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Making her mark

Reprinted from  Carmarthenshire County Council website

An arts and crafts shop selling local artists’ work has made its mark on a Carmarthenshire town.

Maker’s Mark, of Newcastle Emlyn, has had a face-lift.

The exterior of the building has been transformed from tired looking to a smart property standing prominently in the town.

Thanks to a Carmarthenshire County Council Town Improvement Grant (TIG) business owner Narda Mantle was able to carry out the necessary work.

Work carried out under the TIG included fitting a new roof, repairing the guttering and re-pointed the shop front.

Narda is over the moon with the result.

She said: “The roof had not been done since it was originally built in Georgian times. I wanted to do the building justice and it looks fantastic now. There has been a lot of work carried out in Newcastle Emlyn under this grants scheme and it has really changed the look of the town.”

Narda always tries to do her bit for the area and has on a number of occasions won the Newcastle Emlyn In Bloom contest for her floral contributions.

She was unable to enter this year due to the work being carried out on the building.

The business has been operating for seven years.

It was started with help from The Prince’s Trust.

It is an outlet for the creations of over 70 local arts and crafts people.

Many are grateful to the Maker’s Mark for providing an exhibition and shop for them to earn some money from their artwork.

The county council, European Objective 1, the Welsh Development Agency and the Welsh Assembly Local Regeneration Fund, funds the Town Improvement Grant (TIG).

The scheme is aimed at improving business and commercial properties to make a real difference to the look of town and commercial centres.

Regeneration executive board member Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “It is wonderful to witness for myself the dramatic change that the county council physical regeneration grants are having on the look of town centres in Carmarthenshire. Newcastle Emlyn has become a far more attractive area and the Maker’s Mark now stands proud amongst the other properties.”

Photo to folllow

CAPTION: The Maker's Mark Proprietor Narda Mantle, regeneration executive board member Cllr Clive Scourfield and Cllr Haydn Jones.

Picture Ralph Carpenter.