Over 200 people attended a public meeting at Neuadd y Pentref in Ganllwyd to show their support to the UK’s first purpose-built mountain bike centre.

Coed y Brenin visitor centre near Dolgellau opened in 1996. Concerns had been raised that Natural Resource Wales (NRW) was currently reviewing the future of the site and two other visitor centres across north and mid Wales.

At the meeting organised by Ganllwyd Community Council and the county councillor for the area Delyth Lloyd Griffiths, NRW spokesperson Elsie Grace said that a new way of working will need to be found to ensure the long term sustainability of the centre itself, as funding revenues for all public bodies were being squeezed.

Coed y Brenin, Centre Public Meeting Held at Ganllwyd Hall Over 200 locals pack out the Hall at Ganllwyd for the public meeting on the closhure of Coed y Brenin Centre.Picture Erfyl Lloyd Davies Photography
Over 200 locals pack out the hall at Ganllwyd for the public meeting on the closure of Coed y Brenin (Erfyl Lloyd Davies Photography )

The Head of Sustainable Commercial Development for NRW said, however, there are no plans to close Coed y Brenin visitor centre and that private companies or community led organisations would probably need to be sought to take over the running of the café and the building in due course.

Coed y Brenin has since long established itself as a fantastic base, providing services to help local people and visitors make the most of their time enjoying the huge network of world-class mountain bike trails located in the forest.

Cllr Lloyd Griffiths said: “We know that 100,000 visitors come to Coed y Brenin every year and economically that has a positive impact on a rural, sparsely populated area like Meirionnydd.

“The centre employs 20 people making Coed y Brenin a fundamentally important employer to Gwynedd.

“We are extremely grateful to local people, the biking community, partners and supporters for attending the public meeting last week.

“It was a positive meeting with people given the opportunity to share their views and concerns.

“The community council had been extremely busy organising the event, and the spokespeople invited to share their views were well received. Thank you to everyone involved.

“Now the hard work really begins.

“We will now await Natural Resources Wales’ review findings and crucially, the financial details, in the coming months.

“We will then be able to continue the discussion and see how NRW progress the site and safeguard the location for the local community, for Gwynedd economy, the biking community and for the next generation.”

Coed y Brenin, Centre Public Meeting Held at Ganllwyd Hall. The panel at the meeting from L to R Rhys Llywelyn Ganllwyd Local, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Elsi Grace N.R.W., Dylan Williams N.R.W., Delyth Edwards chair person of the meeting and Chris Dixson chairman of Ganllwyd Comunity Council. {PIcture Erfyl Lloyd Davies Photography
The panel at the meeting (Erfyl Lloyd Davies Photography )

At the meeting there was also overwhelming support for NRW to invest in the bike tracks, with complaints voiced that no general maintenance and safeguarding of the tracks had been carried out over a number of years.

“How all that was discussed at the meeting can be achieved, is for everyone involved to continue the discussion led by NRW and work together,” Cllr Lloyd Griffiths added.

Other speakers at the meeting included Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor; Dafydd Caradog Davies MBE, founder of Coed y Brenin bike tracks; local biker, Rhys Llywelyn and Natural Resources of Wales Head of Sustainable Commercial Development, Elsie Grace.

Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said: “The packed public meeting at Neuadd Ganllwyd shows how Coed y Brenin is valued by the people of Meirionnydd, attracting visitors to the area who also have a direct impact on the broader visitor economy and other local businesses.

“Coed y Brenin was and is a world-class centre for biking and walking.

“It is a treasured asset, valued by the local community and visitors alike.

“It is the UK’s first purpose-built mountain biking centre, is the starting point for walking and running trails, and attracts thousands of visitors from far and wide.

“We should not be in this position where the future of Coed y Brenin is now being discussed.

“Coed y Brenin in a fantastic brand which the Welsh Government should invest in and build upon.

“In the short term, Natural Resources Wales should work proactively with bike trail experts and volunteers to improve the trails to meet the emerging needs of end users and develop a robust and viable business and marketing plan to attract visitors back to Coed y Brenin.

“In the long-term, the Welsh Government need to develop a specific business strategy for high adrenaline tourism destinations.

“The fantastic resources we have at Coed y Brenin should enable us to develop expertise in outdoor high adrenaline tourism.

“Coed y Brenin brings a wealth of recreational and economic benefits to the Meirionnydd area, and I would encourage everyone to visit Coed y Brenin and sample all this fantastic asset has to offer.

“It is important to note that Coed y Brenin remains open and will remain open, and that this could be an opportunity to build upon what is a world class asset.”

Hear more from Mabon ap Gwynfor and Cllr Delyth Lloyd Griffiths in the video above.