Cyngor Gwynedd have announced that they have approved a recommendation to give a long term lease to Menter Rabar so that they can turn Ysgol Abersoch site into a community resource.
Despite strong opposition from the local community, Ysgol Abersoch was closed by Cyngor Gwynedd in December 2021, after almost a century of existence as a primary school serving the community. Since then, members of the community have established a community enterprise called Menter Rabar, in order to secure the future of the building, and raise money in order to convert it into a community asset.
Recently, Menter Rabar secured a £400,000 investment from the Welsh Government in order to renovate the site. Currently plans for the site include a community café, heritage exhibition, a multipurpose room to facilitate a variety of activities, business units that will be rented out and a community garden. There are also plans to improve the energy efficiency of the building by installing solar panels and a heat pump.
In a statement Councillor Paul Rowlinson, Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, said:
“The Menter Rabar plans have clear economic, social and environmental benefits and I am delighted that the Council is able to support them by offering the enterprise a long-term lease for a nominal amount.
“Menter Rabar has successfully raised a lot of money to invest in the property to make it an accessible hub in the heart of the village for various activities and services.
“This exciting enterprise will provide opportunities for the whole community; it will provide a space for businesses, a place for the community to come together and opportunities to learn about the culture and heritage of the area. These activities will also contribute to strengthening the Welsh language in the area.”
Einir Wyn, Secretary for Menter Rabar, added:
“Menter Rabar is thrilled that we have finally brought the former school back into the ownership of the community, where it belongs, just over a century after it first opened to serve the village.
“The project will celebrate and protect the unique heritage of the village and community through an exciting, interactive exhibition and archive. It will be a thriving enterprise centre, offering homeworkers and entrepreneurs affordable and flexible workspace for rent. The café and garden will offer a range of voluntary opportunities, while providing a beautifully designed and much needed social space in the village.
“Menter Rabar will share the Welsh language and culture with all who visit, work, and live in Abersoch, all year round.
“It has been a long and at times challenging journey. But together, we have proved that the community of Abersoch is capable of great things. This is a new beginning for Abersoch.
“In the words of the old school motto, we are now ‘hwylio i’r dyfodol’ – ‘sailing to the future.’”
Councillor John Brynmor Hughes, local Member for Abersoch with Llanengan, added:
“I would like to thank all the members of the committee for their hard work and time in getting this venture off the ground. A big thank you also to all that have supported the venture financially. Good luck for the future. Onwards and upwards.”
In the same statement Cyngor Gwynedd emphasised that they have a policy of giving communities that are affected when a school is closed a fair chance to consider drafting a business plan that supports a transfer of the property.
