School 'let down' by S4C 'u-turn' over HQ sale

Kings Monkton School had hoped to move into S4C's former offices in Cardiff

Bosses at a leading private school said they "feel dreadfully let down" by S4C's decision not to sell its former Cardiff headquarters.

The Welsh language channel relocated to Yr Egin in Carmarthen on Monday.

It originally said the move would be financed by selling the site in Llanishen but is now off-loading the property to its own commercial arm.

Kings Monkton School believed a £3.75m offer for the channel's former main office had been agreed.

• More staff quit S4C than fully back move

• S4C move 'promised at no public cost'

However, S4C said a lack of clarity about when it could move technical equipment to continue broadcasting to BBC Wales' new headquarters in Cardiff's Central Square, which it will share, was a factor in its decision.

Chief executive Owen Evans said: "On the basis of what was happening I didn't think was what offered was enough to take that risk."

In April, Knight Frank, which was advising S4C on the sale, wrote to the school saying the channel had agreed to the sale in principle and it should be a "formality".

However, the school was informed in late August S4C was pulling out of the sale.

Kings Monkton in Cardiff was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of two schools

School owner Andrew McArthy told BBC Wales' Newyddion 9 programme: "Our staff were terribly disappointed but the uncertainty of the way [S4C] have managed this process has been dreadful.

"They have [delayed] for 10 months when we had all but agreed a deal. We feel dreadfully let down."

The school said it had spent £30,000 on preparatory costs ahead of the proposed purchase and claimed it offered £950,000 above the market value.

The BBC was asked to comment.