Ceredigion County Council, working in partnership with Powys County Council, has secured funding through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme, delivered by the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, to support the regeneration of key town centres across Mid Wales.
Aberystwyth is one of six priority towns in Ceredigion benefiting from the programme, alongside Aberaeron, Cardigan, Lampeter, Llandysul and Tregaron. The initiative is administered by the Cynnal y Cardi Team at Ceredigion County Council and is focused on revitalising town centres through targeted capital investment.
A key project supported through the Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant is the regeneration of the historic Cambrian Hotel in Aberystwyth.
Prominently located at the corner of Alexandra Road and Union Street, directly opposite Aberystwyth railway station, the Cambrian Hotel is a well-known landmark for residents and visitors arriving into the town centre.
The building, which dates back to before 1867, originally operated as a coaching inn and has historically been known as the Commercial Inn and the Commercial Vaults. While not statutorily listed, it sits within the Aberystwyth Town Conservation Area and is recognised for its local architectural and cultural significance.
Distinctive features of the building include its half-timbered façade, decorative roof detailing, traditional sash and casement windows, and surviving internal period features such as joinery and coved ceilings.
Over recent years, the hotel accommodation has declined in viability due to changing visitor expectations, shared bathroom facilities, and competition from larger modern hotels. As a result, the upper floors fell out of use, with the business continuing only as a ground-floor bar and restaurant.
The Transforming Towns funded project will now restore and repurpose these vacant upper floors into high-quality, self-contained accommodation units. This will help address local demand for visitor accommodation in Aberystwyth while securing a sustainable future for the building.
The refurbishment will be carried out in a sensitive manner, ensuring the building’s historic character is preserved and enhanced. Works will include careful repair of original features alongside discreet modern upgrades to improve comfort and efficiency.
Key improvements will include:
- Insulation of external walls and roof areas to improve thermal performance
- Upgrades to existing sash windows using a discreet sealing system to retain appearance while reducing heat loss
- Installation of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate renewable energy
- Provision of secure cycle storage in line with Welsh Government Active Travel Act Guidance
These measures will significantly improve the building’s energy efficiency, reduce running costs, and support wider sustainability objectives.
The project will deliver long-term benefits not only for the building itself but also for the wider town centre. The restoration of the Cambrian Hotel will enhance the appearance of Alexandra Road, strengthen the character of this key gateway into Aberystwyth, and complement other recent regeneration investment in the surrounding area.
Once completed, the scheme will bring a vacant and underused historic building back into active use, supporting the local visitor economy and contributing to housing and accommodation supply in the town.
Paul Davies, Senior Architectural Technician at DB3 Architecture, together with the owner Jayne Fisher, highlighted the following: “This would not have been possible without the support provided through the Transforming Towns Programme. Through the scheme’s support, it was possible to deliver the work to a high standard using local craftsmen who applied their skills to carry out a range of sensitive repair works, which is something the building deserved.”
