‘People did it because
added to several times over the years, but by the end of the 20th Century the wiring had become dangerously outdated and I reckon, if we’d left it much longer, it probably would’ve fallen into the river round the back.
“But, even as the shell of the old venue got knocked down and the new one put in its place, it never really shut properly – activities were just relocated further and further towards the back, into smaller and smaller rooms, as construction went on out front.
“Which is why it’s so sad to see it so forlorn now.”
Run, for the most part, by a small team of volunteers – “people did it because they believed in the place” – from stage technicians, to front-ofhouse reception staff, everything they made, as befitted their non-profit, charitable status, had to be ploughed back into the running of the building.
However, things started to become difficult when, around 2008, the money they had received from the likes of schemes such as Communities First began to dry up.
“We were still making money, but it wasn’t enough,” says Gary. “So we had to start asking groups who, up until then had been enjoying free use of the building, to start putting their hands in their pockets, just like the miners had back in their day.
“But a lot of them couldn’t see why they should have to start paying for something that they’d so far been getting for nothing.
“Cutting their noses to spite their faces, you could argue.” Is it possible, though, that it’s the community itself that had changed – the older generation, those that knew of the original building’s altruistic beginnings among the local pit workers, giving way to a younger population perhaps missing that sense of connection?
“That might be true,” shrugs Gary.
“Could be that the younger people in the village were of the opinion that, whatever was going on in here, it had nothing to do with them – I don’t know.
“But I disagree with the suggestion that the building was just too big to work – we knew that wasn’t the case.
“In fact, I can remember one night, just a year before we shut, when this place was chocka.
“There was Friday Night Music Club in the lounge, a kids party in the gym area and one of the guys from the American Pie films playing here with his band.
“Unfortunately, keeping that up just got harder and harder.”
Ironically, he adds that the very money that helped them for so long ended up being the thing which ultimately hamstrung them.
“Because of the nature of the arts funding we received we were restricted as to the kind of things we could put on here, whereas anyone who bought this building now would have free reign to do pretty much what they liked.
“Personally, I’d love to see it become a tourism hot spot, an outdoor pursuits centre – you can’t tell me that wouldn’t work, just look at the scenery that’s around us.
“Cwmaman is unique in that respect – it’s right on the doorstep for so many walking and cycle routes and it’s a haven for rock climbers.
“Entire families could book to stay here, using it as a base from which to explore the area.
“You could hold various classes, lease out sections to different businesses – there’s definitely revenue to be made.
“That’s why we, the trustees, took the difficult decision to close the doors while we were still in the black – we did it with a view to saving this place for the future, to enable us to hand it over, debtfree, to someone who displayed a clear and concise strategy about what they want the building to be.”
But the problem, or so it would seem so far, is finding that someone.
When the Institute first went to auction late last year a buyer did come forward, but that bid subsequently fell through as a result of Japanese knotweed – an aggressively invasive plant and the bane of mortgage applications everywhere – being picked up by surveyors on the property’s perimeter.
“I think the potential buyers got quoted something like £50k to get rid of it, which is a ridiculous figure in my opinion and, as you can imagine, it scared them silly.”
That said, Gary’s far more confident about the Institute going back under the hammer next week, once again with a guide price of £69,000 or above.
“Apparently, the auctioneers have already had a lot more interested parties getting in touch, so fingers crossed.
“All I know is the people who’ve come here and seen the place have been gobsmacked at its