Llanelli’s Altalia restaurant to close after 18 years

The owners of a family-run restaurant in Llanelli town centre have decided to call time to focus on new ventures.

Al and Tal Einon, who run Italian restaurant Altalia on the corner of Stepney Street and Market Street, will serve for the final time on Saturday, December 21.

Carmarthenshire County Council, which owns the building leased to the business, has thanked the couple for their commitment to the town over the last 18 years.

The council is currently working on proposals to transform Market Street to provide a better connection with the main town centre and Eastgate.

It was hoped Altalia would stay as an anchor tenant within the new development, and the council has worked closely with the couple over the last year to plan ahead.

However, in a personal decision, the Einons have decided to bring their time in the town centre to a close and try something new.

“We are taking this opportunity to thank all our valued customers, many of whom are now friends and always will be,” they said.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed catering for Llanelli for some 18 years. The teams we have developed over the years really have been the best at their game and the fulfilment of training them, and our daughters, into capable caterers – both front and back of house – has been the most satisfying thing of all.

“All good things must come to an end, and we look forward to a new venture in 2020.”

Carmarthenshire County Council’s regeneration team are working on plans to transform several areas of the town.

Almost £5million has been spent buying town centre properties from private ownership to renovate and offer to businesses at an affordable rent, and all but one council-owned property in the main shopping streets of the town are currently occupied.

The team also continues to encourage private landlords and owners to make better use of town centre buildings by offering grants and loans as part of a range of incentives, including simpler planning rules to speed up the process for investors and developers.

The next phase of development will see more mixed-use retail and residential space created, a model that has already proven successful along Stepney Street.

Market Street is one of the key sites earmarked for development to encourage more footfall and flow between the town centre and Eastgate.

The council is currently working on proposals for the area, with no firm plans about the site yet in place.

Feedback from members of the public, businesses and town centre stakeholders from a series of drop-in consultation events in the town centre during 2018 will be taken into consideration.

Cllr Emlyn Dole, Leader of the Council and Executive Board Member for Regeneration, said: “We thank Al and Tal for their service to Llanelli town centre for the last 18 years. They have provided a wonderful welcome to customers and have been a huge part of the town centre as our tenants. We have worked closely with the couple to plan for their future as part of our continued regeneration of Llanelli town centre, and whilst naturally we’re disappointed that they have decided to bring their business to a close, we fully understand and accept that decision and wish them well in their new ventures.”