1936 - 1939 :: Rheuma Spa of Wales
The closure of Kinmel School for boys in 1934 left Kinmel Hall empty. But Mrs Lindley, the owner and Principal of Lowther College School for Girls which was another school in nearby Bodelwyddan Castle wanted to retire with her husband Dr Linley (a Doctor of Music). She sold Lowther College and purchased Kinmel Hall in 1935.
After a short period of renovation Kinmel Hall was transformed into a facility which echoed some of its previous luxury for residents and visitors alike. It reopened as The Rheuma Spa of Wales in Easter 1936 and included The Kinmel Country Club for social activities.
The Rhuema Spa of Wales became well known for its luxurious settings, cream teas, nine hole golf course, outdoor swimming pool and excellent hospitality and was making a small profit by 1940 which was its third year. It would have been successful had World War 2 not changed things.
World War 2 had been declared in 1939 and a military order was issued in 1940 for Kinmel Hall to be requisitioned as a military hospital. The Rheuma Spa of Wales abruptly closed.
The army vacated Kinmel Hall in the autumn of 1945. However five years of military occupation had taken its toll on Kinmel Hall and the harsh winter of 1945 resulted in burst pipes and extensive flood damage. The Rheuma Spa of Wales never opened again.