Prestatyn businessman Tim Williams and classic car creator recognised in New Year Honours

The 73-year-old set up Bon designer dress in, at 104 Prestatyn High Street, in the 70s. He relocated to a more substantial premise, further more up the street to 121, in 2018.

Mr Williams is married to Ann, who was awarded the BEM – British Empire Medal – for her companies to charity and the group in 2015, has been praised for “utilising every option to showcase Prestatyn High Avenue for the very good of the independent traders and the town as a full.”

He was also recognised for producing the Prestatyn Traditional Auto Demonstrate.

Mr Johnson talking with Bon owner Tim Williams. Photo: James Davies MP/Twitter

This started out 20 many years ago. The occasion, which also enables charities to showcase their operate and collects donations for charities, is the most significant cost-free vehicle clearly show in North Wales and draws in 1000’s of attendees annually.

Mr Williams advised the Journal: “I to start with uncovered out [I had been recognised] when I acquired a letter from the Cabinet Place of work in late November which educated me that I had been advised to Her Majesty The Queen for the honour of an MBE. I experienced totally no concept that this was coming and just couldn’t feel what I was looking at. In fact I had to browse it a couple situations to just take it in.

“It is of system an huge honour to be recognised and I also truly feel a slight embarrassment as none of what each my spouse and I have achieved would have been achievable devoid of the enable of quite a few others prepared volunteers, several of whom have been with us given that the displays started off and now have come to be company mates.”

Mr Williams opened Bon designer have on in April 1972 right after doing the job for menswear outlets as manager.

He extra: “The final a person, some may keep in mind as Horesh and Sons in Rhyl, a privately owned manner business, which stood me in fantastic stead when the possibility arose to open up my individual shop.

“The 70s were being a brilliant time for fashion, with kinds modifying practically weekly – an fascinating ten years to start out.

“I have had amazing team functioning with me and just after a few many years we opened Bonne Amie, a women vogue shop, which was owned by my wife, then Razzamatzz, a reward shop in Prestatyn Superior Street.

“I have usually believed in Prestatyn. The city has generally oozed appeal and independent purchasing.”

Mr Williams said some of the “most difficult moments” he ensured were being in the mid 1990’s when the Point of Ayr Colliery shut.

He discussed: “This coincided with the typical gradual down in all higher streets and a Feasibility Analyze, organised by the County Council on the Prestatyn Superior Avenue, led to the summary that it was an abnormal road, currently being on a hill, and with a massive space in the centre occupied by the vicarage.

“We normally thought that the way forward would be to keep functions in the city, to attract people today again to the Superior Street.

“Ann remembered attending a backyard garden social gathering as a young girl in the vicarage and just after talking to Rev Clive Southerton, she thought she would organise a Flower Display in the Gardens. This proved a good results and immediately after a couple of several years we believed it would generate a nostalgic ambiance if we experienced a couple of typical cars and trucks by the entrance.”

In the year 2000, for the millennium, the couple were being seeking to arrive up for strategies which would enable the city to rejoice.

Tim mentioned: “For a just one off, we held a traditional car show.

“It was so fantastically obtained by equally the motor vehicle entrepreneurs and the people today of the city that we had to hold it once again and it grew to become an once-a-year function which has grown from really small beginnings to likely the major no cost Vintage Vehicle Demonstrate in North Wales. It now not only fills its unique parking spot but spills out into the Large Street, the hill now currently being an asset as the autos can be observed shown there.

“The vehicle demonstrate also created additional publicity for the town when some of its vehicles showcased in Carol Vorderman’s everyday living documentary.

“We have also been asked to source vehicles for fashion shoots and Tv perform and to carry the judges for the Wales in Bloom Competition.”

Mr Williams fulfilled Boris Johnson, primary minister, for the duration of the summer season of 2021.

Mr Johnson joined Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies on his marketing campaign trail in advance of the Welsh Govt election on May well 6.

“Conference the prime minister in the summertime of this yr was a privilege as I think without the need of the aid of this federal government all over Covid, lots of of our outlets would not have survived,” Mr Williams said.

“It has not been an straightforward two decades, but we are nevertheless listed here.”

Mr Williams was born and lived at the Boat Inn, Erbistock.

He attended Rhuabon Grammar College and came to Prestatyn when he was 16. He satisfied his spouse when he was 18 and the pair married when they were 20, in 1968.

The pair have two grown up sons – Peter who owns Autoservices Garage in St Asaph and Chris who lives in Ormskirk and manages an style and design place of work for an on the internet trend enterprise.

Mr Williams reported: “In the course of my years at the Boat Inn, 1 of our summer season passtimes was developing go karts which we’d race down the steep hill primary to the Inn with a lookout on the sharp corner to alert of oncoming visitors.

“Numerous situations I failed to make the corner ending up in a controlled slide on the gravel travel of the rectory. This was my initially taste of mechanics and pace, one thing that was resurrected for the Cleaning soap Box Derby that we held down the vicarage lane for numerous CCS’s.

“In the course of the 80s I was a member of Clwyd Vale MC, competing in rallies with my brother-in-legislation Andy. So it was a all-natural that nearly anything to do with cars and trucks was my scene.”

Mr Williams has been an lively member of the regional Business enterprise Association and took component in the City Jointly partnership.

He has, in earlier years, been an integral portion of Prestatyn’s entries to the Good British High Street Competitions. He is also actively included in the town’s productive Wales and Britain in Bloom entries.

Mr Williams additional: “Neither Ann or myself at any time envisaged the honour of obtaining these awards.

“All we cared about was the survival of Prestatyn Superior Road which now is wanting in wonderful shape.”

James Davies, MP for Vale of Clwyd, claimed: “I congratulate Tim, who now joins wife Ann with an MBE! 

“I have liked doing the job with both of those in the neighborhood for about 20 years and Tim’s annual Traditional Auto Display has helped bring pleasure and also fantastic achievement to Prestatyn High Avenue.”