Found the following on the BBC website

BBC News | Wales | Mid Wales | Project revitalises old Mines

A remote area of mid Wales which is home to around 100 former lead and silver mines has been awarded a £450,000 grant.
The 'Spirit of the Miners' project aims to breathe life into the uplands of Ceredigion, once dominated by mining.

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Idea sounds good - I started my underground forays at Cwmystwyth and the other mines around there when I were a wee lad so I've got fond memories.

However wonder how it will turn out in practice - tourist attractions - hmm?

"Five full-time jobs will be created to administrate and implement the scheme. "

Oh,that's alright then.

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I've just had an idea or three :-

New offices will be needed,we can get some old engine house renovated somewhere(tastefully of course!) for about 100K,let's get all new office equipment,some of the sites are off the beaten,so we'll need a Land Rover or two at least,but I feel Discos are much more comfortable,and present a better corporate image.We'll need someone to be in charge,so allow 20-27K pa,plus benefits etc.

Best get some management consultants in to help us to formulate our Mission Statement,oh,and we'll need a design agency as well,to design our logo and stationery.
An "Interpretation Centre" is an absolute must,and we can install a conference centre with full A/V facilities and broadband access(we can always paint the satellite dish to blend in).

Getting a bit concerned we won't have much money to employ anyone but the admin staff,but a brilliant idea would be to get some of these "mine explorers" to work for us as volunteers,that would solve the staffing and wages problem,and we could give them a broom each to stick up their arse so they can sweep up as they go along !!!!

end of joke.

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I sincerely hope nothing of the above will be found to have any truth in reality.

We heard about this earlier on in the summer and have a club member who comes into contact with the relevant council people during the course of his job. We understand the council is applying for grant aid to "do something" with the remains at Cwmystwyth: sign boards, marked walks etc.

A NAMHO representative has spoken to one of the locals, and has passed on NAMHO contact details to the council if they want them. The chap at the council is a retired caver and so is sympathetic to "the cause". He doesn't see a problem with continued underground exploration but does forsee the possibility of some form of "logging" system, the purpose being for the council to know how often the workings are accessed and as such just how often the site in general is being visited and "used". Unfortunately it doesn't look as if we'll get proper changing rooms built

What I do find interesting is that the BBC have illustrated their report with a photograph of the crusher house and buddle circles at Ystrad Einion. Although still just inside the Ceredigion area, it's a long walk between Ystrad E. and Cwmystwyth! (- Note to find out if the development plans are central to Cwmystwyth, or for all sites in Ceredigion.) It's also interesting as Ystrad Einion had European grant aid spent on it a number of years ago to "sanitise" the mining remains. This brought critism from the Welsh Mines Society about the way the landscaping and preservation was undertaken will little regard to the original site layout, construction methods of the buildings, or interpretation during dereliction. The site know is looking a little tatty, with such features as wooden steps having rotted away. Are other sites going to get revamped - or has the BBC gone to a photo library for a snap of Ceredigion mining remains??

Hopefully the likes of NAMHO and the WMS will be consulted in a meaningful way,and their opinions and suggestions taken note of and acted upon,and not quietly filed away and forgotten.