An historic Powys hotel has kicked off the spring season by welcoming a pair of new owners.

The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth welcomed new owners Gail Jenkins and Huw Morgan, who officially took ownership of the inn on St David’s Day.

The 18th century hotel's previous owners Charles Dark and his wife, Sheila Simpson, decided to move on from the venue after running it for a total of 18 years in two phases.

Writing on social media, The Wynnstay credits its former owners with building up the business twice over.

First taking ownership from 1998 to 2007, Chrles and Sheila transformed the hotel from a “rundown” establishment to a “destination with a great reputation for wine and food, with the help of Head Chef, Gareth Johns”.

When the business closed in 2015, Charles and Sheila stepped back into the role of owners all over again. Their tenures in charge of the business have seen them navigate issues like the Foot and Mouth outbreak and the Covid-19 Pandemic.

OTHER NEWS:

Some of the changes they brought in included during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when Charles and some of his staff were busy redecorating and improving the hotel, including installing new ground floor toilets, a new kitchen for head chef Gareth Johns and his team and new cooling and alarm systems.

The main ground floor room also underwent a complete makeover, removing layers of wallpaper and paint that were over 200 years old. The improvements cost £100,000 and were partly supported by a Welsh Government grant.

The pair were also keen to support their staff in training courses, with multiple employees enrolling in apprenticeships to develop their skills in business.

Chris Bason, Cambrian Training Company’s head of hospitality, said in 2021: “We have a long-standing relationship with The Wynnstay and it’s nice to see the business supporting apprenticeships.

“Charles and Sheila always want the best for their team to develop The Wynnstay which is at the forefront of hospitality in Machynlleth.”

In a social media post announcing that the new owners had officially taken over, Charles and Sheila said that they would “bring new energy and new ideas”.

They added: “We wish Gail and Huw the very best and hope all our many Wynnstay friends will give them every support.”