Welsh tourist attraction at risk of closure as council aims to save money

• ITV Wales' National Correspondent Rob Osborne reports as Blackwood Miners' Institute is also set to lose funding.

A popular tourist attraction in Wales is at risk of closure after a council said it is forced to make "difficult financial decisions" to balance its books.

Llancaiach Fawr Manor, in Caerphilly county, could see its doors close for good from later this year.

The historic manor, which has been restored and furnished to imitate life in the 17th century, is run by Caerphilly County Borough Council, which has been looking for ways to save money. You can watch ITV Wales' ITVX report from the manor here.

Council leader Sean Morgan said the council "can’t continue to run our services in the way we always have".

The council currently provides an annual subsidy of £485,000 to run the venue, but that will end from the end of this year.

If the proposal is approved, the manor will close from December this year, with other options of how the facility would be run set to be explored.

The council has said the 20 members of staff working at the manor are being supported.

Along with the Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Caerphilly Council is also proposing to withdraw its current £347,000 per year subsidy to run Blackwood Miners' Institute.

The performing arts theatre in Blackwood would also close at the end of December if the proposal is approved.

Cllr Morgan said: "We need to explore all options and consider ways of doing things differently.

"I want to be honest with the community, because it is clear that the scale of savings means we need to make some very difficult decisions over the coming months."

A public consultation is open from Tuesday, 30 July, to Tuesday, 10 September, where members of the community can have their say about the proposals.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...