JW Lees purchases one of Wales' oldest pubs

The pub is a traditional 15th century coaching inn overlooking the Conwy estuary in north Wales, and in close proximity to the artificial wave pool, Surf Snowdonia.

Due to be part of the pubco's managed house developments across the north Wales region, the 14-bedroom pub acquisition follows purchases of the Anglesey Arms, Menai Bridge, and the Trearddur Bay Hotel, Holy Island.

Family sale

The pub was put on the market last year for £1.85m having been owned and run by the same family, the Humphreys, for 30 years.

Owned by Dawn Humphreys and her son Justin, it had a net turnover of more than £750,000 in 2014 prior to being put on the market with Christie & Co.

The interior contains 16th or 17th century timbers and was used as a commercial inn for business and court transactions until the 19th century when the Duke of Wellington witnessed the purchase of the inn in 1889, with the actual deeds signed by Wellington at the top of the stairs.

It was named Wales’ National Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide​ 2009.

Pubco history

JW Lees’ history in north Wales goes back over a century since Dr Williams Jones of Anglesey was the father of Dick Lees-Jones (1891-1978), the previous chairman of JW Lees and father of Richard and Christopher Lees-Jones, the current chairman and vice chairman of JW Lees.

Managing director William Lees-Jones said: "We are proud to be the new custodians of the Groes Inn and we think that it will sit well within our managed house estate.

"We remain hungry for acquisitions of both managed and tenanted pubs as well as hotels in the north-west."