As you may know I moved from england to the valleys a few years ago and I never looked back. the quality of life is a different class. so Ive started reading the western mail (the national welsh paper) and read this interesting story today and fully intend to visit this restaurant in llanelli, west wales.
Rugby legends stephen jones and dwayne peel (of llanelli,sale, wasps, wales and the british lions) have won best restaurant in wales
The Sosban has won best restaurant in Wales, the much coveted AA award at Londons Hilton Hotel, what a great achievement after just a year of trading, good news for the area and may attract more visitors.Who has been there and what was yorexperience like? I know its relatively pricey , but the quality is said to be top notch as is the ambience, if youre into that sort of thing!
head chef and the team
as well as wrw, jones/peel and other investors, The Sosban, is led by head chef Sian Rees has a policy of showcasing the very best of local food and drink.
Sian is one of the leading female chefs in Britain, having worked for some of the country’s Michelin starred and top London restaurants including Claridge’s and L’Escargot, before returning to her native West Wales to run Sosban with her partner Ian Wood as general manager.
Read More
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...#ixzz27lcFBS5u
Government funding
"I am pleased the Assembly Government’s funding of £350,000 together with £157,000 from Cadw has played an important role in placing this Grade II-listed building firmly on the map as a destination for excellent food and a training facility linked to a top quality kitchen environment.”
The business will also become an academy for up-and- coming chefs from West Wales
Bit of background on the pumphouse itself
Llanelli North Dock (nprn 34207) was built between 1897 and 1902, by engineers Sir Alexander Rendel and Partners of London. The Engine House is set back from the dock edge at the north end of the east side of the dock, by the west bank of Afon Lliedi. It is dated 1900. The engine house complex includes a hydraulic accumulator tower, boiler house and a maintenance shed and provided hydraulic power for the operation of various items of plant around the dock, for example, the main dock gates (nprn 34209), coal loading stages, cranes, capstans (e.g nprn 34202) and the railway swing bridge (nprn 34210). The depot also carried out maintenance of engines and rolling stock. Constructed of rubble stone, with ashlar dressings to the tower and north facade and slate roofs, mostly replaced in corrugated iron. The tower has a high base with a two-stage main storey with five flat buttresses on each face, a pair at the angles and one in the centre. There are a pair of louvred vents on each side of the centre buttress at mid height. The tower contains a large iron cylindrical water tank; the tower and the original engine house survive.
The vision
The introduction of a training academy is an exciting development and a tangible community benefit."
“It's the first of its type in Wales, where young trainee chefs get the opportunity to develop in a dedicated training facility, allied to a top quality kitchen environment.”
The Pumphouse overlooks North Dock and has been identified as one of the key projects in the £250 million Llanelli waterside regeneration, which is being driven forward by a partnership between the Assembly and Carmarthenshire Council