Penmaenmawr Community Centre

COVID-19 Update

The Community Centre will be reopening on Monday the 17th August although the hall floor usage number is reduced to 12 due to the present 2metre ruling.

The snooker room will also be open but limited to just one table per session. Morning session from 10am to 11.30 on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

We are hoping to try and establish a telephone booking system only. (Any guidance on this would be helpful!)

Slimming World is restarting on the 30th August I believe and on an appointment basis only.

Terms and Conditions of entering the Centre is to be wearing a face mask and or Visor whilst in the reception area and using the stairs to the function room. From that point all persons will follow the organiser's guidelines. The same T&C will apply when leaving the function room to exit the building

The lift can only be used under exceptional circumstances and by one person only at a time plus allowing for a period of non use for sanitising and rest between each use. This may be for a period of 15 minutes - or longer, between each use.

Snooker players will be required to wear a mask/visor and protective gloves at all times during their play and stay.

Hand sanitisers will be available for all.

The 2 metre rule must also be strictly adhered to and any directives issued by the Steward.

For more information please contact Chris Norton

Phone: 01492 622672 Office hours only
Mobile: 07583625915
Email: cnorton4@toucansurf.com

The Centre was built in the early 1920's and was for the purpose of providing leisure amenities for the young men in the village and was appropriately named “The Young Men's Institute”. Yes! Ladies were definitely not allowed into this hallowed sanctum of Men Only for Billiards and Snooker.

Social meetings, concerts and self-entertainment, whether it be by the radio or gramophone or at a piano were the thing in those days. Getting about in the evenings and at weekends was very much on a shank's pony occasion. Self-entertainment being very much the key to a quality of life – despite the many hardships of that period. The Saturday night “thrash” was an occasion of catching up with village events, plenty of gossip and of course, some dancing in between. The Institute was a very much the centre for having fun.

During the war years (39-45), the social night was frequented by Italian prisoners of war from a POW camp in or near Glan Conwy and also numbers of G. I's who were in training in the Trawsfynedd area - preparingfor combat to distant shores for what later became known as the D Day landings on the beaches of Normandy. Most of the GI infantry was sent to two sectors of beach heads code named Utah and Omaha: Tragically, there were many casualties on the Omaha sector on that fateful day of 6th June 1944.

IN the 1950's, a new wood dance floor was laid in the form of Canadian Maple strips. The floor now developed a positive “bounce”with just a few taking to the floor and dancing in rhythm to say the Reel, Barn Dance and of course, the Bebop of the day: If only these walls (and floor!) could talk!

In the early years of the new millennia, most of the properties along the main through road, along with a few other hot spots, benefited from a major regeneration programme. However, despite its distinctive appearance of the multi-level Pagoda style roofing, the fact that the town War Memorial is built on its frontage and, it being described as one of the principle buildings in Pen, the Centre did not to benefit directly from this programme. However, other initiatives such as the Quarry Theatre provided a stage, theatre lighting and sound desk. A later initiative provided an extension to house a lift to the first floor and for the replacement of the old metal window frames.

Being in a conservation area meant that metal frame appearance had to be maintained but with double glazed window panels: With its tall narrow windows and roof styling, this gives the Centre a somewhat dominant feature but being set down some four feet below the main road,gives it a balanced aspect and which compliments the large Victorian houses opposite.

During the late summer of 2016, the entrance area and main stairwell saw the beginnings of a refurbishment programme with modern décor colours and lighting. The entrance and the inner stairwell walls are now thermally insulated, thanks to funding from Pen’s Green Energy Programme and support from the Cemlyn Jones Trust. The new entrance door is also thermally insulated and has a power assisted function, complete with a mobility access pad.

It is our intention that this refurbishment will continue throughout the building. If you would like to support us in our mission, then please contact us at the Centre:

The Centre is supported by the Town Council: However, the majority of funding has to be generated through the snooker hall and the function room receipts. The Centre has four full sized snooker tables in tip top condition, being situated on the ground floor. The membership fee, like the hall hire fees, is very modest. It's a warm and friendly place to be in. Hot and cold drinks available. If you are a good player, why not join one of our successful teams?

The functions room is on the upper floor with a lift access.