Aberporth’s £1.1m Heart of the Community project has been rocked by rising building costs.

Plans to rebuild the ageing village hall were costed 18 months ago and since then Covid, Brexit and the Suez canal crisis have led to building supplies spiralling.

The hall committee have managed to secure £1.1m funding but now find themselves with a £175k shortfall.

“We realised early on that prices were rising at an unprecedented rate,” said hall chairman Mike Harwood.

“On the one hand it leaves us with a problem but on the other it is not as bad as we feared. We are in the same boat as many other projects throughout the country but we have the advantage of a regular income from our car parks.”

Plans are now in process to start a massive fundraising campaign.

An open afternoon at Canolfan Dyffryn is being held on Sunday, 6 March from 11am to 3pm to lay out possible fundraising options before residents.

“It is so frustrating that after all the hard work that has been put in over the years that we are faced with this last hurdle,” said Mike.

“However we are confident that we will deliver the Heart of the Community project and ask everyone to back us.”

Anyone who has any fundraising ideas can contact the hall committee at [email protected]