Video captured by local resident Matthew Waring shows heavy machinery tearing into the building, while footage shared by Cllr Peter Black confirms the start of works.
Cllr Black said: “Work has started demolishing the Cwmfelin Club so that the culvert and sewer can be repaired.”
(Image: Matthew Waring)
From small hole to major disruption
The club shut suddenly in August 2023 when what was first thought to be a small hole in the car park revealed a vast cavity beneath. Investigations later confirmed a collapsed culvert carrying Burlais Brook, along with the remains of a disused tramline and sewer, running directly under the site.
Since then, the sinkhole has been blamed for repeated flooding on Heol y Gors and at the roundabout, where cars were submerged, homes and businesses inundated, and residents even rescued by boat during September’s storms.
Calls for action
Local councillors, including Peter Black, have long warned that permanent repairs to the culvert could not begin until the club was demolished.
Council leader Rob Stewart confirmed last month that the authority had written to the club seeking details of recent works, after emergency pumps were deployed to keep water levels down.
Welsh Water has said it cannot access the collapsed culvert until demolition is complete, while Network Rail has also raised concerns about the site’s proximity to key infrastructure.
Emotional loss for the community
For members, the demolition is bittersweet. Club chairman Mike Kennedy previously said he was “really disappointed” but accepted that demolition was the only way to allow engineers to assess and fix the problem.
Local resident Mark Boyce described the loss as deeply personal: “I’ll be in tears when this comes down. My mother’s soul is in there — she was a cleaner for 25 years and I used to come every weekend.”
What happens next
With the building now coming down, engineers will finally be able to inspect the collapsed culvert and sewer beneath the site. The cost of repairs has been estimated at anywhere from £1 million upwards, though the true figure will only be known once the ground is exposed.
In the meantime, emergency pumping equipment remains in place to protect the roundabout and surrounding homes from further flooding.
Demolition captured on video
Two perspectives of the demolition have been shared from the scene.
Local resident Matthew Waring filmed the moment heavy machinery began tearing into the roof of the Cwmfelin Social Club, capturing the dramatic first strikes as the building came down.
Meanwhile, Cllr Peter Black posted his own footage, confirming that work had officially started. He said: “Work has started demolishing the Cwmfelin Club so that the culvert and sewer can be repaired.”
Together, the clips show both the community’s view of the demolition and the political significance of the works, which are seen as a vital step towards tackling the flooding problems linked to the collapsed culvert beneath the site.
