Morganstone busy giving the popular Afan Forest Visitor Centre a lift

The award-winning Llanelli construction firm Morganstone Ltd is giving the popular Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre a facelift.

The forest park is one of the leading tourist attractions in the Neath and Port Talbot area, catering for walkers, leisure cyclists and expert mountain-bikers.

“It’s a hugely popular venue and we were delighted to win the contract with Neath Port Talbot Borough Council to carry out the refurbishment and extension of the visitor centre,” said Morganstone managing director Ian Morgan.

“There is a great deal of pride in the area about the forest park and it is widely recognised as one of the leading mountain-biking attractions in the UK.

“The works we are carrying out there will be very important to the future success of the forest park and we are sure visitors will be delighted with the finished result when the project is completed in the spring.”

The renovation is part of ‘Cognation mtb trails South Wales’, an exciting new partnership project between Neath Port Talbot CBC, Caerphilly CBC, Merthyr Tydfil CBC and Forestry Commission Wales.

It is funded by the EU’s Convergence European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, with match funding coming from the Welsh Government and partner organisations.

The café area at the visitor centre will be transformed with folding glass doors overlooking the valley, leading out onto a covered terrace and creating an inviting outside seating area.

The foyer will be redesigned as a more open and appealing space, giving visitors a warmer welcome, better access to the South Wales Miners’ Museum and new toilet facilities.

There will also be a new meeting room and general improvements to the building.

A spokesman for Neath Port Talbot Borough Council said: “These improvements will further enhance what Afan Forest Park offers locals and visitors alike. ‘Cognation mtb trails South Wales’ has already built new sections of mountain bike trail in Afan Forest Park and more will be created over the next few years aimed at families and beginners.

‘The refurbishment work to Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre shows our continued support for the tourism industry in Neath Port Talbot.”

Council Leader Councillor Ali Thomas said: “Spectacular views across the Afan Valley can be seen from the visitor centre and the splendid glass feature will bring a new chapter to its history.

“The renovations to the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre will result in great improvements to one of Neath Port Talbot’s main tourist attractions. We are pleased that we are able to maintain a service for our visitors during the renovation work and look forward to welcoming visitors to a new-look centre in the spring.”

Morganstone MD Mr Morgan added: “We are delighted to work with Neath Port Talbot Council on this exciting project to rejuvenate such a great visitor attraction.”

For visitor information during the renovation works, visitors to the Afan Forest park should contact the Tourist Information Centre on 01639 636674 or visitwww.afanforestpark.co.uk

Weblinks: http://www.morganstone.co.uk/, http://www.afanforestpark.co.uk/, http://www.npt.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=2482&pr_id=4618

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Press release issued by Robert Lloyd on behalf of Morganstone Ltd.