'Lessons to be learned' from No.6 says Portmeirion director

Lessons need to be learned after a field being used as a car park for Festival No.6 flooded, the head of the village which hosts it has said.

Tractors had to pull hundreds of cars free after heavy downpours at the weekend flooded the field and some people had to stay in a leisure centre.

Portmeirion managing director Robin Llywelyn said the main arena "wasn't fit for people to walk over it".

But festival organisers have insisted next year's event will go ahead.

Novelist Mr Llywelyn, who is Portmeirion designer Sir Clough Williams-Ellis' grandson, told BBC Cymru Fyw there could be a need for permanent tracks and anti-flood infrastructure to prevent damage in future.

He said: "Either we take our chances every year, or we make it something permanent, like the Royal Welsh show ground.

"The main arena wasn't fit for people to walk over it on Saturday night and Sunday. We also must sort out the parking facilities."

A handful of cars remained on Tuesday

The plains near the Glaslyn estuary are well known locally as overflow areas following heavy rains and Mr Llywelyn said there is a shortage of suitable places in the area for thousands of cars.

He added: "The festival has chosen the best parts of the land. If there's someone at fault, it's God for creating so many hills."

Mr Llywelyn also said there is more work to restore the land at Portmeirion and the car parks this year than there has been in previous years following the event.

He added: "This has proved that we will have to look at another plan. But that is between the organisers, the authorities, the police and local landowners.

"There is room for debate, that things could have been done better to remove the cars at first. But once we established some order, the cars were pulled out quite easy.

"I want to pay tribute to the farmers who have been ready to help."

Most of the village and the buildings, including the Hotel and Castell Deudraeth, were open to the public during the festival.

But Mr Llywelyn warned these buildings may now only be open for advance bookings so "they can't be destroyed by the masses".

"I think that we have to change the arrangements for next year. Maybe because there are too many people now," he said.

"I think we'll have to close some of our resources and keep them for people who can book a table only.

"At the end of the day Festival No.6 brings Sir Clough Williams-Ellis' dream alive and makes the village a place people enjoy - and not as some dusty museum.

"The school of experience is sometimes an expensive school, but we have to make sure that we learn lessons and gain value for money."

Festival organiser Jon Drape told BBC Wales on Tuesday there was "no doubt at all that the festival will return next year", but that they need to review this year's event.