Business school in memory of Kwik Save founder Gubay

PROPOSALS to create a business school in Bangor in memory of a Welsh, billionaire philanthropist and founder of the Kwik Save chain will come before planners.

- By DALE SPRIDGEON Local Democracy Reporter

The plans submitted by Bangor University are part of the development of the new Albert Gubay Business School on the former Coleg Menai and Friars Lower School site.

‘The late Rhyl-born businessman Albert Gubay famously made a divine pact with God, when he was young and penniless selling sweets from the back of a van, that he would share his wealth with the church if he made it big.

‘The devout Roman Catholic went on to amass a fortune of more than one billion distributing most of it to charitable causes throughout his life.

By 2006, he had become the 698th richest person in the world and he was honoured by the Pope for his philanthropic endeavours.

He died in 2016 at his home in Cheshire, at the age of 87.

Among the beneficiaries of Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, Bangor University would receive more than £10M.

‘The donation was hailed in the press earlier this year, as possibly the largest gift in the institution’s history and arguably within the universities in Wales.

‘The university had said at the time it was “thrilled” and the Vice-Chancellor Prof Edmund Burke was reported as saying the gift was an “extraordinary act of generosity’.

‘The cash meant the university could start work on the Albert Gubay Business School in 2026.

‘Cyngor Gwynedd has now received several planning applications, related to the development, including one for Listed Building Consent