Jones sells Red Lion
Welsh National Culinary Team member Gareth Johns has sold his Red Lion pub in Llanfihangel-nant-Melan and taken up a new post as head chef of the Wynnstay Arms hotel in Machynlleth, mid Wales.
Johns, joint proprietor of the Red Lion with his parents, Liz and Keith Johns, for the past nine years, said that his father's deteriorating health had forced the family to put the pub on the market for £150,000.
The sale was completed on 10 May, but Johns remained as head chef for a further month, "just to bed the new owners in - they're ex-customers of the Red Lion - and to sort out suppliers".
Well known for his skilful use of Welsh produce, Johns hopes to continue putting out dishes incorporating "good, fresh, local food - and lots of it" on Wynnstay Arms' bar and restaurant menus. "We're in a bit of a transition at the moment, but I've got my soused mackerel dish on the dinner menu," he said (see Caterer, 2 September 1999).
The 23-bedroom Wynnstay Arms operates a lunchtime bar menu, ranging in price from £2 for a bowl of soup to £7.25 for a dish of scallops, and an evening set-price dinner menu offering two courses for £14.95 or three courses for £17.95.
It currently seats 60 in the restaurant with an extra 40 seats in the bar and lounge areas.
