Penarth Kymin: Victorian house to be kept for community use

Campaigners say the Kymin belonged to the people of Penarth and should be kept for community use

Controversial plans to offload a popular publicly-owned Victorian house and former wedding venue for use as a hotel or restaurant have been dropped.

Vale of Glamorgan council faced an outcry over its plans to offer a long-term lease on the Kymin, in Penarth.

Opponents say the property belonged to the people of Penarth, who used to enjoy access to events in the grounds.

The council said it had received no suitable bids, and would now talk to community groups about its future.

The Kymin was previously managed by Penarth Town Council, until a funding row with the Vale led to its closure in 2019, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Last September, the Vale council deemed the building "surplus to requirements" and put it on the market offering a long-term lease.

Since then, the council has taken over the running of the nearby Penarth Pier Pavilion from a charity which ran into financial difficulties.

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Deputy council leader Lis Burnett said the authority would use that experience to inform its rethink over the Kymin.

"I would like to thank those who submitted bids for their interest in the Kymin," she said.

"Unfortunately, none completely met our expectations for the building, and following the experience of operating Penarth Pier Pavilion, we have decided to go in a new direction."

In April, a council-owned caterer reopened a café in the pavilion, which the authority is considering turning into an arts centre.

The council has taken over the nearby Penarth Pavilion and recently reopened its café

Ms Burnett added: "Operating the pavilion has created an opportunity to approach the management of these two buildings collectively.

"It is clear that the people of Penarth care deeply about the historic buildings in their town and we feel just as strongly.

"The challenge is to make sure these iconic locations can operate sustainably and we are open to working collaboratively with local organisations and community groups towards that objective."