The paddling pool on Aberystwyth’s promenade was a draw for generations of young families —providing a free splash-about for kids and a place to sit for parents.

The pool was closed in 2016 due to safety fears, with Ceredigion County Council at the time saying it would cost £600,000 to make the paddling pool safe.

In 2018, it was filled with sand by the now defunct Advancing Aberystwyth group and in 2021 was partially paved over to provide extra seating.

The controversial rope labyrinth cost taxpayers a total of £10,000 to build and maintain.

The brainchild of Aberystwyth Town Council was installed on a patch of land near North Road in 2013, but was branded ‘weird’ and ‘horrendous’ by visitors and locals and was rarely used.

It was removed in 2019 and has been turned into a community wildlife garden, thanks for a £215,000 grant.

Food and drink businesses are set to return to the promenade this summer, but it is not clear whether a final decision on whether to allow horse-drawn carriages on the prom has been made.

Ceredigion County Council undertook a tendering exercise for food and drink businesses to set up shop on the prom over the holiday season earlier this year.

Food and drink vans and pitches were first allowed as a trial back in 2019, and later approved for subsequent years after what the council called “a successful trial period”.

Ceredigion council said “a number of offers were received” during the tender process and that it “expects to see traders trading shortly”, adding “some locations in Aberystwyth remain available”.

A plan to introduce horse-drawn carriages to ferry people up and down Aberystwyth promenade as a tourist attraction was first discussed two years ago after an operator enquired of Ceredigion County Council whether it would be possible.

A change to byelaws to allow them was then considered, with a public consultation in the summer of 2021 attracting more than 200 comments, with “very few responding positively” to the plans, a report at the time said.

Discussed by scrutiny and licensing committees, the plans were slated to be decided upon by Cabinet at a meeting in July 2022, but no decision has been recorded by Cabinet since that date.

In a new blow, evening events at the bandstand are at risk after the town council decided to end a long-standing discount and raised overall costs.

Last week we once again put the spotlight on the state of Aberystwyth's streets as Cllr Mair Benjamin shared her concerns over badly maintained buildings, unfinished public works and potholes.

You wrote in in droves to share your thoughts on the town centre and what Ceredigion County Council needs to do to improve Aberystwyth.

♦ Shan Davies: The entire council is utter shambles. Saw a lady yesterday attempting to push a wheelchair along the prom, impossible for her and very sad to see. We NEED answers and action to save our town.

♦ Jo Hutchings: CCC fail in most towns, only interested in cycle paths and pedestrianisation.

♦ Nathan Dixon: I love Aberystwyth and able to see passed it but CCC need to be doing more to preserve this iconic town. Whenever I post about Aberystwyth the general consensus is “why do you go there?” “It looks so dirty”. Aberystwyth to me is absolutely beautiful and I’ve encouraged many to visit and they’ve loved it. CCC need to up its game and keep it a wonderful place to visit.

♦ Amie Marie: And this is new news?

♦ Oleh Krawec: All the money has gone. It was wasted on “Ropegate”

♦ Malcolm Jenkins: Not just the prom but some buildings along the prom are an eyesore. Get something done

♦ Wayne George: I don’t have anything against Ceredigion County Council. However, please keep in mind that with all of that sand and rocks, disabled people who are capable of walking have extreme difficulty getting around it due to our feet not being able to grip the ground firmly and creates a slipping hazard. It’s an accident waiting to happen unfortunately.

♦ John Voloudakis: Rising sea levels and more frequent flooding must make it very difficult to keep the prom clear. Reduction of staff and outsourcing has led to the present state.