A community centre in Penarth left empty for two years could soon be refurbished and reopened under new plans.
The Kymin on Beach Road is currently empty, but Vale of Glamorgan council plans to run the building in a similar way to the Pier Pavilion, which it took over last year and refurbished.
The Vale council previously let the Kymin to Penarth town council. But after a funding dispute, the lease ended and the Vale planned to sell off the building on a long lease, possibly as a restaurant or hotel.
After a public backlash the council then u-turned last summer and dropped its plans to dispose of the Kymin. Now council bosses have suggested the building could be used for business meetings, open-air theatre, community fairs, weddings, and food festivals.
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Plans are already underway to host productions this summer of Peter Pan, Pirates of Penzance, and a Midsummer Night’s Dream. Council bosses welcomed the progress during a cabinet meeting on Monday, March 14.
Councillor Kathyrn McCaffer, cabinet member for leisure, arts and culture, said the initial refurbishment work includes making the building safe and protected from wind and rain.
She said: “We’re investing to make sure the building stays watertight and secure and is fit for purpose. We have a great relationship with a couple of local community groups who are already using the grounds of the Kymin, which is really encouraging.”
Since the Pavilion reopened in April last year, after the council took it over, the building has brought in an extra £70,000 income from the cafe, cinema screenings, weddings and art sales. The building has hosted events for Halloween, Christmas, arts and crafts, and carols.
Cllr Peter King, cabinet member for neighbourhood services and transport, said the council took the Pavilion on from the charity which used to run it “at the most challenging time” yet now the building is making money for the council.
He said: “The previous organisation failed to make a financial success of operating the Pavilion and frankly ended in a bit of a mess. It defaulted back to us as the landlord, and it came to us at the most challenging time you could imagine for any business or organisation.
“And yet we have managed to turn things around, despite all those restraints of lockdown, and we’re reporting what can only be described as a successful community facility—and one that has produced a financial surplus.”
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