Bryn Estyn should not be demolished, says abuse victim

The building has been judged surplus to requirements by Wrexham council

A former resident of a notorious children's home in north Wales has called for it not to be demolished as its future comes up for review.

Bryn Estyn was at the centre of a scandal over physical and sexual abuse during the 1970s and 1980s.

Wrexham council later used the building as offices, but may now knock it down.

Former councillor Keith Gregory, who has spoken of his own abuse there, said: "It wasn't the building that hurt us, it was the people employed there."

The Jillings report, completed in 1996 but not published until 2013, concluded there was "extensive" mistreatment of youngsters at the property, which closed in 1984.

Bryn Estyn's former deputy head Peter Howarth was among those sent to jail for abuse, dying three years into a 10-year sentence.

The building later became known as the Erlas Centre, providing office space for Wrexham council staff, but has since been judged surplus to requirements with demolition an option.

Keith Gregory: "It was still our home"

Mr Gregory, who served as a Wrexham councillor from 2012 to 2017, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he wanted to see it preserved.

"We had bad things happen to us in that home, but to a lot of people it was still our home," he said.

"Wrexham has lost a lot of its buildings and heritage, and it's a lovely building.

"I go down to the Victorian gardens there quite often and, for me, I think it helps, to be honest."

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Phil Wynn, responsible for the building as Wrexham council's lead member for education, said: "On the basis that it's money currently being spent by education to keep the building mothballed, I'm keen to see it demolished."

He said the historical buildings agency Cadw had told the authority it did not want to protect the building by listing it.

The proposals will be discussed by the council's ruling executive board next Tuesday.