Celtica has never attracted more than 34,000 visitors a year

Powys Council decided to close Celtica last year after it had lost �1.1m since 1998 and attracted too few visitors.

Campaigners had called on the council to keep it open while alternative uses for it were found.

However councillors decided to follow recommendations before the authority's board to shut it down as planned in March at a meeting on Tuesday.

Council officers wanted Celtica closed sooner rather than later. They claimed that the cost of running it would need to be found from "other service areas" should the board agree to delay its closure until September.

There is a possibility to run a Celtic-themed attraction in the building and keeping continuity could be vital for its future Andy Rowland

The council opened Celtica in 1996 after �2.5m was spent on refurbishing the Plas building where it is based.

The attraction needed 90,000 visitors in the first year with the figure increasing to 110,000 for it to be successful.

However, the council said it never attracted more than 34,000 visitors per year.

Machynlleth Community Forum was behind plans to keep the Grade II-listed building open in the town.

Forum chairman Andy Rowland said before the council meeting: "It would be detrimental to all concerned if Celtica closed in March.

"Keeping it open would keep the building alive and in good order.

"A steering group appointed after a public meeting in the town about Celtica, believes there is a possibility to run a Celtic-themed attraction in the building and keeping continuity could be vital for its future."

A deadline of December was given to find �250,000 to save the troubled attraction, and subsequently most of its 14 employees have been made redundant - only skeleton staff remain.

But the council's board was told it could not use money from a charitable fund - the Plas Machynlleth Endowment Fund - to pay for �250,000 in improvements at the attraction.

This led to a decision last September to close it.