One of Llandudno’s most familiar buildings faces an uncertain future after the announcement by Four Seasons Healthcare that it will close the North Wales Medical Centre at the end of this month.

Originally opened in 1904 as the Lady Forester’s Convalescent Home this splendid building occupies a slightly elevated 18-acre site at the junction of Queen’s and Fferm Bach Road from where its occupants could enjoy panoramic views across Llandudno and out to sea.

The Forester family owned quarrying and iron-making works in Shropshire and they erected the Llandudno facility to enable ill and injured workers to recuperate in healthy and attractive surroundings. Lady Forester was born plain Mary Anne Ricketts but she was no commoner, her father was a viscount and her first husband, Colonel David Ochterlonay Dyce Sombre was enormously wealthy and left her his entire fortune in his will.

In 1862 she married the 3rd Baron Forester, George Cecil Weld, an army general, Comptroller of the Royal Household, M.P. for Wenlock 1828-74 and Father of the House of Commons. When he died in 1886 she decided the estate could spare the odd three-quarters of a million pounds to endow charitable works in his memory. Following Lady Forester’s death in 1893 the Charity finalised plans for two hospitals in Shropshire and a convalescent home in Llandudno.

The present Craig-y-don site was selected and the architect, Edward L’Anson appointed. The first sod was cut in 1898 but construction didn’t begin until 1901 and the foundation stone laid on 24th July, 1902. L’Anson dressed the exterior of Lady Forester’s Convalescent Home in attractive red St Bees sandstone. The central section of the building provided staff accommodation with female convalescents housed in the north wing and males in the south, all set in magnificent and extensive gardens.

In 1977 Aberconwy Borough Council attempted to purchase the redundant convalescent home to serve as its headquarters but the property was eventually acquired by a private medical company that eight months ago sold on to Four Seasons. It is difficult to believe that Four Seasons could have seriously hoped to turn around the loss-making business in such a short period and all too easy to imagine demolition and development might now prove more profitable. Your committee consider this important building is now at risk!