EditorCarmarthen’s old Debenhams reborn as ‘Atriwm’ — but opening pushed back to 2027
The former Debenhams store in St Catherine’s Walk is being transformed into a huge multi‑service hub called Atriwm (pronounced Ah‑tree‑oom), bringing everything from NHS clinics to a 24‑hour gym under one roof. But the project, already hit by delays and extra costs, won’t open until early 2027 after more problems were uncovered in the building’s façade.
The centrepiece scheme — heavily funded by both the UK and Welsh Governments — is one of Carmarthenshire’s biggest regeneration projects in years. But it comes just days after Swansea Bay News revealed the council needed an extra £2m to fix unexpected structural issues in the old department store.
What will actually be inside Atriwm?
Step inside the revamped building and it becomes clear the council is trying to create something far bigger than a simple replacement for Debenhams. Actif will run its first ever 24‑hour gym on the site, complete with high‑spec spin studios, activity rooms and a full TAG Active arena aimed at families and fitness fans. There’ll be indoor adventure golf, a children’s play centre and even electric go‑karting, turning part of the old department store into a leisure complex in its own right.
Alongside that sits the more practical side of the project. The council’s Customer Service Hwb will move in, offering face‑to‑face help with everything from council tax to housing queries, while a new visitor information outlet will support tourism across the town and wider county.
Hywel Dda University Health Board will take over a large section of the building, bringing together services that are currently scattered across Carmarthen. Community and children’s nursing teams, therapies for young people, dental care, sexual health, podiatry, mental health support and phlebotomy will all operate from the new centre. The Health Board’s People Development team will also be based there, using the building as a modern training hub for staff.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David will add another layer, running its sport and exercise therapy clinics from Atriwm. Students on the bilingual BSc Sport and Exercise Therapy course will treat clients under supervision, with the gym and health services just metres away — a setup the university says will give students real‑world experience while offering the public easier access to treatment.
The council says the idea is to put health, fitness, advice and leisure in one central, accessible location — and to breathe life back into a major retail unit that’s been empty since Debenhams collapsed.
Why ‘Atriwm’?
The name is a nod to Carmarthen’s Roman history — the Latin atrium meaning the central hall of a Roman home. It also happens to be the name of one of the chambers of the human heart, which the council says reflects the building’s health‑and‑wellbeing purpose.
And in a more modern twist, it’s also a reference to the huge glass frontage of the old Debenhams building.
The former Debenhams building in St Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen, which is being transformed into a new health, leisure and education hub. (Image: Google Maps)Delays, traffic disruption and more work needed
Atriwm was originally due to open in early 2026, but the date has now slipped to 2027 after contractors discovered the building’s façade needed major remedial work.
Bouygues UK will soon begin repairs, and a traffic management system will be in place on St Catherine’s Street until autumn 2026 — meaning drivers face months of disruption.
Local firms including FP Hurley, Shufflebottom and Becker Sliding Partitions are involved in the build, which the council says is supporting local supply chains.
Council: “Thank you for your patience”
Cllr Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said the name reflected Carmarthen’s heritage and the building’s new purpose.
She added:
“I would like to thank the local community and drivers for their patience… Further details on the progress of Atriwm will be updated throughout the year as we look forward to opening the facility in 2027.”
NHS and university say the centre will transform services
Hywel Dda University Health Board said the move would bring a wide range of services together “at the heart of the community”, while UWTSD said the centre would give students valuable hands‑on experience in a professional setting.
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