Llanelli publican says food and staff key to success
Simon Griffiths, has turned around the Brains-owned Tafarn Morlais in Llanelli, Wales, which was previously known as the Smiths Arms and was boarded up for three years prior to him taking it on in August 2012.
Griffiths said it now turns over around £500,000 a year and some customers travel up to 60 miles to make a visit.
Griffiths, who has previously managed outlets owned by Slug & Lettuce, Greenalls, S&N and Barracuda Group, said: “After 15 years working in Swansea I could see that night time economies in city centres were declining and people were returning to their community locals or food-led pubs. That’s when I decided to have a look around at doing something myself. I was drawn to the challenge of turning a failure into a success and saw what this place could be capable of.”
The property already houses a main bar, lounge diner, and beer garden for 70 customers. Its menu includes traditional pub meals under £9, sandwiches and dishes from the chargrill.
“The Tafarn Morlais has brought the whole community back to life. We’re now fully booked Fridays to Sundays a week in advance,” he added.
“It’s about having the right food offer, the right people, and lots of hard work, effort and commitment. Before it opened I did my homework on the local area and my main competitors. Pricing was also a key factor.”
