‘A complete farce’: MS shares fears for future of historic landmark

Stephen Price

A Plaid Cymru MS has shared his concerns for the future of a landmark Tudor manor house, which he fears may not reopen under the current Labour-controlled council’s leadership.

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Lindsay Whittle says he is becoming increasingly concerned that Llancaiach Fawr, near Nelson, may never reopen, with a deal to reopen the heritage site yet to be finalised nearly a year after the council said it had found a preferred operator.

Caerphilly County Borough Council mothballed the Tudor manor at the end of 2024 as part of wider cost-cutting plans, arguing it could find a better way to run the attraction it was subsidising by £485,000 annually.

The move was controversial, with critics arguing Llancaiach Fawr was the “jewel in the crown” of the borough’s cultural offer and should be kept open.

The council said in July 2025 it had chosen a preferred operator for the attraction, adding at the time “the future looks bright for Llancaiach Fawr”.

The Tudor Manor house has now been shut for two summers with seemingly no immediate hope that it will once again welcome visitors.

Lindsay Whittle, who is a former leader of Caerphilly Council, said: “I don’t think we have got to the bottom about what is happening with Llancaiach Fawr.

“The council leader has talked about a preferred route for the operation of Llancaiach Fawr but there was ongoing legal, financial and operational due diligence to resolve.”

He added: “Frankly, this is turning into a complete farce of the Labour Party’s own doing. The second most important historical landmark in the county borough – after Caerphilly Castle – is lying closed and we have absolutely no idea if or when Llancaiach Fawr will reopen.

“The way this whole episode has been handled does worry me and I am increasingly concerned that it will never reopen to the public. Come clean, Caerphilly Council,” added the Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili, Rhymni.

“Difficult decisions”

In July 2026, Plaid Cymru councillor Greg Ead questioned why – a year later – there was “still no public confirmation of a completed agreement, reopening date, or any future plans for this unique heritage site”.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard, who has led the local authority since November 2025, said a lease or agreement had not been completed, and offered “contrition” for the delays.

“The council has identified a preferred route for the operation of Llancaiach Fawr manor, but the matter remains subject to ongoing legal, financial and operational due diligence,” he told a council meeting on Tuesday June 30.

He added it was “essential” the Labour-controlled council “proceeds carefully” and ensures any deal is in the “long-term public interest”.

“I completely understand that the public will have wanted to see quicker progress – I get it – but the council remains committed to securing a sustainable future for Llancaiach Fawr and will provide a further update when there is a confirmed position,” he said.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop, who leads the Plaid group in opposition, asked why the council hadn’t shown the “vision” to keep the manor open and use its income to supplement public services.

But Cllr Pritchard said the local authority had been subsidising Llancaiach Fawr by around £500,000 a year, and had to tackle wider budget problems at the time the cost-cutting plans were drawn up.

“It was a difficult decision,” he said. “Austerity has been with us for many years – I think hopefully that’s going to change soon – [but] when we are faced with those difficult decisions about how we make savings, unfortunately we had to consider removing the subsidy or moving to a different operating model.”

Answers sought

Lindsay Whittle MS has now posed a series of questions to the council leadership.

1 Is the council currently in discussions with a preferred operator and, if so, for how long has this been going on?

2 What are the detailed reasons for the long delay in concluding an agreement?

3 Has the council a target date for conclusion of discussions?

4 Will the council commit to a reopening of Llancaiach Fawr in time for the start of the traditional visitor season at Easter 2027?

5 What are the total costs of maintaining the manor house and its grounds since closure?

Councillor Charlotte Bishop, leader of the opposition Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council, said: “Llancaiach Fawr should be alive with stories, history and visitors — not standing closed and fading into the background.

“It is an iconic part of our heritage, yet we continue to spend money while people are denied the chance to experience and enjoy it. Our history belongs to the people, and it deserves to be opened, cherished and brought back to life.”

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