History of The Halfway Hotel

This information comes courtesy of The Halfway Hotel, one of Llanelli’s oldest buildings that is still in use.  http://www.halfwayhotel.co.uk/history.html

 

1800 – saw the first part of the building up graded with the addition of the stable block and back rooms for accommodation ( which today is the toilets all three of them ) – ( the lounge which was designed first to a lounge for the family ) and all the out houses. you can if you look hard enough see where the old building joins the new building. toll gates at this time were still at the hotel – however we are unsure if they were in use and if a charge still applied .
Before this time the hotel was used as a hotel for staff of the following / prison and even a hospital …… however due to various agencies being involved,  it was a secret at the time and dates and times cant not be traced – we can safely say that the hotel as we know it was at least 50 years old before the 18 00’s – and before this time, the old hotel stood on the site.

1845 – The earliest reference known to the Bass Lease Company, who now own the property is a lease of 1845, but it is not clear if there was an Inn on the site at that time. The land was owned by the Nevill family, proprietors of the Llanelly Copperworks.

1851 – In the census of 1851 the Halfway House was occupied by:- Margaret Thomas, a widow of 57, Ann Thomas, Daughter, John Thomas, Son, Mary Samuel, Servant, Mary Morris, Anne Morris, her daughter, and Margaret Thomas who were all lodgers.

1852 – The earliest local reference is found in unpublished notes, written in Welsh by a local historian of the last century, Tom Williams entitled ‘Hanes Dafen’ – The History of Dafen. He writes of this family moving to Dafen from Monmouthshire travelling on the Great Western Railway to the terminus at Swansea, then by Stage Coach to the white walled, thatched roofed ‘Halfway Inn’ before proceeding to Dafen.

1861 – The census of 1861 shows occupation by Evan Evans, a Miner & Publican, his wife Ann Evans, His daughter Anne Evans who also the housemaid, his niece also named Anne Evans who was a tin worker, and Sara Evans, a niece. They were to occupy the premises for the next 20 years.

1881 – Twenty years later in the census of 1881 shows a John Evans and a Thomas Evans who was a pickler, in occupation.

1882 – The Register of Licences for 1882 gives John Thomas as the licensee of the ‘Alehouse Halfway Tavern’. The owner was Thomas Evans and others who on the 30th August was convicted before John Simmons Tregonning and Richard Nevill Esq. Magistrates of the town, for permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises. He was fined 40/- with 9/- costs. The Evans family were connected with the ‘Halfway House’ for over 30 year.

1889 – There was a sale of land owned by the Nevill Family in the ‘Halfway Area’. Included in the sale was “All that messuage or Public House garden and premises known as the ‘Halfway Inn’. It was bought and conveyed to Margaret Griffiths of the ‘Greyhound Hotel’ Llanelly, and was occupied by a John Thomas for a yearly rent of £1-1-0d.

1890 – A notice in the Llanelly Guardian of 2nd October 1890 read: Builders desirous of tendering for the re-building of the ‘Halfway House’ about a mile from Llanelly, on the Swansea Road for Mrs M Griffiths, of the Greyhound Hotel, are to send their names to the architects from whom all the particulars may be obtained. I Buckley Wilson & Glendinning Moxham, Stepney Street, Llanelly or Castle Street Swansea.

1891 – The census of 1891 shows the ‘Halfway Inn’ as uninhabited.

1894 – T P Jones and his company rebuild most of the hotel and add in a lot of the external and internal features that you see today. The building did not grow in size – however the shape did…… and did you you know the same company borrowed some ideas and  info from this building to the LLANELLI OLD TOWN HALL – which was built 2 years after the completion of the hotel. You can see similar features and ideas running in that building – which links both buildings together. These two buildings are the only two venues around of this scale that TP designed. There is a hotel in IRELAND which they built also – and this building is identical to the Halfway – walking in there is the same as walking in here !

Local stone from Penceilogi Quarry, half a mile away, was used for both projects. The Present bar was built over the site of the old ‘Inn’, the best local craftsmen were employed, and a testimony to their work can still be seen in the ornate work on the bar ceiling and woodwork. the hotel was designed to house and sleep more guests – and the hotel remained a hotel until 1911 – where all rooms – were turned into function rooms , offices and living quaters of the landlords that had it from here on in .

1895 – On Easter Monday 1895, Llanelly’s first sports ground was opened, sited 300-400 yards due south of the ‘Halfway Hotel’. The close proximity of the imposing hotel must have been a factor in deciding on the site, as well as the fact that Margaret Griffiths owned both lots of land. Her relative Phil Williams, also of the Greyhound Hotel was a Director of the newly formed Athletics Company; he was also Secretary of the sports Committee. The grounds full title was “The County Athletic Grounds”, Halfway Park Llanelly.

1897 – The Llanelly Trade Directory of 1897 lists the premises as ‘The Halfway Hotel’ licensed to a David Davies.

1900 – The Bevan Family held the licence from the turn of the century into the 1920,s.

1904 – According to local oral history, The Halfway Quoits team had their headquarters t the hotel from around this period to the beginning of the First World War, and played their matches on a pitch which is now the Hotel’s car park. A photograph of the Halfway Rugby Team of 1904 taken in the grounds of the hotel shows a cup winning team, captained by Tom Lewis and Committee. Tom was also captain of the Quoits Team; he was the paternal grandfather of Euros Lewis, the Glamorgan and Sussex cricketer.

1912 – From to 1922 the Llanelly Soccer club played their home games at Halfway Park. The inaugural fixture was against Queen Park Rangers on September 5th, the visitors winning 1-0. In the years after the First World War, the upstairs room of the old stables at the rear of the hotel was used as training quarters for local boxers. The flooring had to be strengthened to withstand the heavy pounding it received. Boxing matches were held in a marquee on a piece of ground which is the Hotel’s car park
today.

1920 – David Davies, ex Tinworks Arms Llangennech, started a tenancy which was to last until after the Second World War. He is remembered as a strong supporter of the Darwinian Theory of Evolution, with an austere attitude to running the business.

1942 – The Hotel was leased for fourteen years from March 1942 to the Felinfoel Brewery Company, at £100 annually.

1945 – On the 12th June 1945, the premises were conveyed to Annette Thomas.

1950 – Arthur Jones took over the hotel in the early 1950’s, it is heralded a period which is generally considered as one of the “Golden Eras” for the Hotel. The Comparative prosperity of the post-war years was reflected in the thriving business built up by Mr & Mrs Jones, their son & daughter-in-law Rene. One facet of their trade was catering in the upstairs room for the Llanelli Rugby Football Club, and visiting teams after every home game. This arrangement continued until 1966, when the club built their own clubhouse.

1957 – The freehold of the Halfway Hotel was purchased, at auction by William Hancock & Co. Cardiff.

1968 – The Halfway was next entrusted to the care of Eurig and Cynthia and then to Cynthia and Ogwen, who were in turn succeeded by Ken Francis who came from Neath.

1970 – On the merger of Hancocks & Co with Bass Ltd, the property was transferred to the latter company.

1982 – In the summer of 1980 the Halfway Hotel was in the hands of Ken Francis from Neath, and by shrewd business acumen, he updated the hotel and ran it successfully for nearly 12 years. Interior structural changes were made incorporating an “open plan” area, but thankfully the unique main bar was not touched. Kens first job at the hotel was to re paint the grapes and jellies moulds on the high ceilings from WHITE – back to COLOUR, and pay a team of experts from London to painfully file away the dirt and grime that had built up on the dressers over the years – they turned from black to oak wood over night. The introduction of food to the hotel and a massive refit to the function room – proved very popular and the booking came flooding in. Over the years ken and his wife Lynne added new features to the hotel such as a new open fire/ large conservatory ( which was used as a family room , and bought children’s toys for the beer garden ) – ( the beer gardens were transformed and all areas were landscaped and turned around ). During the summer nights the beer gardens – were used to the max – even with a children’s sweet shop – serving slush and lots of sugar stuff ! The lounge had a bar lift and entailed new seats and tables etc ….. The hotel started to thrive – and had both pool and darts ( male and female ) team – which won many a trophy – which was then placed on show on the massive welsh dressers in the main bar. Over the years the hotel has seen the cellar flooding – and a massive fire in the stables ( 1988 ) – however the roof was replaced and the stables were put back to normal .

1991 – After the departure of Ken Francis in 1991, the Bass Company appointed a Manager, Mr & Mrs Plucknett to run the establishment, but in 1993 the Halfway reverted to a tenancy.

1993 – In 1993 the Halfway Hotel was taken over by landlords, Mike and Valerie Johns and their daughter Michelle, under the Bass Lease Company.

1994 – It was landlord Mike Johns inspiration to research the history of the Halfway, with the assistance of local customers the above information was collected from old reference books, together with individual local knowledge.

1995 – The Bass Lease Company took an interest into the research being carried out, so much so, that on Wednesday the 5th April,1995 they sponsored a Centenary Dinner which was held at the Halfway Hotel in celebration of the 150 years as a licensed premises coinciding with 100 years in the present building. This proved to be a very memorable occasion, attended by senior officials of the Bass Lease Company, Both Llanelli Borough and Rural Councils, representatives of Llanelli Rugby Football Club, other local dignitaries together with personal friends and regular customers of the Halfway Hotel. In addition to this, throughout the year of 1995, various other events were held in celebration of the Centenary sponsored by the many suppliers of the Halfway Hotel.

2000 – Saw Mike Johns leave the hotel and be replaced by Mr Verbeck, who altered the upstairs room to a pizza parlour and a fast food dinner – the main bar was transformed to a Toby style Calvary and the two main restaurants were put as bar meals and drinking areas. During this time some changes were carried out the beer gardens and bar area such as the bar counter being taking away and replaced with a more modern theme and equipment.

2004 – 2006 – The hotel yet again changed hands both from the brewery it was with to Punch Taverns and the owners as well to Mr and Mrs Williams. Mrs Williams a fantastic event organiser alone with her husband who specialises in cooking and catering side of the business – certainly put all there talents to use and made good work of the hotel using all areas of the building to the best of their ability – bar restaurants function room and beer gardens were regularly used and brought the hotel back to life.

2006 – Saw Paul Richard Francis a young entrepreneur (just in his 20’s) and his other company ANYONE WAITING pub club and hotel services take over the hotel. The hotel for the first 2 weeks was closed and totally refurbished from top to bottom. Renovated rooms were; Main bar, main restaurant, family restaurant, function room, beer gardens and offices. Not only did Paul take over the hotel but the agency that has large contracts across the UK ANYONE WAITING also moved into the building to. The Agency trains staff at the hotel and then ships them off all over the UK , catering for food and drink to all the royals and large events such as palaces, stadium, concerts and corporate functions. New facilities have been introduced to the hotel such as coffee machines, conference facilities, cash register system, state of the art 57 CCTV cameras covering the ground, fire and intruder alarm system, switch board and office technology p.c. system. Even though the entire building which dates back many years has totally been re vamped – and I don’t mean just a lick of paint, it has kept its character and many of the old features which have been lost over the years have been painstakingly brought back – such as painting of the sculptures on the high ceilings and varnishing and striping back the old floor and taking away the carpets etc……. even small details in the toilet areas and staff areas have had a face lift – bringing this hotel back to life. Now the hotel can cater for up to 400 people from weddings private parties and even funerals, – but still leaves room for the regulars to enjoy their usual. This visit the first time that Paul has been here at the hotel, as Paul’s parents Ken and Lynne Francis previously owned the hotel for many a successful years back in the 80 / 90’s – so Paul knows the ins and outs of the pub industry
and also has a fantastic knowledge of all off his customers as he has been brought up with them over the last 25 years.