Penarth Pier Pavilion is a focal point for the local community. In the 1940s, it drew crowds of visitors from all over South Wales, with thousands flocking to Penarth to dance to the music of local bands. The pavilion was also a dating hotspot, and often the initial meeting point for many local couples who went on to marry in the post-war years.
With the help of a £24,500 grant, young people from the Penarth Arts and Crafts community group researched the history of the pavilion during its heyday as the ‘Marina Ballroom’, learned about 1940s fashion and music, and produced a public exhibition sharing what they found out. A 1940s-themed ball was put on to celebrate what they had achieved, and a book edited by them will also be published, to spread the word about the pavilion’s past even further.