santander building in Colwyn Bay earmarked for conversion to apartments.
Conwy’s housing market has seen steady demand for both rental and owner‑occupied units, driven by the town’s appeal to retirees, families and holiday‑makers.
Should the building be purchased, the new owner will inherit a lease that secures the restaurant’s operation for the next five years, providing a stable income stream while the upper‑floor flats await new occupants.
The auction will be listed on All Wales Auction’s website, where interested parties can register to bid and view the full property particulars.
Stakeholders are watching closely, as the outcome could set a benchmark for similar mixed‑use historic properties across North Wales.