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| Blaze wrecks town's historic hall | Blaze wrecks town's historic hall |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Fire has destroyed an historic building which was undergoing a £4m restoration to become an arts centre. | Fire has destroyed an historic building which was undergoing a £4m restoration to become an arts centre. |
| Flames ripped through the Gwyn Hall Theatre in Neath town centre, engulfing the four-storey Victorian building. | Flames ripped through the Gwyn Hall Theatre in Neath town centre, engulfing the four-storey Victorian building. |
| Seventy firefighters tackled the blaze, which started at about 2100 BST on Thursday and destroyed the hall within hours. Nobody was injured. | Seventy firefighters tackled the blaze, which started at about 2100 BST on Thursday and destroyed the hall within hours. Nobody was injured. |
| Townspeople, including Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, the local MP, voiced dismay at the destruction of the building. | Townspeople, including Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, the local MP, voiced dismay at the destruction of the building. |
| Fire chiefs have been meeting scenes of crime officers to investigate the cause. | Fire chiefs have been meeting scenes of crime officers to investigate the cause. |
| People were evacuated from surrounding properties and a safety cordon was set up between Orchard Street and London Road. | People were evacuated from surrounding properties and a safety cordon was set up between Orchard Street and London Road. |
| The roads were set to remain closed on Friday, causing disruption for town centre shops and businesses. | The roads were set to remain closed on Friday, causing disruption for town centre shops and businesses. |
| People arriving for work and children being taken to school on Friday morning stopped to watch firefighters on long ladders damping down the fire. | People arriving for work and children being taken to school on Friday morning stopped to watch firefighters on long ladders damping down the fire. |
| I'm so sad and upset about the loss of this building. It was used by the town for so much Neath councillor David Thomas | I'm so sad and upset about the loss of this building. It was used by the town for so much Neath councillor David Thomas |
| Local councillor David Thomas said: "I'm so sad and upset about the loss of this building. | Local councillor David Thomas said: "I'm so sad and upset about the loss of this building. |
| "It was used by the town for so much - everything revolved around the building. I have seen it this morning and it's a shell. | "It was used by the town for so much - everything revolved around the building. I have seen it this morning and it's a shell. |
| "It's absolutely destroyed. Lots of valuable paintings that were in there have been lost." | "It's absolutely destroyed. Lots of valuable paintings that were in there have been lost." |
| 'Gaping hole' | 'Gaping hole' |
| Eyewitness Stephen Roberts, 26, who lives nearby, said: "There were flames everywhere and firefighters everywhere trying to get control of the fire. | Eyewitness Stephen Roberts, 26, who lives nearby, said: "There were flames everywhere and firefighters everywhere trying to get control of the fire. |
| "I looked out of my window and saw loads of smoke. The building's destroyed - it's sad because it was a really nice place." | "I looked out of my window and saw loads of smoke. The building's destroyed - it's sad because it was a really nice place." |
| Alan Roberts, 61, said he could see the flames a mile-and-a-half away at his home in Cadoxton, Neath. | Alan Roberts, 61, said he could see the flames a mile-and-a-half away at his home in Cadoxton, Neath. |
| "It was massive, the flames were lighting up the sky," he said. | "It was massive, the flames were lighting up the sky," he said. |
| "We drove through the town this morning and it's very smoky. It's very sad. We used to go there regularly. My grandchildren are in a theatre group and they put on shows there. | "We drove through the town this morning and it's very smoky. It's very sad. We used to go there regularly. My grandchildren are in a theatre group and they put on shows there. |
| "We were only admiring the hall the other day, looking at the new windows they had put in as part of the restoration. It's a big loss for the town." | "We were only admiring the hall the other day, looking at the new windows they had put in as part of the restoration. It's a big loss for the town." |
| Mr Hain spoke of his shock and sadness following the blaze. | Mr Hain spoke of his shock and sadness following the blaze. |
| The Gwyn Hall Theatre had been at the centre of the community | The Gwyn Hall Theatre had been at the centre of the community |
| "The Gwyn Hall was a fine Victorian building that served the people of Neath for generations, hosting many, many tremendous events and concerts," said the MP. | "The Gwyn Hall was a fine Victorian building that served the people of Neath for generations, hosting many, many tremendous events and concerts," said the MP. |
| "Its loss will leave a gaping hole in the heart of Neath. The fact that the hall was about to undergo a major refurbishment makes this fire doubly shocking and sad." | "Its loss will leave a gaping hole in the heart of Neath. The fact that the hall was about to undergo a major refurbishment makes this fire doubly shocking and sad." |
| Built in the 1880s, the Gwyn Hall Theatre was a local landmark and was due to reopen as a modern arts centre next spring. | Built in the 1880s, the Gwyn Hall Theatre was a local landmark and was due to reopen as a modern arts centre next spring. |
| It was set to include cinema facilities, an interactive cafe bar, and state-of-the-art stage and would have provided facilities for concert and weddings. | It was set to include cinema facilities, an interactive cafe bar, and state-of-the-art stage and would have provided facilities for concert and weddings. |
| Before the fire, Derek Vaughan, the leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, had spoken of how the building would be "returned to its former glory and is once again set to be the hub of cultural activities in Neath." | Before the fire, Derek Vaughan, the leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, had spoken of how the building would be "returned to its former glory and is once again set to be the hub of cultural activities in Neath." |
| Mr Vaughan had said: "I am personally committed to the refurbishment of the historic building which when completed will provide Neath with a venue to be proud of." | Mr Vaughan had said: "I am personally committed to the refurbishment of the historic building which when completed will provide Neath with a venue to be proud of." |
| Did you see the fire? Do you have pictures of it? What are your memories of the Gwyn Hall? Let us know at newsonline.wales@bbc.co.uk or if you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions | Did you see the fire? Do you have pictures of it? What are your memories of the Gwyn Hall? Let us know at newsonline.wales@bbc.co.uk or if you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
Your comments below: | |
| To say I am devastated is an understatement. I have spent the past year working on the commitee of the Friends of the Gwyn Hall planning gala concerts, rock gigs and cultural events for the grand opening and working with the arts team to secure high profile artists for the future. The Gwyn Hall has has a major impact on my own musical life and many others in the community. Hopefully we can make sure that plans continue to secure a first class arts venue for the town centre which the borough council, friends commitee and other arts teams have been working so hard to ensure. | |
| Luke Lockyer |