Tivyside | Archive | 2002 | February | 19
From the Tivyside Advertiser, first published Tuesday 19th Feb 2002.
AN offer to buy Cardigan Castle and bring it into public ownership will be made by Ceredigion County Council by the end of the week.
This its leader, Cllr Dai Lloyd Evans, told the Tivy-Side in an exclusive interview on Monday night. Details concerning the offer based on the district valuer's valuation of the property are not as yet being disclosed, but Cllr Evans said he is sure it will be nowhere near the inflated asking price tag of £1.25million. Cllr Evans said that he and the council's chief executive, Owen Watkin, were impressed with what they saw on taking a look at the castle and its Castle Green mansion house on Friday.
They were accompanied by Cardigan's three local members, Cllrs John Adams-Lewis, Trevor Griffiths and Mair Morris, and by castle owner representative Brian Rees and Cardigan estate agent Nic Rees, who is handling the sale of the castle.
"Mr Watkin and myself were favourably impressed with what we were shown. What lies behind the walls of the castle was a bit of an eyeopener to us both.
"It would seem that some of the buildings there are beyond repair but there are lots of other buildings there with interesting characteristics and features that I feel sure are restorable. It is easy to see why so many people in the Cardigan area consider it well worth restoring.
"I remain hopeful that we will be able to come to an agreement with the owner's agent."
He added that the finance any restoration will take dictates that the project is bound to one tackled on a collective, multi agency basis and in this regard he took heart from knowing that CADW, for instance, have intimated a readiness to invest in the castle.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008