A RALLY was held at the former Caerphilly tourist centre on Saturday to challenge Caerphilly County Borough Council’s decision to close down the coffee shop due to a lack of funds.

Leader of Plaid Cymru Caerphilly Group councillor Lindsay Whittle led the rally where hundreds were in attendance, including Senedd Members Peredur Owen Griffiths MS and Delyth Jewell MS.

Plaid Cymru Members of Senedd for South Wales East, Delyth Jewell MS and Peredur Owen Griffiths MS spoke at the rally and said:

South Wales Argus: Senedd Members Peredur Owen Griffiths (pictured left) and Delyth Jewell (pictured right), taking a photo with leader of the Plaid Cymru group Councillor Lindsay Whittle (pictured middle), with hundreds of protestors in the background.Senedd Members Peredur Owen Griffiths (pictured left) and Delyth Jewell (pictured right), taking a photo with leader of the Plaid Cymru group Councillor Lindsay Whittle (pictured middle), with hundreds of protestors in the background. (Image: Phillip Nifield)

“This is the heart of the community.

“It’s a local asset that has to be saved – but this is more than being about one building, this is about the wider regeneration of Caerphilly town centre and the haphazard way that the council is going about it”.

Branch secretary for Plaid Cymru estimated between 250 to 300 people attended the rally.

Click here to read more about the support that the café and art gallery have garnered.

Click here to see the petition circulating on Change.org, to stop the closure of the café, art gallery and public toilets, with over 2300 signatures (at the time of writing).

“It’s clear from the numbers that turned up today on such a cold day in the middle of January that people are fiercely proud of their town", continued MS Jewell and MS Griffiths.

At the rally, they also said, “the strength of feeling about this matter shows just how much the council has to change their minds and do so with urgency.”

South Wales Argus: Hundreds of protestors were gathered outside Caerphilly tourist centre, Coffi Vista and Y Galeri Caerffili on Saturday, January 13 to protest against the closure of these and the public toilets.Hundreds of protestors were gathered outside Caerphilly tourist centre, Coffi Vista and Y Galeri Caerffili on Saturday, January 13 to protest against the closure of these and the public toilets. (Image: Phillip Nifield)

Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) set out the reason for their decision in a recent press release.

The council said Coffi Vista café is losing money and it is paying more than “£100,000p/a of public funds to plug the hole in Coffi Vista’s budget”.

The council has said that although the tourist information hub was helping tourists before, it is a full-time coffee shop now and doesn’t provide the same services it did in previous years.

“A special budget consultation will take place from Monday 22nd January, when local people will get the chance to have their say and provide feedback on the details of the proposed savings”, said the CCBC.

South Wales Argus: Karen Evans, owner of Y Galeri Caerffili, said she was 'devastated' by the news of the closure.Karen Evans, owner of Y Galeri Caerffili, said she was 'devastated' by the news of the closure. (Image: Karen Evans, owner of Y Galeri Caerffili)

Sean Morgan, leader of the Council, said that while Coffi Vista is popular, residents should consider "whether it is in the public interest to highly subsidise a coffee shop in Caerphilly, or re-direct these much needed funds towards delivering key frontline services”.

Cllr Morgan also said, “subsidising a coffee shop is not a priority when funds are under critical pressure to run statutory services, such as education and social care".

Karen Evans, owner of Y Galeri Caerffili art gallery in Caerphilly tourist centre said she was “devastated” by the news of the closure.