St David’s College Adds £7m to Conwy Economy 2026

Key Points

• The economic effect of St David’s College Conwy is estimated at £7 million per year in local expenditure.
• According to an independent assessment, the Llandudno school brings £11.6 million to UK gross domestic product.
• The school employs 213 people, 138 of which are staff members.
• There are 260 students in the college, 70 of which are boarders.
• According to bursar Nicola McDonald, the college spends about £1.5 million a year with local companies.
• Councillor Sharon Doleman, cabinet member of Conwy County Borough Council, calls the school a major employer in the area.
• The college says the spending by families of the boarders and other visitors also benefits hotels and businesses.
• The school says that the college has achieved financial stability over the years due to its strategy and reserves.

St David (Wales Times) October 03, 2026 — St David’s College Conwy economy activity is estimated to total £7 million a year and support 213 jobs, according to an independent economic impact assessment reported by Business News Wales. The study found that the co-educational independent school contributes £11.6 million to UK gross domestic product, with around 60 per cent of that impact retained locally in Conwy.

The assessment found that the Llandudno college directly employs 138 people, while additional roles are supported through its use of local suppliers, contractors, tradespeople and spending connected with families and visitors. The school has 260 pupils, including 70 boarders, according to Business News Wales.

How does St David’s College support the Conwy economy?

St David’s College Conwy economy impact is linked to the school’s direct employment, procurement activity and the money spent locally by visitors connected with boarding pupils. Business News Wales reported that the college spends approximately £1.5 million each year with local suppliers and contractors.

Bursar Nicola McDonald said the school aims to use businesses in the local area where possible. She told Business News Wales that local suppliers are often able to provide value for money while allowing the college to support the wider business community.

Mrs McDonald said: “Wherever possible we use local suppliers and the majority of the time they’re the ones who deliver value for money, so we’re also supporting local businesses.”

The school’s expenditure is not limited to externally purchased services. Mrs McDonald said the college also employs staff across a range of functions, including teaching, catering, cleaning, estate maintenance and healthcare. She said the estate team includes electricians, plumbers and joiners, while the school also has a medical centre with nurses on site.

How many jobs does the college support?

The assessment concluded that 213 jobs are supported by St David’s College’s activity, including 138 positions directly employed by the school. The remaining employment impact is associated with contractors, local suppliers, tradespeople and visitor spending, Business News Wales reported.

Cllr Sharon Doleman, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for sustainable economy and communications, said the findings demonstrated the scale of the college’s local role. Speaking after her first visit to the school, she described it as a major employer.

Cllr Doleman said: “St David’s College is a major employer. If it was a factory we’d be shouting about it from the rooftops.”

She added that the school’s contribution to the Conwy economy should be recognised in the same way as other employers supporting a comparable number of jobs.

What did the assessment say about local spending?

The independent assessment placed the school’s annual UK GDP contribution at £11.6 million, with about 60 per cent spent locally. This equates to around £7 million in annual economic activity within Conwy, according to the report covered by Business News Wales.

The £1.5 million spent each year with local suppliers and contractors forms part of that impact. Work commissioned by the school can involve regular operational services, property maintenance and specialist support for its historic estate.

St David’s College is based at the Grade I-listed Gloddaeth Hall estate on a 30-acre site overlooking the Conwy Valley. The oldest part of the site, Minstrel Hall, dates to the Tudor period in the 16th century, Business News Wales reported.

The historic nature of the site means the school’s expenditure can support businesses providing maintenance and building-related services, as well as those delivering day-to-day goods and services. The assessment also identified visitor expenditure as a further part of the school’s wider economic footprint.

How do boarders and visitors add to spending?

St David’s College has 70 boarders among its 260 pupils. Business News Wales reported that the school’s international and weekly boarding communities bring visitors to the area, some of whom use local hotels and spend money with businesses in Conwy.

Mrs McDonald said the effect extends beyond staff and suppliers because families and visitors travel to the area in connection with the school. She said the college’s international boarders and weekly boarders contribute to visitor activity, including hotel stays and local spending.

She said: “It also goes wider than that because of all the people who have moved to the area because of the school. Meanwhile, all the visitors to the school who come to Conwy because of our international community of boarders as well as weekly boarders who stay in hotels and spend locally.”

This type of expenditure is counted separately from the college’s direct payroll and procurement spending, reflecting how education institutions can have an economic role beyond their own sites. The reported £7 million local figure includes the wider effects identified by the assessment.

What did St David’s College say about financial stability?

Mrs McDonald said the charity reinvests in the school and has used a long-term financial strategy to navigate recent pressures. She said the college’s reserves and planning had allowed it to deal with VAT-related changes and increases in the cost of living.

“Our finances are very robust with strong reserves and we have a long-term strategy, so we’ve managed to confidently deal with the rollercoaster of VAT and cost of living increases,”

Mrs McDonald told Business News Wales.

She said the school was in a position to continue investing in its future, with pupils remaining central to its planning.

Cllr Doleman welcomed the reported stability and said she had been reassured by the college’s management approach. She noted that two other independent schools in North Wales, St Gerard’s in Bangor and Ruthin School, had been forced to close during the year, according to Business News Wales.

Cllr Doleman said: “I was pleased to hear that the school is financially stable through good management and sticking to their long-term plan. The school has a clear strategy and a clear direction – and it works for them.”

What educational provision does the school offer?

St David’s College is a mainstream co-educational independent school that says it can adapt support for pupils with additional needs. Mrs McDonald said its curriculum includes core subjects offered in the state sector alongside academic, vocational and enrichment options.

She said the school’s small year groups and class sizes, which often do not exceed 12 pupils, allow for more individual attention. Mrs McDonald also spoke about outdoor education, saying pupils take part in activities including sailing, kayaking, caving, rock climbing and orienteering.

Mrs McDonald, whose family moved from the Wirral to North Wales nearly four years ago, said one of her sons has mild dyslexia and that the school suited both of her children. Her comments were made in a personal capacity as well as in her role as bursar.

She said:

“We’re a mainstream school but we have the ability to adjust accordingly to meet the needs of those who need additional support.”

Why has the council welcomed the findings?

Cllr Doleman said the college’s economic activity supports businesses, employment and the wider community by keeping spending within Conwy. Her comments followed a visit to the school and the publication of the assessment.

She said:

“By keeping investment within the local economy, the school makes an important contribution to supporting businesses, sustaining employment and strengthening our community.”

The councillor also highlighted the school’s role as a local institution with its own services and staff. She said the campus had the character of a community in its own right and praised the history of the Gloddaeth Hall site.

Cllr Doleman added that she hoped the school would continue to work with local suppliers and service providers.

Background: What is St David’s College?

St David’s College is a co-educational independent school in Llandudno, Conwy, based at the historic Grade I-listed Gloddaeth Hall estate. The school has 260 pupils, including 70 boarders, and employs 138 staff directly, according to the economic impact assessment reported by Business News Wales.

The college operates across a 30-acre site overlooking the Conwy Valley. Its Minstrel Hall building dates from the Tudor period, while the wider school provides teaching, boarding, outdoor education, estate, catering, cleaning and medical services.

Prediction: How could this affect Conwy businesses and families?

For Conwy businesses, the reported £7 million annual local economic activity means that continued operations at St David’s College could maintain demand for local suppliers, contractors, accommodation providers and other services used by the school, families and visitors. The assessment’s findings do not guarantee future spending levels, which will depend on pupil numbers, financial conditions and the college’s procurement decisions.

For employees and families considering education in the area, the reported financial stability and direct employment figures may provide evidence of the school’s current local presence. The longer-term effect will depend on how the college responds to costs, policy changes and demand for independent and boarding education.