The Muncipal Building, Station Road, Colwyn Bay

Situated at 41/43 Station Road, I think this is one of the most interesting buildings in Colwyn Bay:


Its correct name is the Municipal Building and, when it was built in 1892, it housed all the administration for the fast growing town of Colwyn Bay, including offices for the National Provincial Bank of England, Denbighshire County Council (responsible for Policing), The Colwyn Bay & Pwllycrochan Estate Company Limited (the major landowner/developer in the Town) and the Colwyn Bay & Colwyn Local Board (forerunner of the local Council), the crests of which are all still visible in the carved stone medallions at the top of the building's tower. It is believed to have been designed (along with all the other buildings in that row leading up to the Central pub) by the architect firm of Booth, Chadwick & Porter, who were the main architects for The Colwyn Bay & Pwllycrochan Estate Company.

In 1901, the Urban District Council's offices were housed here.

There are four Stone medallions on the turret of the building, showing the crests of all the organisations housed within the building when it was built:


It's covered in carved stonework and stained glass. If you look at the left-hand door, you can still see a carved scales of justice and a pair of handcuffs in the stonework over it, an indication that this was once the entrance to the Courtroom:


I believe the courtoom is still extant within the building, which is for sale. I also recall that the upper floors housed two competing 'massage parlours' in the mid 1990s.

The ground floor (originally the Bank) was home to legendary Colwyn Bay discount shop Kavick's Bazaar in the 1980s and has housed a number of bars over recent years, including Peels, Libertys and, most lately, Owens Bar (now closed). A photo of Station Road from the 1980s, showing Kavicks Bazaar (with orange frontage) on the ground floor of the building (photo courtesy of Dave Jones):


How it looked back in 1900:


Lastly, a view of the building from the mid 1890s, showing Rev W. Venables-Williams and John Porter standing outside the Libertys Building (the ground floor was the National & Provincial Bank in those days). The Rev W. Venables Williams was the Chairman of the Colwyn Bay & Colwyn Local Board (which had its offices in the upper parts of the building then):

Anyone have any thoughts/memories of this building?

EDIT - October 2009 - The bar on the ground floor has now reopened as the 'Judge & Jury':