A councillor is on a crusade for ‘civic pride’ in Aberystwyth and has demanded urgent upgrades at Castle Point.

Liberal Democrat Aberystwyth town councillor Mair Benjamin says the corner near the town’s war memorial, built in 1923, should be a ‘jewel in the crown’ but has become an ‘uninviting mess’.

She wants Ceredigion County Council to upgrade the railings and ‘unsafe’ walkways in time for the Grade II-listed monument’s centenary in September.

She also called for the old crazy golf site – which is being used for offices and storage by contractors working on the Old College renovation – to be used for something ‘imaginative’ in the future, like a picnic area.

She appealed to residents to get in contact and inform her what they would prefer.

She told the Cambrian News: “As we turn our sights to the centenary of our historic war memorial later this year, there is much work to be done to improve this area - part of the jewel in Aberystwyth’s crown.

“I was disappointed on a recent walk there to see rusting paintwork, unlike the Promenade railings which are repainted regularly.

“Some of the walkways up to the memorial are quite bluntly a safety risk. In short, the place looks an uninviting mess.

“Furthermore, I wonder what could be done more imaginatively with the former crazy golf site.

“We rightly treasure our green spaces. It could make an enlarged picnic area and I would be grateful to hear what residents think.”

Cllr Mair Benjamin believes there is a lot of work to be done, including the restoration of paths and railings
Cllr Mair Benjamin believes there is a lot of work to be done, including the restoration of paths and railings (Cambrian News)

She has followed up her recent criticism of the county council’s neglect of Aberystwyth as well as its decision to permanently convert the much-loved kids paddling pool into a sandpit, despite residents’ protestations.

She also hit out at the authority’s failure to police those who leave dog mess on the promenade and its poor record of fixing potholes in Aberystwyth’s most important areas – which should be most attractive to tourists.

A Ceredigion County Council spokesperson did not specifically respond to the concerns outlined in this article. “The council is also currently looking at repair options as well as funding avenues to repair the jetty and the bridges in the castle,” the spokesman said.

Access to the wooden jetty from the promenade has been fenced off for more than a year and the cordoned off bridge was also deemed unsafe in 2020.