New Pontcysyllte Chapel Tea Room opens after two year restoration project

A former disused Chapel adjacent to the ever-popular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct has opened this week following two years of renovations.

The Chapel on Station Road in Trevor has been lovingly restored by local business partners Sally Roberts and Carl Pottenger, after successfully working with Visit Wales to build a business case and secure additional funds to establish a high-quality tearooms on the site.

The Chapel, last used back in 2006, has been restored to include a new dining area, commercial kitchen area, first floor mezzanine and toilets – plus a significant restoration project to the exterior that has included landscaping and restoring some of the original features.

Owner Sally Roberts commented: “When we took on the Chapel, we knew it would be a big restoration project, however after two years of hard work, we’re now thrilled to be able to welcome both locals and visitors to the area and showcase our great hospitality and local food & drink.

Tourism at the Trevor Basin (the main arrival site for the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct) has rocketed since the site received UNESCO World Heritage Site Status back in 2009 and Wrexham Council’s ‘Destination Plan‘ has since encouraged the need for a high-quality visitor welcome at the site to include a dining offer. With well over 300,000 visitors annually to the site itself, plus many more who explore the whole 11-miles of the canal World Heritage Site – Sally & Carl’s venture is well placed to succeed.

Sally added: “In the future, we’re also aiming to include some accommodation for those visiting the area – but first it’s been important to get the tearoom open for the new 2018 season”.

Destination Manager at Wrexham County Borough Council Joe Bickerton added: “It’s fantastic to see this beautiful building at such a key tourism location for us brought back into use and the conversion is stunning. Having first met Sally & Carl back in 2015, we’ve seen first-hand the dedication that they’ve both put into the project and I’m sure that it will be a massive success for them – along with enhancing the welcome for the thousands of global tourists who visit each year”.

The Pontcysyllte Chapel Tearooms is now open daily from 10-4pm on Station Road in Trevor.

A formal opening with Lord Elis-Thomas, the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, will take place later this Spring.

Top pic: Sally & Carl and their new team prepare to welcome guests outside the Chapel tearooms