CARDIGAN’S historic Market Hall – a Grade II-listed building which has been used continuously since being built in 1860 – has received a £109,000 cash boost which supporters believe will guarantee its long-term future.

The Cardigan Building Preservation Trust have announced that they have been successful in securing development funding towards a £1.7 million project to conserve, restore and repair as well as improving access to the building.

The first phase development grants totalling £109,000 have been provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs said: “I am delighted to be supporting the restoration of Cardigan’s Market Hall. 

“The market has been trading for more than 150 years and I hope it continues to benefit the town for many years to come.”

The Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020 which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and by the Welsh Government, has also awarded a further £127,000 to the second delivery phase.  

Chair of the trust Howard Williams said: “This is really exciting news for Cardigan with the potential to benefit the whole community.” 

This funded development phase will allow the trust, working with the building’s owners Ceredigion County Council, to develop and plan a detailed scheme over the next few months and secure the remaining funding. 

Matthew McKeague, chief executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund, said the project had ‘great potential’ to bring a new lease of life to the hall and to further demonstrate the benefits of asset transfer by a local authority to a community organisation.

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