Porth Eirias:
Watersports complex two thirds empty for a year since opening
More than £200,000 will be spent installing a substation at Porth Eirias as the cost for the watersports centre continues to spiral.
Scottish Power have confirmed to the Daily Post's sister paper, the North Wales Weekly News that a six-figure sum will be spent on infrastructure improvements, which are believed to be required for Bryn Williams’s bistro.
How much of the cost will be paid by Conwy taxpayers is not clear as neither Scottish Power or Conwy Council would be drawn on how the extensive investment will be broken down.
A Scottish Power spokesperson said: “SP Energy Networks is investing over £200,000 in the area and we will be working closely with Conwy County Council to agree a start date for this programme of work.”
Conwy Council declined to comment on the investment it is a partner in and said it would respond to the inquiry within the Freedom of Information timescale of 20 days.
It also would not comment on reports the complex, which cost more than £4million to build, had been running on a gas back-up generator since opening a year ago.
Frequent critic of the costs of the Porth Eirias debacle, David Jones MP, whodiscovered the actual leaseholder of the bistro was off-the-shelf company Shel Restaurant Ltd, has labelled the news “alarming”.
He said: “It is deeply alarming that the council is apparently now being required to spend another large sum of money to connect the combined heat and power system at Porth Eirias to the grid.
“Only two weeks ago, the council leader told us that £164,000 more will have to be spent to get the building ready for Bryn Williams.
“It is now 12 months since the grand opening of Porth Eirias, yet it is still standing virtually empty.
“The question has to be asked: how much more money does the council expect local taxpayers to throw at this project?
“And is it just throwing good money after bad?”
Three weeks ago Conwy Council voted through extra funds to be spent on refitting Porth Eirias for Bryn’s much-delayed bistro.
The vote by Conwy Council’s cabinet, made behind closed doors, approved an additional £33,000 for kitchen work along with a further additional £38,000 for substation work, which will be shared with Shel Restaurant Ltd.
This is on top of £95,000 already budgeted.
It means the refit cost will be £164,000.
There is still no opening date for the bistro.
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