Plaid Leader Ieuan Wyn Jones AM and Party President Jill Evans MEP, today visited the Bodnant Welsh Food centre under construction at Furnace Farm on the Bodnant Estate.

The 18th Century farm buildings alongside the A470 in the Conwy Valley are undergoing complete renovation as part of a £6.5 million project to build a cookery school, shop, restaurant and tea room alongside a new centre of excellence for Welsh food production including cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream. The centre will also hold the new national beekeeping centre for Wales. Local contractors K & C Construction are developing the site with the aid of £2.7million approved by the last Welsh Assembly Government through the European Development Fund.

Ieuan Wyn Jones AM,

"The Bodnant Welsh Food centre will be a significant boost to the local economy creating over thirty new jobs and highlighting and promoting the best in locally-produced Welsh Food. I am delighted that Plaid gave approval for this project in the last Assembly Government. More than that, this project is a prefect example of renewing and rebuilding Wales, something that Plaid has put at the top of the political agenda."

Jill Evans MEP added,

"This is an exciting project which not only involves regeneration of some magnificent buildings, but will also provide a significant boost for the local economy. The project has been backed by the European Regional Development Fund, and I'm very impressed by what I've seen today. It's great that these buildings will be used from now on, so that they don't lie derelict. I wish Michael McLaren and Sandy Boyd at the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre every success for the future, and I look forward to visiting the project again when it is completed."

Ends.