Gwynedd arts centre in £800,000 'invest to save' plan

Council officers say closing Neuadd Dwyfor would be detrimental to Pwllheli

An arts centre in Gwynedd needs a facelift of nearly £800,000 to boost income and stave off closure, council leaders have been told.

Neaudd Dwyfor, which opened in Pwllheli in 1911 as a silent movie theatre, has faced closure or transfer to a community group in recent years.

Officers now recommend a policy of investing to save the premises, saying closure would cost nearly £400,000.

They call for new seating, better food and drink, and more up-to-date films.

It follows complaints from the public about the quality of the premises and its programme, which attracted 52,000 visitors in 2018-19, a report to the cabinet said.

Neaudd Dwyfor is the only arts centre in south Gwynedd and the last still run by the county council, costing the authority £161,000 a year.

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Officers say the centre has "now reached a crossroads in terms of its future" but recommend a refurbishment.

"Having reviewed the options, not investing to save would create a situation where Neuadd Dwyfor would be a resource generating more annual loss for the council," the report said.

"Closure would clearly lead to more savings to the council; however, it would also lead to the loss of an important facility locally.

"Closing would detrimentally affect the town of Pwllheli and the area in terms of the economy and regeneration, and from an arts, cultural and linguistic viewpoint."

Income could be generated by hiring out rooms for meetings and activities, the report added, while the Welsh Government would be expected to contribute £120,000 towards refurbishment.

A decision is expected when Gwynedd Council's cabinet meets next Tuesday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.