A ROW has erupted as Lampeter and Cardigan battle it out to host the National Eisteddfod in Ceredigion in 2020.

Recent comments by Aberaeron councillor Elizabeth Evans suggesting Cardigan were marginal favourites came under fire from Lampeter town councillor Hag Harris last week at a meeting when the town’s own nominated National Eisteddfod sites – at Coedparc and Cwmsychpant – were revealed.

Cllr Evans had speculated that the “iconic” presence of Cardigan Castle – birthplace of the National Eisteddfod in 1176 – could prove the crucial deciding factor when the site for the huge cultural festival was finally decided.

But her comments have angered her County Hall counterpart Cllr Harris who said he was “very disappointed” by her remarks. “Let’s hope we are successful, but what I’m not going to do is talk down other communities,” he said.

“It was with some shock that I recently read Liz Evans’s comments in the Cambrian News. I was very disappointed to read those sort of remarks from a prominent local councillor, but good luck to us.”

In a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Ceredigion council announced it had received six expressions of interest from town and community councils to host the eisteddfod.

Sites in Lampeter, Llanbadarn, Tregaron, Cardigan, Llansanffraed and Ciliau Aeron have been identified. The sites will be forwarded to the National Eisteddfod where a decision will be taken.