The owners and staff at a popular training restaurant with rooms in a historic Mid Wales market town are celebrating after being awarded a four star grading by Visit Wales.
Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen in Llanidloes received the positive news following an inspection of the town centre business, which opened in May last year, by Jeff Clapham, quality development manager for Visit Wales’ quality assurance team.
There are only three other Mid Wales restaurants with rooms – 17 across the whole of Wales – that have achieved a four or five star rating.
Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen, which has seven en-suite bedrooms and a 50-cover restaurant, focuses on developing apprentices to become the next generation of chefs and front of house staff for the hospitality industry.
The business is owned by Cambrian Training Company, Wales’ leading apprenticeship provider to the hospitality industry.
In his quality assessment report, Mr Clapham praises the attention to detail and quality of the bedrooms and bathrooms and describes the standard of housekeeping as “really excellent”.
The “professional” booking procedure via the business’ easy to use website and the comfort of the restaurant and public areas are also commended.
“The cuisine overall is inventive, highlights local produce, a real sense of place and maximises humble ingredients to show their flavour and characteristics,”
adds the report.
Arwyn Watkins, OBE, managing director of Cambrian Training Company, said:
“We are delighted to receive the four star grading which is a reward for all the hard work and attention to detail by our staff.
“Hopefully, this grading will put Chartists 1770 at the Trewythen, Llanidloes and Mid Wales on the map and open the business to a much wider audience. It shows what can be achieved with investment and hard work by talented staff.”
Val Hawkins, chief executive of MWT Cymru, which represents more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia, congratulated the business.
“It’s fantastic news for Arwyn and his staff at Chartists 1770 at the Trewythen that the high standard of the restaurant and accommodation has been recognised by the Visit Wales grading which supports Mid Wales’ growing reputation as a food destination.
“The business has been rewarded for its investment not only in the property but also the apprentices it employs, which is so important to the future of the hospitality industry.”
Head chef Paul Fox leads a team of talented apprentices at Chartists 1770 at the Trewythen. The restaurant, which includes four outdoor dining pods, is open from Monday to Friday, 11.30am – 2.30pm for lunch and 5.30pm to 8.30pm for dinner, while the rooms are open seven days a week.
Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen – named after the famous Chartist riot in Llanidloes in 1839 and the date the property was built – is keen to play its part in establishing Llanidloes, the first town on the River Severn, as a popular tourist destination at the gateway to the Cambrian Mountains.
