In 1979 the Coal Exchange was earmarked as a future home of the proposed Welsh Assembly and a heavily reinforced underground carpark was constructed (also envisaged to act as a nuclear shelter) but the plan for devolution was rejected by the Welsh people in a referendum. In 1983 the building was considered as a headquarters for the Welsh language television station, S4C, though this also failed to take off. The Exchange Hall was used with great regularity during this period as a filming location for various parts of the entertainment industry, for example the BBC drama "Bevan".