HUNDREDS of people are set to honour a prominent Rhyl personality who has died.
Malcolm Connop, 69, a well-known hairdresser in the town, lost his battle with cancer at Glan Clwyd Hospital and will be remembered on Thursday with a grand funeral procession.
Mr Connop travelled the world while working as a top stylist and spent years in Toremelinos, the playground of the super rich in the 60s, but returned to Rhyl to set up a salon in the town he loved.
Son Max, an architect who lives in Hong Kong, said his father was a respected and recognised figure with “incredible talent”.
He said: “He was very popular. He was a very gentle man, a very caring man. He trained in London with Vidal Sassoon, and had a wonderful time working abroad, where he met film stars and TV actors.
“Sean Connery came into his salon once. He shared a flat with friends, and one of them took a phonecall from Steve McQueen. He’d partied with them all.”
Despite his high-flying career, Mr Connop was very much a family man, who inspired his son to forge his career.
Max Connop said: “He had a passion for buildings. He encouraged me to become interested in buildings and supported me to pursue architecture.
“He was very much a people person. Laterly, Malcolm spent time with his family in Tuscany, Goa and Hong Kong, and always returned to Rhyl and the friendship and familiarity of its people.”
Mr Connop will travel in state on a black carriage drawn by four black horses to St Thomas’ Church at 12pm on Thursday.
Max Connop said the service would reflect another side of his father, with brightly dressed mourners and the church decked in white lilies.
He said: “There were two sides to him. He was very flamboyant, which was why we chose the carriage. It’s something people will talk about for years to come. But we want people to dress in colour, because he wanted people to be happy, and he loved flowers.”
Mr Connop leaves his son Max, daughter in law Janey, granddaughter Margot, sister Judith Richards, and nephews Nicholas and Sean Connop and Alex, Ruben and Giles Richards.