Watersports centre set to open later than planned
THE new £1.5m watersports centre at Rest Bay in Porthcawl is almost complete, with an official opening set to take place in October.
The centre includes a cafe, ice-cream kiosk, toilets, showers and changing cubicles as well as a function room.
It also includes a covered area for dog-walkers and a new pedestrian crossing between the centre and the beach.
The centre will act as a base for local watersports groups and clubs.
Work was originally expected to be complete for the centre to open in time for the summer.
Bridgend County Borough Council’s cabinet member for regeneration Charles Smith said: “It’s a little later in the season than we had hoped, but the positive side is that the tenants will have a chance to gear up their operations without the pressure that comes from the height of the summer. The whole facility will be not just a surfers’ paradise, but an attraction for visitors of all types and ages, with stunning and unique views of the Bristol Channel and Swansea Bay.”
Contracts are due to be signed within the next week with two local companies to run the facilities.
Cllr Smith said both had “established track records in their fields”.
He said: “I think locals will recognise this and I hope they’ll agree that these two independent operators will be a very good fit.
“We’ll be able to confirm their identities on signing.”
The downstairs retail kiosk, watersports rooms and the outside public toilets are likely to open slightly sooner than the upstairs cafe.
Funding for the centre has come from the European Union via the Welsh Government’s Tourism Attractor Destination programme.
The official opening of the centre will take place on October 11.