Restaurant and bar plan for Carmarthen's Guildhall

Carmarthen's historic Guildhall could become home to a restaurant and cafe bar under a £1m redevelopment plan.

The building closed as a courtroom as part of Ministry of Justice cuts and Carmarthenshire council bought the building last year.

The development would see the courtroom retained and kept open for visitors.

The proposal, which could create 25 jobs, will be discussed by the executive board on 18 December.

• Final sentence for historic court

Councillor Peter Hughes Griffiths called the proposals an "excellent and sympathetic re-use of this historic building".

"The restaurant and cafe bar would create an anchor in the centre of Carmarthen town centre, connecting the old and new areas of the town and generating increased footfall that will benefit independent traders in the old part of town.

"The proposal would see a quality sympathetic development that respects the rich history of the Guildhall and keeping the famous courtroom for people to visit and use, whilst giving it a new and sustainable lease of life," he said.

The council had previously suggested it might move some of its own services into the building.

In its time the courtroom heard many famous cases, including that of Ronnie Harris in 1953, one of the last men condemned to be hanged in Wales, and the Rebecca rioters.