Council takes over much-loved outward bound centre
Liverpool City Council has formally taken over the keys to a popular North Wales outdoor education site, after its tenant collapsed.
It was confirmed at the start of this year, after seven decades providing educational away days for young people, Colomendy would close with immediate effect.
Tenant Kingswood Colomendy Ltd and its parent company, Inspiring Learning Ltd, both ceased trading and administrators were appointed.
The council will now begin the process of securing the long-term future of the site in Loggerheads, near Mold, where generations of children stayed.
Prior to entering administration, Kingswood – which is expected to be dissolved later this year – undertook a period of marketing aiming to sell the site but a buyer was not found.
The council purchased the 130 acre (0.5km) location in 1957, which includes a Grade II listed manor house, from which the site takes its name, and was used as staff accommodation but fell into dilapidation.
The main building is Glyn Alyn, which opened as a boarding school in 1969 with five tower blocks providing dormitories.
All buildings require comprehensive refurbishment, according to the council, which also said a series of single storey timber dorms have "exceeded their life expectancy and require repair/modernisation or demolition".
Councillor Nick Small, cabinet member for growth and economy, said Colomendy "means a lot to many people in the city".
"People who have grown up in the city will have spent some time there," he said.
However, he said it was important the authority now did the right thing for the taxpayer.
The council has no money to cover any costs associated with Colomendy.
It is estimated the city will use its corporate contingency budget to cover £600,000 including business rates liability, security along with utilities and management costs.
If the city council retains the site, valued at about £220,000, beyond this financial year, capital investment would be needed.
The council will no longer receive the annual rent of £81,307 until it has another tenant.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the council's preferred option is for an outdoor education firm to take on the lease.
It is expected the full appraisal and handing over of terms to a preferred bidder could take up to 12 months
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Parrott thought this tortured courtship was a battle he could win. He never expected that Keene would want to pull out of the deal. He isn't giving up yet, but for the first time, he's beginning to question it. 'I think there was a time when they did want to sell to me,' he said. Now, he thought, 'There's a chance it doesn't go through, honestly.'
