Clares department store in Llandudno’s Mostyn Street will be ‘going nautical’ during the first week in August to celebrate Llandudno lifeboat station’s 150th Anniversary year.
Manager of the old-established store, Claire McElroy, comes from a family with a maritime tradition – her grandfather was a sea captain, serving at different times with the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, with his latter service including some years spent sailing with Liverpool’s Harrison Line.
On leaving the sea he devoted the rest of his life to fundraising for the RNLI throughout Cornwall, where he was also a founder member of the Saltash RNLI Branch.
This tradition of supporting the lifeboats is carried on today by Claire’s mother, who is an active lifeboat fundraiser in Falmouth.
When Claire heard of Llandudno’s 150th celebrations she quickly recruited the assistance of her store team to suitably mark the anniversary and as a result they will be mounting a special sea – and lifeboats – themed window display from 1 to 7 August, whilst on the weekend of 6 and 7 August the store staff will be manning their counters dressed in nautically-themed outfits for the occasion.
