Criccieth Memorial Hall Regeneration Project 2026

Why are we doing this?

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Because we have no choice. The fabric of the building is 100 years old, which means a lot of the structure, roofs and timber (especially windows) are worn out. In the 1990s the building was expanded and upgraded to meet the needs of its customers. That was over 20 years ago; we need to modernise and better meet the needs of the community (as best we can within a grade II listed structure).

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Why is the building worn out?

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The Hall is very large building and costs a lot to run. It is expensive to heat, especially in recent years with gas and electricity prices being very high. The auditorium alone is a large space, originally designed to hold 500 people.

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We are largely funded by the organisations and individuals who use the building and receive no public subsidy, beyond an annual grant from the Criccieth Town Council. We have to be mindful of our primary purpose in serving the Criccieth Community when setting hire prices.

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We have been successful in obtaining small to medium sized grants for specific projects:

• Upgraded auditorium lighting (£19,000)

• Renewal of windows (£10,000)

• Repairs to flat roofs (£15,000)

• Re-decorating the kitchen (£4,998)

• New hand dryers (£2,580)

• New front and east entrance doors (£5,000)

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However, this is just a drop in the ocean when it comes to ensuring the longevity of the building.

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We keep finding expensive problems to solve:

• We have found dry rot three times in the last few years, mostly because of defects such as old roofs and life-expired windows. This has been a significant cost and has prevented investment in regular maintenance and other projects such as regular repainting and repairs to windows.

• Being grade II listed invariably makes the problems more expensive and complicated.

• The front of the building is very damp because it is exposed to the prevailing weather, and damp has penetrated into the building and worn out the stonework.

• There are two significant leaks in the roof of the auditorium, which are likely due to the age of the roof.

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These are just some examples of the concerns regarding the building. The grant we have received to date will allow us to put together a plan to address some of these concerns, however we will need further funding to make all of the necessary repairs.

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What is the AHF grant allowing us to do:

• Obtain specialist reports on the condition of the building.

• Conduct a public consultation with stakeholders, the community of Criccieth (and surrounding areas), users of the Hall (including professional groups like Sinfonia Cymru), people who bought tickets or joined our mailing list, etc.

• Prepare a detailed plan to secure and repair the structure and ensure the sustainability of the hall by ensuring it meets the needs of our customers, has fit for purpose facilities and reduced running costs.

• Engage a business consultant to help develop a business plan and a large grant application.

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What have we done so far?

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Engage the professional support of fundraiser Caryl Lewis and Architect Rhodri Evans of Dobson Owen, Pwllheli.

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Commissioned several specialist reports; these have helped us to draw up an initial list of the necessary work required including:

• Re-slating the 1920s roofs over the Main Hall, Green Room and Dressing Room 2.

• Repairs to worn stonework.

• Replacing rotten timber (particularly window frames, all of which contain stained glass) and treating woodworm.

• Ensuring the building is watertight to deal with significant penetrating damp.