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Welsh Government funding of £680,909 has been agreed to be spent by Caerphilly County Borough Council on three building projects.

The money will go towards developing new office space for the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre for the Community and the redevelopment of a former High Street store in Blackwood into flats and five new shops.

Funding will also go towards a new craft beer bar and microbrewery in Caerphilly town.

The money comes from the Welsh Government’s Targeted Regeneration Urban Centre Funds programme.

Caerphilly Miners’ Centre

The Caerphilly Miners’ Centre, which is based on the site of the former Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital, will be given quarter of a million pounds to create new office space in the currently-unused upstairs of the building.

A new co-working hub, with up to 175 square metres of floorspace, is expected to accommodate 10 small businesses.

Katherine Hughes, secretary of the Miners’ Centre, said: “Providing opportunities for local enterprises to deliver services to our community from the Miners’ will greatly enhance what we are able to contribute to the local economy – as well as supporting community wellbeing and sustainability. 

“The funding will enable our much needed restoration project to go ahead and is much appreciated.”

Former Store 21 building

Quarter of a million pounds will go towards plans to convert the empty former Store 21 building, on 87-89 High Street, Blackwood, into “luxury” apartments and five new shop units.

Brew Monster

Brew Monster has been awarded £180,909 to renovate the former Plumbsave building, on Lon y Twyn, Caerphilly, into a craft beer bar and micro-brewery.

Glenn White, Managing Director at Brew Monster, said: “We are enormously grateful to the Caerphilly Regeneration Team for the support.

“The team were pivotal in our decision to relocate our business to Caerphilly and with their help we are creating one of the UK’s best microbreweries and most unique brewery bars, whilst creating jobs, supporting the local economy and putting Caerphilly back on the map as a destination for great beer.”

Councillor Sean Morgan, the council’s Cabinet Member for Economy said: “I am thrilled that we were able to award significant funding to allow these three buildings to be transformed and brought back into community use. The place shaping framework is absolutely essential as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic to provide hope to residents by demonstrating our commitment to reviving towns and villages across the county borough.”