History of the Centre Building
Plaque for the Men’s Institute
The land occupied by the Centre of Pendeen was given, under trusteeship, to the Parish of Pendeen by Lydia Harris Borlase & Caroline Anne Borlase for the purposes of a Parish Institute.
Originally known as The Pendeen Men’s Institute, the Pendeen Parish Members Institute was opened in 1931.
Constructed of mass concrete with a corrugated asbestos roof, it re-placed a timber and corrugated iron building. It contained a snooker table, reading room, library, kitchen and utility room and, until recent times, was only open to males over the age of 16.
Before the new top floor was added
Over time, the Institute became run down until, in 1996, it was decided to rebuild and extend it. Plans were drawn up and passed but it was not until 1999 that proposals were put forward to extend the Institute even further, making it a place that all the people of Pendeen could enjoy.
The Centre of Pendeen as it is now
The old pool room extension was demolished and the floor level of the main building was lowered, giving enough height to place two snooker tables in the roof space. A much larger extension was built incorporating kitchen facilities and gents, ladies and wheelchair-accessible WCs. This has created a hall of approximately 150 sq m (1600 sq feet) or three smaller units, if the moveable screens are used. There is also a smaller meeting room.
Green Technologies
Heating for The Centre comes from a ground source heat pump, using the earth’s natural warmth. Photovoltaic (PV) panels provide electric power.
