Up in the northern half of In the Denbighshire, Wales, UK, Rhyl is a median sized town that survives mainly on the tourist industry. Known as "Sunny" Rhyl as it apparently has more sun in the summer than anywhere else in the northwest, the long stretches of beach make Rhyl an enjoyable spot for a holiday. And for other reasons, you don't want to live there.
Many hotels, flats and houses make staying in Rhyl quite possible; and the theatres, the excellent area for shopping- the White Rose Centre- cinema, arcade, and fair all allow one to enjoy the stay there; however, living there is more difficult as all these things require money- and jobs are short in Rhyl. Many of the youths there are disillusioned to the beauty of the sea and sand, and see underneath the drug culture, the violence and the swathes of townies that live there. It has the second highest crime rate in Wales, and is literally a hive of thieves and smackheads.
While it has good sports facilities- Three sports centres, outdoor bowls and four golf courses are hidden away in the countryside, the Sun Centre and the High School swimming baths- they does not hide the sickening cockroach of a town that is Rhyl. Drunks laze daily by the town hall and Railway Station. The streets are disgustingly squalid. And the one time I used the public toilets here- my home town- I went in to urinate; I came out after vomiting.
One good place is the shopping precinct. The White Rose Centre has a lot of good quality shops, from the Woolworths to a nearby Marks and Spencers and a few cafés; if you need somewhere in Rhyl that's generally safe, go here and the high street. And yes, there is a McDonalds here.
There is also a large arena that's been taken over by skaters, where they often hang out (with the goths) and generally skate around. Many of the goths hang around the area of the Dudley Arms, a place I consider to be one of the sole safe-spots in Rhyl. Many of the druggies stay around Abbey street, whereas most other groups just tend to wander.
If you find the town hall and the town square, there is a TSB and a church. On the other side is Sussex Street. From the town square, looking at the TSB and Church, if you go right and up past Sussex Street you will find Best Books and Games Rhyl, the best comics shop in Rhyl. In the White Rose merely walk up from the Marks and Spencers to find yourself at a small café that does great ice-cream and excellent coffee.
There are no shortage of churches in Rhyl- if you go from the top of the High Street,(near the beach) you will again pass Sussex Street and it's Baptist Church. Go down further to the bridge and you will pass the Dudley arms, a Bus Station and a Train Station into Rhyl and a Car Park; If you go down the one-way street called Brighton Road between the Dudley Arms and the Co-op or go around the awkward one-way system to go up it legally, you will pass Thorpe Street. I live at number two here; Behind my house is the Spiritualist Church. Across the road in River Street is a Catholic Church, and a Methodist Church lies on Brighton Road just after the turn off to Thorpe Street.
If you go down Thorpe Street and turn up, you will pass ANOTHER Church; I know not the denomination.
For some unknown reason, they built a "village" on the prom which is entirely uninhabited but for the Apollo Cinema, a car park, and a shop. Since its construction, however, Rhyl's been able to boast an average of four murders each year!
Rhyl does boast that near the Pavillion Theatre (Just over the car-park bridge) John Prescott struck a man for throwing an egg at him. Carol Vordeman also comes from Rhyl.
In my personal view, as well as most of the residents of Rhyl, it's a bad place. If you can avoid the bad places then Rhyl is pretty cool for a few weeks. But due to the lack of social groups for teenagers and such, it's no place to live.