Posts
We awoke to the devastating news that millions of pounds worth of restoration has literally gone up in smoke. As the photo shows, firemen were still damping down at 11 a.m. today. Police have Orchard Street barricaded off.
No doubt council staff are already beginning an assessment of whether there is enough of the original building left to make it worthwhile recommencing restoration work - that is, assuming that the building was sufficiently insured.
The worry must be that the fire was started deliberately. One hopes that minds can speedily put at rest on this point.
5 comments:
When I arrived on the scene last-night(Thurs) I couldnt believe what I was witnessing. All the hard work by the ones behind the project (refurbishing) was now a waste.Lets hope a new gwyn Hall will be built on the site and see Hywel gwyn Statue on the forecourt.
Photos can be seen here http://www.pbase.com/mikezite/neath_gwyn_hall_fire
Photos here: http://www.pbase.com/mikezite/neath_gwyn_hall_fire
or my website www.mikezite.co.uk
Thanks for the link to the photos, Mike.
Reconstruction will surely depend on how much of the original building can be salvaged. If, as people were saying to me yesterday, the remaining shell is unsafe and will have to be knocked down, then I think the council should clear the site and start again with a modern building. A share with commercial interests, as with some other recent council undertakings, would ease the burden on the taxpayer.
Many citizens have warm memories of the old Gwyn Hall. (No doubt next week's Neath Guardian will run as many of their reminiscences as space allows.) However, it is impossible now to bring it back exactly as it was.
- Frank Little
Hopefully it woun't be raised to the ground, and used for yet another discound supermarket that seems to be the norm in NPT. I seem to remember that the local rag reported on what a coo de grahce it was to have Farm Foods coming to the Burrows Yard in Yscuthan Road, Aberafan.
Demolition is starting tomorrow.
It looks like the facade can be saved, and that it is the intention of the council leader to do that.
Commercial development does not necessarily mean extra retail space. A public hall/theatre (which Neath obviously needs) can be combined with offices or even apartments.
Post a Comment