Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Martin Roberts Confronts Major Delays in Welsh Pub Overhaul

He is aiming to finish the 60%-complete renovation by year-end to hire roughly 30 locals, providing teenagers with practical construction skills.

Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Roberts purchased the Hendrewen Hotel in Blaencwm, Rhondda Valley, in 2023 with a £500,000 overhaul plan.
  • He admitted the project remains 60% complete after two years and said he had “failed on every level.”
  • Planning complications, including mandatory flood-risk preparations, have driven cost overruns and extended timelines.
  • A group of 15- to 17-year-olds has been enlisted on site to learn trades and gain hands-on skills.
  • After a 2022 health crisis that involved heart, kidney and liver failure, Roberts hopes to finish the project and boost local employment later this year.