Why should YOU love Llandrindod Wells?

NEW TOWN BRANDING

Llandrindod Wells has recently been re-branded as Llandrindod Wellness as part of the Welsh Governments support for the Powys Local Growth Zones initiative with the appointment of Llandrindod Wells' Town Champion, Jude Boutle. 

"Our place brand is Llandrindod Wellness or Llawen-drindod.

Our brand is grounded in our spa town heritage and recognises that natural health and wellness are increasingly important in today's world. After all, our traditional town emblem features Hygieia the Goddess of Health."

TOWN WIFI

 

One of the things that has arisen from the Llandrindod Wellness town branding is the launch of the town's WiFI system, installed at different sites around the town including the train station, Middleton Street, Temple Gardens, Rock Park and the Lake. 

"The system will benefit local people, residents and visitors. Not only will Llandrindod Wells be able to use the system to showcase what the town has to offer, but it could become a great tool for the town's businesses to inform the way they market their business in the future" ~ Avril York, Powys council's cabinet member for regeneration 

LOCALLY OWNED INDEPENDENT SHOPS & BUSINESSES  

Llandrindod Wells is so lucky to have locally owned friendly shops and businesses such as Happy Home Gift Company and Junk n Disorderly amongst many more. Shops and local businesses such as these make Llandrindod such a welcoming town with so many things to look at and buy, proving that the Victorian Spa town is flourishing in the 21st Century. Llandrindod is blessed with a diverse range of shops and businesses selling an assorted and wide range of gifts and items.

Here are just a few of the shops, businesses and services available to the Llandrindod Wells community. 

SHOPS:

gift shops, charity shops, book shop, supermarket, electrical shops, furniture shops, newsagents, butchers, bike shop, pubs and many more...

SERVICES:

doctors, hairdressers, travel agents, hospital, dance centre, leisure centre, railway, bus routes, taxi, gym, opticians, pharmacy and many more...

FIRST MICRO-PUB IN POWYS

 

Llandrindod plays host to Arvon Ales the first Micro-Pub in Powys. This Micro-Pub does not only sell a wide range of locally sourced delicious ales, but also has Folk Sessions every 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. Their first Blues and Acoustic Jam Session is due to start May 15th at 4pm. People travel from far and wide to Llandrindod Wells just to visit this friendly, unique Micro-Pub so this is definitely one of the factors that help to enhance life in Llandrindod Wells.

OUTDOOR SPACE

 

It is easy to see why Llandrindod is such a great place to live even when you just take a walk around the town. There is so much green space available to the community. This ranges from Temple Gardens, The Rock Park, The Lake, and lots of footpaths around the town and through the fields in the local area. This green space provides a place for the community and visitors to relax, have family days out, walk the dog, play sport and take in the views......

STUNNING SCENERY

 

If you have never walked, ran, cycled or taken the car up to the top of  Little Hill above Llandrindod Wells Golf Course, you are missing out and I strongly advise you to. On a clear day, you can see for miles, and even when the weather isn't as nice, the view is still breathtaking. 

HISTORY

 

I think it is important to know and recognise the history of where you live. Llandrindod Wells is a Victorian town with many stories to tell of days gone by. We should embrace this. There is no escaping the history as if you walk anywhere in the town you are surrounded by tall grand Victorian buildings which help to convey Llandrindod's grand history. Without this history, Llandrindod would not be the town and place it is today and this makes the town very special.

NATIONAL CYCLE MUSEUM

 

Llandrindod Wells also plays host to the National Cycle Museum located at the Automobile Palace on Temple Street. This museum is stooped in history and personally, I think it's possible to spend hours in the museum pouring over the history and when you leave you will feel as if you know all about the history of cycling and probably want to get out on your bike right that minute. The collection also draws people into Llandrindod Wells from afar and is a popular tourist attraction to visitors. 

 

COMMUNITY

 

Llandrindod is a special place, not least because of the community feeling within the town. Everyone has a kind word for everyone and people look out for each other.

Community links are an important part of Llandrindod life and without this thriving community, Llandrindod would not be such a fabulous place to live. The community can pull together during times of hardship and the community can act as a powerful and strong voice to stand together as one and fight for all the extraordinary factors that encompass all of life in Llandrindod.

LLANDRINDOD WELLS IS WELL AND TRULY BACK ON THE UP

 

The reopening of the Grand Pavilion, the development of Riversimple's hydrogen cell powered green car, the all new Rasa in Llandrindod Wells, Play Radnor's £250,000 lottery grant, the funding for the successful Town Champion for another year, the new birthing centre being developed at the hospital, the launch of Llandrindance aiming to get the whole town dancing, nine new businesses have opened or are opening in recent months...these are just some of the reasons why Llandrindod is continuing to flourish and why I am happy to say I am proud to live in this special town and be part of life in Llandrindod Wells. 

I hope I have shown you why YOU should love YOUR town and YOUR community. I am committed to helping people realise this town is a special place and fully enhance #llandrindodlife

National Cycle Museum

Llandrindod Wells has the honour of playing host to the National Cycle Museum of Great Britain, located at the Automobile Palace on Temple Street. It was opened 21st March 1997 by Mr Tom Norton and the building was originally know as the "The Palace of Sport". 

The National Cycle Collection is a very rare museum showcasing the history of transport by bicycle over the last 200 years. This ranges from the famous Bone-shakers and Penny-Farthings right through to the potential bikes we could possibly see out on the roads, competing in races at the top level in the near future. Most Cycle Museums are usually part of a Transport Museum or are private and so not open to the public, therefore it is for this reason Llandrindod Wells is extremely lucky that it plays host to this special museum. It may only be sheer coincidence that it is here, but the town should embrace this fantastic tourist attraction as it helps bring many visitors in to visit our own very friendly Victorian Spa town. 

There are well over 200 cycles on display and as you take a stroll through the museum you move through time; allowing you to see with your own eyes and come to understand how and why cycling as a mode of transport has evolved through the years. Each cycle in the museum is labeled with a brief description of when the type of bike was first made and why it was created in such a way. This helps to create a real visitor friendly experience and you do not have to be a cyclist to become enthralled with all the history available at your hands. There are also very vivid and descriptive display boards all around the museum which only add to the experience.

On the whole the museum emphasises how the bike has changed through time and ultimately this is just a reflection of how society changed, as the bike changed to fit the times. The bike was originally a mode of transport more efficient and quicker than walking, and now the bike is constantly being engineered to be as light and as efficient as possible to provide professional cyclists the "edge" over their competitors in order to win major cycling events like the Tour De France.

One of the parts of the museum that really caught my eye was the Bicycle Shop Windows and the posters advertising all of the bikes that were on sale back in the day as this displays how bicycles were a huge part of fashion and a way to show other people and your peers your social class (a bit like owning a Lamborghini today!).

 
I remember when I first visited the museum when I was about eleven years old and I was amazed at the sheer number of bikes on display. Personally, I think it's possible to spend hours in the museum pouring over the history and when you leave you will feel as if you know all about the history of cycling and probably want to get out on your bike right that minute.

 

The National Cycle Museum is now a registered Independent Charitable Trust. Its objectives are to stimulate interest in the history of cycling and provide an educational service to young people. The museum is succeeding in these objectives as there are numerous groups and school visits to the museum throughout the year, allowing children and young people outside of the community of Llandrindod Wells to experience the history of cycling in a fun, exciting way. 

The museum is run by a team of volunteers and trustees and without these people it would not be possible for the National Cycle Collection to exist. Any member of the public can become a friend of The National Cycle Museum and the museum would gratefully appreciate any donations towards running costs of the building and the maintenance of the museum in order to allow it to continue to flourish. In the future the trustees of the museum would love to be able to employ full time staff in order to allow the museum to be open all of the time, but this is just not feesable at the moment. I for one would love to see this happen as I see the Museum as an excellent asset to the town and surrounding area.

You may have noticed when you are driving or walking by the Automobile Palace the highly decorative art on the fence panels. These are designed by Geraint Edwards from Celf o Gwmpas and I think they add a feeling of vibrancy to the outside of the museum and maybe even help to draw passers by into stopping to take a look around the enthralling collection. 

A number of bikes are transported around the UK from the National Cycle Museum each year. For example some of the bikes have been to Hampton Court Palace, appeared on The Cycle Show etc. When I visited the Cycle Museum recently, I was told Chris Boardman's bike usually resides at the museum but had recently been taken away to be shown at shows over the country.

Chris Boardman riding his famous bike at the 1992 Olympics

It costs £5 for adults, £4 for senior citizens and £2 for children to look around the museum and the opening days and times are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am until 4pm, November to March. After March check the National Cycle Museum website for detailed opening times. The museum is also dog friendly and there is also a children's quiz available. There are also a huge number of gifts you can purchase from the museum in order to help you remember a special day out exploring the history of the bike.

LOVE EVERYTHING DOD PRESENTS...

Recently, I interviewed Lisa Horne all about a new exciting charity event which will be happening here in Llandrindod Wells very soon.

Heidi Davies: What local committee are you a part of?
Lisa Horne: The committee is newly formed and is called L.E.D which stands for Love Everything Dod.
 

L.E.D's logo

Who is on the committee and what is the main aim/focus of this committee?  

L.E.D includes a handful of local volunteers with the passion to help improve Llandrindod life.  The main focus will always be creating a fantastic Christmas fayre.  To do this, throughout the year we will be organising community events with all proceeds going towards a magical fayre at the end of the year.  At these events we are hoping to help promote local businesses, provide wonderful community experiences and put Llandrindod Wells back on the map as the place to visit at Christmas time and all throughout the year.

How long has this committee been formed? 

L.E.D was formed off the back of last years Christmas Fayre that was held in the Metropole Hotel.  Amy and Hannah Bubear were the organisers of the fayre and seeing the success, encouraged them to make this an annual event.  As you can imagine a lot of time, effort and money went into that fayre and they realised they couldn't do it alone again this year so via Facebook asked if anyone was interested in joining them and towards the end of January L.E.D was formed.

What event are you organising?
Our very first event will be a Masquerade Ball held at the Commodore Hotel, Llandrindod Wells.

When is the event?
Saturday 30th April at 7.30pm which coincides with the May bank holiday.  What better way to spend your 3 day weekend than getting dolled up and joining us!?

Who can attend?
The event is 18+ but otherwise absolutely anyone can attend; we have tried to cater for everyone.  Maybe you want to treat your partner to a special night out? Perhaps the girls want a different girls night out? Maybe you're looking for an unusual works night out?  Or, if like me, you just want a reason to get glammed up and have a great night out in Llandrindod.

                                            
Is there a particular dress code?
Yes, the theme is Hollywood Glamour so we are thinking along the lines of red carpet Oscar event.  Did I mention we do actually have a red carpet?
Ladies, do you still have 'that' dress in the wardrobe that you absolutely love and thought you'd never have a reason to wear it again? Or maybe it's an excuse to go and do some fancy dress shopping. Men, dust off that suit/tux, treat yourself to a new dickie bow and get ready to make those heads turn.                                                                                                                                                          
No Masquerade Ball would be complete without a mask.  Whether you buy one or make one yourself we are so excited to see what everyone wears.
We have competitions for those best dressed so don't forgot to pull out all the stops.

Have you got any advice to give the community of Llandrindod Wells when they are preparing for this event?
Our aim is to put on a grand glamourous event but more importantly we want people to enjoy it and have fun.  We are encouraging people to dress up to the nines, don some amazing masks and bring a few extra £'s to enter our Chinese Auction to win some great prizes.  No other preparation is needed but if anyone has any questions please send us an e-mail (joneschristmasfayre@gmail.com) or a message via our Facebook page. 

What is the sell-out feature of your event? / Why will people want to attend?
Where do I start? Firstly you will have a grand entrance down a red carpet in the already fabulous Commodore Hotel where photographer Rebecca Smith will be getting some paparazzi style pics of your arrival.  Rebecca will be at the event all night snapping great memories of the event.  These pictures will then be available for purchase from L.E.D after the event. We will have live music, a buffet, DJ and to add that something a little different we have secured magician Rob Chapman. He blends magic, mind reading and hypnotism and rather than put on a stage show he will be mingling with the guests so you will get a 1 to 1 magic performance to remember. As well as all this entertainment we will have a Chinese Auction which will include a spa day, a lunch for 2, both at Lake Country House Hotel and Spa and a hamper full of goodies from local businesses with more prizes to come. As I mentioned we have competitions with the categories being 'Best Dressed', 'Best Couple' and 'Best Mask' and awards will go out to the winners during the evening.

How much does it cost to attend the event and what is the money raised going towards?
The tickets are £25 each or £42 a pair and you will be getting bag loads for your money!  All proceeds will be put back into L.E.D to help fund the next event and ultimately our end of year event – the Christmas fayre.

Where can people get their tickets?
Tickets are now available at G & A Jones Newsagent in Llandrindod Wells or online, please send an e-mail to joneschristmasfayre@gmail.com.

Where did the idea come from? Was it something you have always had in mind or a completely new idea?
Llandrindod was renowned for staging grand balls during the Victorian times and we wanted to try and bring that back but wanted to keep it modern and exciting.  While we had the framework of our first ball we knew we wanted to make it a stand out event and during a brainstorming session the idea of masquerade cropped up and, as they say, the rest is history. 

                                        
How do you think this event will benefit the community of Llandrindod Wells?
This event is about bringing the community together, a reason to get dressed up knowing you'll have a great time and you're helping to contribute to future events in Llandrindod.  For all our events we will be trying to promote local businesses where we can and help to grow the ever expanding community events.

Are the committee going to organise any future events?
Most definitely! This is just the start for us.  We have a whole list of ideas for future events, some of which Llandrindod may not have experienced before.  We are hoping to build on these each year and increase the number of events as we build up steam.  We are hoping our next event to be a medieval banquet which will take place later in the year.

Can you describe the event in three words?
Glamourous, Magical, Show-stopping 

So be sure to keep an eye on L.E.D's Facebook page as they will be posting lots of things about the event between now and the 30th April including useful links to help with planning and creating your outfits for the glamourous event. You can also follow the L.E.D committee on Twitter.

Why don't you get yourself down to G & A Jones Newsagent to purchase your tickets in order to enjoy a glittering night to celebrate all that is wonderful about life in the friendly community of Llandrindod Wells.

I wish the L.E.D committee every success with this event and ones to come in the future. They are a shining example of just one of the brilliant things happening in #llandrindodlife! 

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." ~ Helen Keller

Arvon Ales

Arvon Ales located along Temple Street is Llandrindod's very own Micropub. There are about 200 of these Micropubs in England but Llandrindod Wells has the privilege and honour of being host to the first in Powys. The pub has an emphasis on serving good quality real ales whilst providing a welcoming place for people to chat, relax, meet new people and feel they belong to the strong community of Llandrindod Wells. It is only natural the Micropub does not have televisions, WiFi or music as the emphasis is on the good old fashioned tradition of excellent ale and real people and this is something, the owner Laura Gallagher feels makes the place so special. 
   

Some of the ales on offer at Arvon Ales

 
Laura and John opened up the doors of Arvon Ales to the community of Llandrindod Wells in November 2014. They effectively "stole" the idea and model of developing a Micropub by converting an empty shop into a friendly and cosy bar and brewing ale in a low risk way. After visiting several Micropubs themselves they thought they would give it a go at combining their love of ale into a business idea and this has proved highly successful and a real hit with people of this old Victorian spa town in Mid Wales.

Arvon Ales has a large quality and choice of real ale available and this is paramount with the business being awarded the Campaign for Real Ale Award (CAMRA). Although Arvon Ales are proud of the fact most of the ales are sourced from a 30 mile radius the Micropub actually has it's own small brewery where some of the ales are fermented in a safe way and this is one of the reasons why the Ale House has achieved the CAMRA award as the beer is kept really well. This encourages people to come into Arvon Ales and try out the beer and experience a completely different environment to a normal pub. 

CAMRA award

Laura's favourite ale at the moment is the Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild which she describes to have a full malty rich taste. March is Welsh Beer and Cider month at Arvon Ales with all the draughts beers selling this month being produced in Wales. You can see everything in the cellar here.

March is Welsh month at Arvon Ales

"Last week we had offerings from Tudor in Blaenau Gwent, Big Hand from Wrexham, Heavy Industry from Denbighshire, Cwrw Ial from Mold and Waen Brewery from right here in Powys."

Lots of people that come to drink ale and socialise at Arvon Ales are people who have stopped going out drinking in bigger pubs on nights out but are still looking for real ale and a friendly atmosphere to socalise. People come from all over the place to Llandrindod Wells, even from as far as Aberystwyth just to visit Arvon Ales and this certainly is an asset to the town. 

One of the exciting things which happens at Arvon Ales is the folk sessions every second and fourth Sunday of the month from 4pm.  This attracts numerous musicians from the local area and I can imagine the place becomes extremely lively at these events.

Here's an example of the music produced at the folk session. You can view more of these clips here.
 

A Blues Session is the next potential event Arvon Ales has on its radar in the way of music so if you are interested and want this to happen get in touch. As Laura says "the more the merrier".
 

Folk session fun

The Art Wall within Arvon Ales features an exhibition of art from the National Cycle Museum located in Llandrindod Wells and Laura is hoping it will soon feature art work from the Radnorshire Museum. 

The Art Wall featuring work 
by local artist, Amanda Skipsey

 
Here is what some of the community of Llandrindod Wells and the surrounding area have had to say about Arvon Ales on their Facebook page and tripadvisor.

"We visited this fantastic pub on Saturday and were greeted with the warmest of welcomes from the owner Laura and had a brilliant night talking with many of the friendly locals here. The ale was in first class condition too so I probably had more than I should have done (ahem). If ever you are in the area and enjoy a pint or few of ale or proper cider then I cannot recommend this pub highly enough."~Trevor Harris

"This is just what the town needed superb little ale house with friendly owners to boot! Always an excellent selection of unusual beers not the run of the mill stuff and with the added bonus of carry outs for those cosy nights in! Thanks guys keep up the good work x"~Jenny Phillips

"Beers - Always spoilt for choice. Warm welcoming atmosphere. Laura and John superb hosts. Always making new and re aquainting with old friends . A wonderful bubbly place."~Lucy Sidaway

"The best beer I've sampled in ages and as for the whiskey !!!!"~Pete Anderson

"A proper pub! I got a good vibe as soon as I walked through the door. No TV, games machines, piped music or nonsense! Friendly landlord & landlady. 5 real ales on tap (although we kept coming back to the moreish Cwrw Ial Pothole Porter). Excellent selection of other drinks: a real cider, excellent collection of whisky (particularly Irish whiskey. I wish this was my local!"~Eleanor C

"I call in here about two times a week and they always have five real ales on and 2 or 3 ciders. It's a lovely clean bar with good seating and art work by local artists on show. The bar has a very everyone is welcome feeling and has a good mix of ages."~Llandrinod furniture

Laura describes Llandrindod Wells as "full of life" and I think this statement is true of Arvon Ales too. 

"There are lots of things going on and lots to do in Llandrindod Wells and it's a shame that some of the community don't realise this. We need to break through that negative energy and help people to understand Llandrindod is a place full of life."

If you want to experience the old tradition that is coming quickly back into fashion with the high stresses of life in the 21st century, I advise you to visit Arvon Ales where I am sure you will be able to find peace and time to relax whilst enjoying a truly satisfying pint (or two!) of real ale.

Junk n Disorderly

Set just off the main road that runs through the Victorian Spa town of Llandrindod Wells is one of the top ten voted vintage shops in Wales; Junk n Disorderly.

Junk n Disorderly

As the name suggests, Junk n Disorderly, located in Unit 1 of the Old Town Hall Workshops, is a shop with a vintage and retro vibe achieved by the many quirky, unique items up for sale. It is just one of a number of small independent shops that are available to the community of the central town of Powys. The shop is run by local man Patrick Sheehy and he will be celebrating its third birthday this month. The shop was recently voted one of the best in Wales by Wales Online which described the classic shop as "cute".

"Junk n Disorderly has up-cycled vintage furniture and simple retro pieces, you can kit your whole house out here."~Wales Online 

Junk n Disorderly evolves every week with different quirky, one off items up for sale each time you visit.

“Whether you are looking for that finishing touch to enhance a room or to completely furnish your home, you will find it all at Junk n Disorderly.”

Here is just a flavour of some of the really cool, retro items that have been sold in Junk n Disorderly recently.

A cool clock

The meaning behind palm lines

 

A clock made from a bike chain

LED lights

One of the items Patrick was keen to highlight when I met with him was Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™which he stocks and sells in his shop. It does not require any sanding prior to use and despite this, your painting will always be free from grease and dirt. Two coats should be sufficient to fully cover the item you are painting. A single colour creates a beautiful simple look but by adding a second colour and sanding it back, you can create a naturally unique distressed look. By mixing two colours of the Chalk Paint™ together, you can create your own custom colour. The Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax also available in Junk n Disorderly will help to protect and give a rich velvety finish to your work, whilst the Dark Soft Wax helps to bring out the texture and detail of the item you have painted.

 

Junk n Disorderly is a Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™stockist

You can also use the Chalk Paint™to add a splash of colour to any walls or floors within the home. By using one of the stronger colours in the range such as Aubusson, Greek Blue, or Graphite you can paint blackboards. This will require three coats and you have to allow it to dry thoroughly. Afterwards you can write on the surface with a stick of chalk.

Patrick believes he is helping to put Llandrindod back on the map by selling this product as it has become a world wide phenomenon, recognised by lots of people due to its ease of use. Patrick is particularly happy to sell this brilliant paint as it is only supplied to a few outlets throughout the country and people from all over Powys visit Llandrindod just to buy it from Junk n Disorderly.
  

You can buy the famous Chalk paint™at Junk n Disorderly

Chalk paint™colour chart

Patrick uses the famous Chalk Paint™to hand-paint and "upcycle" furniture to then sell in the shop. No two pieces of furniture will be the same and this just adds to the magic. When you buy some furniture you can request a colour that you want it to be painted to make the piece of furniture unique to your needs.

A chest of drawers Patrick painted using the Chalk paint™: 
florence with gold highlights and a waxed top

Did you also know, Patrick runs Chalk Paint™workshop classes in order to help the community to get creative and understand how to upcycle using the Chalk Paint™? If you would like further information about this, get in contact with Patrick.

The upstairs of Junk n Disorderly has a large collection of vintage clothing for women and men. Here's a sneak peak at some of the clothes that have been for sale recently.

A vintage blue dress

Some lovely patterned material

Another vintage dress

 

Patrick used to work with and show horses but always enjoyed getting creative and buying lots of cool items at Hay on Wye Vintage Fayre; Hay Does Vintage.  When his job with horses came to an end, Patrick decided to make a go of opening up a vintage shop and selling and getting creative with admirable pieces of furniture and small retro items. This has obviously proved highly successful as the business is still going strong in this old spa town of Llandrindod Wells three years after opening.

Patrick demonstrated even more of his creativeness recently with his shop window display at Christmas which was voted the best in Llandrindod by the town council.

Christmas window display

 

Patrick enjoys living and working in Llandrindod and recognises there are a large range of diverse independent shops available to the community. He also appreciates the history of these businesses and he highlights the fact Llandrindod plays host to the first whole food independent shop along Middleton Street; Vans Good Food.  The community of Llandrindod Wells is very friendly so Patrick finds it quite funny when people from cities visit his shop and seem surprised when he talks to them as they're not used to shop owners passing the time of day with any of their costumers.

“Good things are happening here in Llandrindod Wells now. Just look at the Pavilion which has recently come back into the hands of the community and will reopen in March. Llandrindod needs those sorts of places to help bring the strong community together.”

Here is what some of the community of Llandrindod Wells have had to say about Junk n Disorderly on their Facebook page.

"Wow!!! Fantastic shop, a 'Real Hidden Gem'..
The owner Patrick is just amazing.. Full of great advice and so friendly.."~Sarah Duggan

"Fab shop!! Well worth a visit for retro and vintage treasure. Love it."~Jo Hodges

"A big thank you to Patrick for supplying Christmas garlands to a The Llanerch Inn, at a fantastic price."~Terri Jones

There are lots of quirky items for sale in Junk n Disorderly

You can follow Junk n Disorderly on Facebook, Instagram, on their website and now on Twitter. Patrick shares some really cool pictures on all of these outlets, helping people understand how the shop is evolving on a day to day basis. 

Junk:

1. Discarded material, such as glass, rags, paper, or metal, some of which may be reused in some form.

Disorderly:

1. Lacking regular or logical order or arrangement.

That's just an attempt at describing the vintage shop, Junk n Disorderly. If you want to discover for yourself what the shop is all about, go and check it out. I can assure you; you won't be disappointed!