Questions and answers
Where will the money come from?
In the 2024 Spring Budget, HM Government confirmed the allocation of £100 million of funding for culture projects, recognising the important role that culture and pride in place have to play in levelling up.
This funding was determined to support a combination of nationally significant cultural investments from across the UK. Venue Cymru was awarded £10 million.
How much is the project costing?
The overall project cost is at least £10 million, we are seeking funding in addition to the UK Government investment to support the project and will finalise plans according to the money available.
A grant of £200,000 has been offered by the Arts Council of Wales towards the technical upgrade. Conwy County Borough Council is only using grant funding for this project.
Would the library service and the tourist information service save money by moving?
Yes. Conwy County Borough Council does not own the buildings and currently leases the library space and the Tourist Information unit, so moving the facilities into Venue Cymru would save money. However, we are also focused on the benefits that could be achieved by moving the services to a building that is more accessible for customers (ground floor location, more accessible parking, and additional facilities on site).
Can the money be spent on other projects or staffing for example?
No, the money is awarded for this specific work for a culture hub at Venue Cymru aimed at future-proofing the theatre and creating a vibrant cultural space that is for use by both cultural practitioners and the public. We could not use the money for anything else.
What are the key elements of the project?
The proposed key elements of this project are:
- upgrading the auditorium seating, which is over 20 years old
- technical modernisation of the theatre including replacing equipment that is 30 years old
- developing a creative hub including community spaces
- co-location of library and tourism information service
Is Conwy guaranteed to get the money?
The money is subject to a Business Case that will be considered by the new government in Westminster.
Will customers have to pay for parking?
There is on site customer parking at Venue Cymru in a pay-and-display car park. There is also plenty of free to use on-street parking within a couple of minutes’ walk.
The Venue Cymru car park has a number of accessible bays directly outside the doors which will make access easier for those with Blue Badges. The Venue Cymru car park has EV charging bays. Some free-of-charge 20 minute bays will be provided.
How would this be better for people with access issues?
The library would be located on the ground floor, removing the need for library users to navigate lifts or stairs. More accessible parking bays will be available close to the entrance.
Venue Cymru benefits from a number of accessible toilets, a dedicated baby-change area and a Changing Spaces facility. The services would be co-located with a café, free to use working spaces and community facilities.
Will there be other advantages?
The project will help to protect our services against continuing economic difficulty. Providing self-service equipment will allow library users to access the facility whenever the building is open, greatly extending access times. We hope to be able to provide a small community stage in the foyer that will be available free of charge and a community room that will be available for a low hire fee.
In addition, we hope to allocate an area in the foyer that will be available for community groups to run their own workshops and group sessions. Combining our services will enable us to deliver a coordinated range of activities for communities, for example combining Amser Stori and Lego Cafes, and will also likely open up additional funding streams that require partnership working to be eligible.
The library would be next door to the swimming centre, providing easy access for families using the facilities. The library would be located much closer to our residential areas. We plan to provide open access work areas within the foyer areas.
We will continue to have staff teams for each specialist area but we will train all of our front line staff to work together to increase access to support and information for people using the building. We are working in partnership with Coleg Llandrillo Menai to identify benefits and co-working to support learners.
Will the library be open fewer hours?
No, the library staffing hours will transfer as they are. Access to library self-service collection and drop-off will be greatly extended as this will be available whenever the building is open.
Will the library computers still be accessible (and free to use)?
Yes they will.
What will happen to the old building?
We appreciate that the library is currently housed in a Carnegie Building and that it is in a central location in the main high street. The space will revert to the building owners. The library only occupies one floor of the building. Other tenants occupy the rest of the spaces within the building.
Could this impact on the high street shops?
Within our consultation we are asking if moving the library will impact on the amount of money people spend in the town. The library will still be in the town and will be located between the main shopping areas of Llandudno and the growing offer in Craig Y Don.