Corn Exchange Crickhowell say they are on the brink of securing the former pub for the town and saving the High Street from the threat of a supermarket there for good.

In the week before Christmas only £60,000 was needed to reach the threshold at which the project could definitely go ahead and Corn Exchange Crickhowell (CECLtd) would sign contracts of sale with the pub’s owners, Punch Taverns.

Members of CECLtd visited The Corn Exchange with Llangynidr-based architect, Glyn Smith. In a major boost to the campaign, he has offered his services for free through to the point that plans to convert The Corn Exchange into small shops and offices are given planning approval.

Acting Chairman of CECLtd, Dean Christy, said, ”This is a fantastic offer and a measure of the level of excitement which The Corn Exchange project is generating in our community.”

As part of the deal to buy The Corn Exchange, the owners, Punch Taverns Ltd have already made available all the reports, plans and records which they gathered for their bid to turn it into a supermarket – meaning the architect can get to work without delay.

The group hope to sign contracts of sale with Punch Taverns on January 15 and start the process of gaining planning permission straightaway. They have set themselves a target of getting the new Corn Exchange open nine months later.

Dean Christy said, “We are ambitious, which is why we need to turn the remaining pledges into investments as soon as possible – so The Corn Exchange won’t stand empty a second longer than it has to.”

It’s not too late to get involved in this fantastic community project. You can find it at www.seedrs.com/corn-exchange-crickhowell1 or email [email protected]