Disused care home near Mold could get new lease of life as escape room

A disused care home near Mold could receive a new lease of life as an escape room facility.

Plans have been entered to transform Maes Mynan Hall on Denbigh Road in Afonwen, which closed its doors in 2013 and has since become a target for vandals and urban explorers.

It includes proposals to convert part of the former 33-bed nursing home into a space for the popular craze where people try and solve puzzles and clues to get out of a locked room in a certain period of time.

An application submitted to Flintshire Council also shows the country home would be alterred to host events such as conferences and weddings, as well as including holiday accommodation, a cafe and two residential units.

Sat within 2.6 acres of land, the property was previously sold at auction for £600,000, which was well above its guide price of £200,000.

The building’s new owners said they intended to refurbish it without making any major changes to its appearance.

They said: “Maes Mynan Hall is a former country home in the Flintshire countryside, originating from the mid-19th century with various additions over the years as the needs of the occupants developed.

“During the late 20th century and up until 2013 the property was in use as a residential care home.

“The property has sat vacant since it closed as a care home in 2013 and is in need of refurbishment to bring it back into use and to its former glory.

“The owner of the property intends to undertake a phased refurbishment of the building and grounds to turn it into a combination of escape room business, conference/café facilities, weddings/events facilities and holiday accommodation.

“A separate application is currently under consideration with Flintshire County Council for the proposed change of use, and the works contained within this application represent the physical alterations necessary to support the new use of the property.”

The application seeks permission to remove several additions made to the building during the 20th century, as well as creating a new extension and two porches.

It would include a kitchen extension to a ground floor apartment, a new porch for the conference facilities and a lobby for the escape room.

The owners claimed the alterations would have an ‘extremely low impact’ on the building.

The proposals are currently being considered by Flintshire Council, which will make its decision known at a future date.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).