Snowdon’s summit café has a new look, thanks to an infamous art installation that was formerly in Bangor.
‘Y Caban’ was designed and created by Dutch artist Joep Van Lieshout, and installed next to Pontio in Bangor in 2015. The fibreglass structure cost £109,000 and was said to have been inspired by the tradition of a slate quarryman’s hut.
The controversial art installation, dubbed ‘the Bangor Bogey’ by locals, was finally removed last September and placed in storage until it found a new home.
However, the art instillation will now be given a new lease of life on the top of Snowdon, when it opens as a café serving drinks and snacks from today, 1st April.
The new cafe, billed as the “highest re-fuelling station in England and Wales”, stands 1085m above sea level and is expected to attract over half a million visitors a year.
An official said: “On a clear day the views can stretch as far as Ireland. On arrival at the Summit, railway passengers and walkers will be welcomed into a modern, contemporarily designed café that truly reflects the Welsh heritage of the area.
He added: “It’s an amazing piece of artwork and worth every penny that we’ve paid for it. Bangor was clearly the wrong place to show off this beautiful creation and now, on the top of Wales’s highest mountain, it will be appreciated by hundreds of thousands of visitors every year while they enjoy a brechdan and a panad.”
Concerns have been raised whether this unique building will withstand the mountain weather conditions, one local resident commented: “I think it’s ridiculous, we often experience extreme weather up here, one gust of wind and who knows where it will end up, Llanberis, Llanfairfechan or even Llandudno! In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s gone by this afternoon.”
Photos: Y Caban is now a cafe at the top of Snowdon (2) The Caban outside Pontio in Bangor.
