19 June 2009
Cardiff Waterside to support National Urdd Eisteddfod
Cardiff Waterside has today announced a major investment package for the National Urdd Eisteddfod, one of Wales’ premier youth festivals to be held in Cardiff Bay between 25 – 30 May.
This year, the Eisteddfod’s hub will be the Wales Millennium Centre with stalls and exhibitions located around Cardiff Bay. Cardiff Waterside’s package includes the use of some of its prime sites to enable the Eisteddfod to play host to the 100,000 visitors and 15,000 competitors expected in May.
Cardiff Waterside is the Welsh capital’s waterfront business destination and home to blue-chip companies and respected institutions such as HBOS, Regus and the Welsh Assembly Government flourish. New eco-friendly office building 3 Assembly Square, which is set to achieve maximum energy efficiency levels and minimum carbon emissions due to state-of-the-art technologies and systems, will be the latest addition to the estate upon its completion in June.
Aled Sion, Director of Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s National Eisteddfod said, “Urdd Gobaith Cymru is very grateful to Cardiff Waterside for this generous investment. The vital square footage donated by the company will enable us to create a better ‘maes’ for visitors and will certainly enhance the experience for our competitors.
“The Eisteddfod in the Bay is a very different experience to the usual Eisteddfod because of its unique location. By enlarge, Eisteddfodau are held in large fields and the infrastructure has to be laid down from scratch. We’re extremely lucky to have the Wales Millennium Centre as a hub for this year’s activities and this investment will enable us to use other prime locations in the Bay,” he continued.
Laura Clements, Cardiff Waterside said, “We’re delighted to welcome the National Urdd Eisteddfod to Cardiff Waterside and pleased to be working in partnership to ensure visitors and competitors alike enjoy the unique atmosphere of this wonderful bay-side location.
“Cardiff Waterside is a thriving business community with a host of exciting amenities on its doorstep. The Eisteddfod will cement this further as thousands of young, talented individuals are given the opportunity to show-off their fantastic talents and we as visitors can enjoy a spectacular event,” she concluded.
Rhian Bailey