Re-reading this because I have just been to an Aberystwyth university open day. Rained ALL day but was very enjoyable. I didn't manage to get an ice cream on the promenade, didn't manage to get a reader's ticket at the library and didn't see any donkeys.......
The book sustains the world weary tone all the way through and is very entertaining. I don't know how he managed to match the real town so well with his parallel world - but he did.