James Flannery from Urmston sent us this comment in December 2008
James:"It's a shame Celtica remains closed as a celtic centre.This site should receive support from the Assembly as a cultural asset for all things celtic.As a local authority Powys Council should take responsibility for the promotion of an established centre such as this.
I have read the criticisms below that Celtica does not somehow come up to an "expert's" expectation of what a celtic facility should be like.I have been telling people in Greater Manchester about this site for years as it has left a lasting impression on me.What a pity they may not have the experience I had because the Welsh Nation does not recognise it's potential!"
Derek Trott sent us this update in March 2008:
Derek: "The Town Council are moving into The Plas (April 1st) and facilities include office rental and restaurant with WiFi. Lets hope this new lease of life for the building is successful and the locals fully support it, would be a shame to lose such a wonderful building.
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Kelvin Nash from The Isle of Wight sent us this comment in February 2008:
Kelvin:"I totally agree with Jess from the Isle of Wight. Celtica was the best! It had loads of different activities for all ages, and I still remember the smell from the guided tour - so realistic! Oh, and I also went with Jess from the Isle of Wight in Year 4."
Glyn Jones from Coddington, Newark makes a point about the former use of the Plas building.
Glyn:"Delighted to hear that Celtica was closing. It was appalling nonsense.
We know so little about the Celts that this was clearly the product of imagination rather than historical fact."
Jess from the Isle of Wight can't believe they have shut down Celtica.
"I had such an amazing time there when I came about 7 or 8 years ago. I was only in primary school and it was so exciting there. I'm now in high school and I wish I could have returned before the place closed its doors for good.What a shame!"
Nicole Carlens from Haslingden was disappointed to learn of Celtica's demise:
"I have just spent half an hour trying to trace the where abouts of this museum. I went several yaers ago and thouroughly enjoyed it. Proir to visiting I had no knowledge about anything celtic and it served to stimulate my interest which still runs to this day. I also learned about the fasinating history of cadair Idris and this weekenf had hoped to revisit the museum with my friend and climb the legendary mountain. Shame you closed it. Doubt there will ever be another reason to visit Machynlleth now.Please don't turn it into yet another beer hall. Havent we enough of them already.
Nicole from Rossendale."
Arwel Morgan from Neath had this suggestion:
"I went to Celtica when i was about 10 not only did I thoroughly enjoy myself but I also learnt a lot about the history of the Celts and Wales. It should not be closed it just needs to be advertised using above the line promotion rather that a leaflet in local information centres i feel it would make a large profit and increase people knowledge about the historical roots of Wales and its people."
Thomas from Machynlleth sent this suggestion in February 2006:
"Close down Celtica and make a club for teenagers."
Joy Edwards from Wolverhampton (formerly Aberystwyth) says whatever the future of Celtica it should belong to the people:
"I cannot make a comment on the future of Celtica itself as I have never been to see the exhibition. When I lived in Aberystwyth, as I had no transport of my own and had to rely on public transport (which was expensive then!) the cost of Celtica dissuaded me from taking my children. The Centre for Alternative technology offered special reduced rates for those travelling by public transport making it more accessible. The Plas was left to the people of Machynlleth and what ever its future use may be, it should be for the benefit of the local people not money-grabbing developers!"
Kelvin Jenkins from Machynlleth says local people have set up groups to look at the building's future:
"Everyone in Machynlleth and area who has any interest in the future of Celtica and the Plas building, which currently houses it, needs to know that there is a public debate in progress which it is hoped will lead to the building taking on a vital new role for the whole local community. There have now been two public meetings to discuss what this role should be, from which has grown a steering committe and a number of sub-committees set up to investigate particular aspects, such as performing arts and use of rooms as rented office-space, meeting rooms, etc. Anybody interested in finding out more or taking part can contact the Machynlleth Forum via Ecodyfi offices in Maengwyn Street. The Plas was indeed given to the townspeople by the Londonderry heirs, and the hope is that it will at last be modified to be of maximum use and enjoyment by them. Powys County Council first has to be persuaded of the practicality of such schemes!"
Enid from Machynlleth suggests turning the Plas into a family friendly pub:
"I have lived a number of years in Machynlleth and my family and I have never visited Celtica because the word going round is that the exhibition is corny. If it cost only a pound to get in, we'd give it a go, but since it's quite expensive there's no way you're going to gamble when people are telling you it's corny. What's missing in Mach is a decent-sized food and drink relaxation-place which welcomes everybody. All the pubs in Mach are intimidating to some degree to tourists and non-Welsh speakers because of the Welsh-language thing. Turn the Plas into a big cafe/pub with shop, all with a distinctly Welsh theme without it becoming a haven for Welsh nationalists...The most important thing to remember is that the prime industry of Wales is now tourism and what locals and tourists will always need is food, drink, and the good feelings that come from a reliable and welcoming community."
Carys from Aberystwyth had this to say:
"Although I will feel sorry about Celtica closing, I must admit as soon as you've seen it once, that's it. I know a few people who said the same."
Richard from Machynlleth says he was disappointed by his visit to Celtica:
"Being a Mach resident, but not Welsh (Cornish), I visited Celtica full of expectations when it first opened, hoping to be informed of Cornwall's common Celtic history and origins. To say I was disappointed would be a huge understatement - I found the video exhibition bizarre and irrelevent, and very obviously one person's interpretation of 'Celtic'.There was not one mention of Cornwall, Britanny Scotland Ireland or central Europe. It was purely about Wales, albeit in a very surreal form. To my mind, it would need a total revamp to deserve to remain publically funded, and would have to be far more inclusive and historically informative. I also have to say I've never met anyone who was remotely impressed with it in its current form."
Pauline Lucy Bowen from Aberystwyth says closing Celtica would be a huge loss to Machynlleth:
"If Celtica closes, then the heart will of been taken out of the beautiful town of Machynlleth. It is just not fair that this lovely place has to close down."
David Harris from Canada says Celtica's location could be part of the problem:
"As a Welsh Canadian, I am sorry to hear that the Celtica Centre may close. It is a valuable resource as well as a tourist attraction. If the number of visitors to Machynlleth does not allow it to continue, I would hope that at the very least it might continue at a location where the visitor numbers might be higher. It would not be out of place at the Welsh Folk Museum at St Fagans Cardiff - or possibly a more central accessible location such as Brecon which I presume may have more visitors. Currently it is situated in a most beautiful location but may be by-passed by many visitors unless they are specifically heading for the Mid Wales coastal area. Geographically, it seems to share some of the travel issues that have effected the Botanical Gardens."
Tracey now lives in Gloucestershire but she's originally from Machynlleth and has strong feelings about the future of Celtica:
"It is difficult to comment when it feels as though we are not being given all of the facts. What part of Celtica is set to close? When we say 'Celtica' does this refer to the exhibition alone, or to the whole building. There is much more to the Plas than the exhibition. Why would it cost so much money to keep it going? I visited the attraction when it first opened and was impressed with the tour as it was unique and hi-tech at the time. It is something you would only visit the once though and is very expensive. The gift shop and cafe are lovely and local people pop in and would do so more often if the prices were more competitive. Surely the whole building won't close and be left to deteriorate? What about the offices that occupy the main part of the building. As Nia says, the building and its grounds were given to the people of Machynlleth by the Londonderry family, so it should not be closed down and left to ruin! More needs to be done to gain local support and appreciation!"
His job has brought John Follant from Swansea to Celtica on several occasions:
"I have visited Celtica many times as a Coach Driver. I find it difficult to believe that the authority have considered closure. The Celts tour is an excellent exhibition and everything else on the site, the cafe complementing with superb food. This attitude is so commonplace now - close it,sell it off so that the authority can receive funds to squander elsewhere, don't bother to try and make it work. Give it to Will Lloyd Williams the butcher - he will sort it out!"
Charlotte from Borth wants Celtica to remain open:
"I believe that Celtical should stay, it just needs to re-invent itself. The essence of a good exhibition centre is there. Upstairs on the first floor, the facts are all there on the interpretation panels. I actually came away knowing things I hadn't known before about our Welsh heritage. The main problem is the useless, unfactual video tour downstairs. The opportunity is there to make a fantastic centre for Welsh heritage."
John from Aberystwyth says he wasn't impressed when he visited Celtica in July 2005:
"I was hugely disappointed with Celtica when I visited last month. Far from teaching about the Celtic people, it is a ridiculous display straight out of someone's imagination with little or no factual basis at all. We know very little about the ancient Celts - why doesn't the museum just say that in simple terms rather than trying to 'fill the gaps' and speculate about the history of the Celts?
Of course we should be proud of our Celtic heritage, but to my mind, Celtica would just make us a laughing stock to people who actually care about historical facts, and I'm not convinced that it contributes anything to Welsh national identity or pride."
Nia from Machynlleth thinks Celtica needs to earn local support:
"Ok, so Celtica is bound to close right? Not! I was born in Mach and will be very sorry to see it close. From what I remember from my history lessons the Plas was left to the people of Mach by the Londonderry family who then owned the Plas. I have been to the local CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) many times with my children mainly because as a local person I am able to go there for free! But although I live in Mach I have never been around the Celtica exhibition because I can't afford it. I can give free advise to visitors of CAT because I've been there as for Celtica? I work in a shop and when I'm asked my opinion on the exhibition I can't comment. It would be a real shame to lose Celtica, besides they do a fab cream tea! But, they need local support but to gain that they need to earn it!"
Mike from Aberystwyth thinks Celtica has passed its sell by date:
"The vision for the Celtica site was excellent but the exhibition there now is outdated and very naff. Until about 4 years ago the site was being run well, excellent schools service and well informed attendants with lots of extra curricular activities and the exhibition was relevant. This sort of technology dates very quickly and has to be renewed. I took some students there recently and they thought it was laughable. It does nothing for our culture or reputation as Welsh people in this state and as far as I'm concerned the fewer tourists that see it the better - what is that silly exhibit on the first floor showing bits of bodies being cooked in a cauldron about?! Unless there is considerable reinvestment in the site and the exhibition itself then it's passed it's sell by date and will inevitably close."
G. Gruffydd from Swansea thinks it is foolish to close Celtica:
"If the ''National Botanic Garden of Wales'' can be kept open with Assembly help why not Celtica? It would be a very foolish move to close Celtica down. Cymru needs desperatly such a centre to interpret & promote our Cambro - Celtic Heritage."
David Thomas from Llanwddyn thinks the exhibition must be saved if not the location:
"Celtica is a superb exhibition which must be saved - though not necessarily in Machynlleth. Mach is its natural home but maybe it's too important to stay there. Thousands upon thousands of people pass through it every year and never stop either because they know about it but think it irrelevant to them or because of bad marketing and they are unaware of the site in the first place. It would undoubtedly reach a wider audience if it were attached to the National Museum in Cardiff, Sain Ffagan, or Llanberis for example or part of the National Library in Aberystwyth - or even on the Prom in Aber! Having said that, just what has been done to market Celtica as it is? 650,000 people attended the largest Celtic festival held every year in Lorient last week and what effort was made to attract these people, already devotees of Celtic culture, to Celtica?"
Nicole from Machynlleth makes a point about public and private money:
"Sad to see Celtica go but from the beginning, one could see it was not viable in the hands of a local council. In the hands of a private enterprise yes, as the privateer would have put itself on the line every day, month and year with new ideas on how to attract more people and stave off losses. The council would have relied on the council tax to wipe out some of the losses.
However from one daft idea to another and possibly save two truly Welsh enterprises in the long run! The National Eistedfod is trying its best not to be in the red, yet again, so why isn't Machynlleth-Celtica made as the PERMANENT home for the National Eistedfod! After all, Machynlleth has a lot of history to offer to the Eistedfod visitor who would like to venture off the Maes : Ancient capital of Wales, Owain Glyndwr's parliament, Celtica's central theme is equal to the ethos of the Eistedfod. Machynlleth is equidistant from North to South. Most people from the South would have had to drive through Machynlleth to go up North to the Vaenol to visit the Maes. Machynlleth is the perfect place for the National Eistedfod."
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