Albion Ale House

Albion Ale House
Native name The Albion
Location in Conwy County
Location Uppergate Street
Conwy, Wales
Coordinates 53°17′N 3°50′W / 53.28°N 3.83°WCoordinates: 53°17′N 3°50′W / 53.28°N 3.83°W
Built 1921
Restored 2012
Architectural style(s) Art Nouveau
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated December 30, 2005
Reference no. 1207638

The Albion Ale House or The Albion is a Grade II listed public house in Conwy, North Wales.[1] Built in 1921, it is a three-room pub with Art Nouveau decor that underwent major renovation in 2012.[2] The Albion is jointly operated by four North Wales breweries and real ales from these breweries and other beers are served through eight hand pumps.[3] The Albion Ale House was named the 2013 Wales Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA),[4] and named one of the world's best bars by The Guardian.[5]

The four breweries that co-run The Albion are Conwy Brewery of Llysfaen, Bragdy Nant of Llanrwst, Great Orme Brewery of Llandudno, and Purple Moose Brewery of Porthmadog.[3]

Great Orme Brewery
Purple Moose Brewery
Conwy Brewery
Four breweries in North Wales operate the Albion Ale House together.

History

The Albion was built in 1921 on the site of a previous pub.[1] By mid-2010 the ale house was not profitable and had fallen into disrepair, and was sold by its owner Punch Taverns to local businessman Arthur Ellis.[6] The Albion remained closed for a year while renovation work was carried out to a total cost of £100,000.[3][7] Ellis arranged for the four local breweries to cooperate in running the pub upon its reopening.[3]

The Albion Ale House reopenened for business in February 2012. The renovated pub received the English Heritage Conservation Award in the 2014 CAMRA Pub Design Awards.[8] The interior of the Albion is also featured on the cover of the Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs guide published by CAMRA.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Albion Public House, Conwy". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. December 30, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Conwy, Albion Ale House - An historic pub interior of national importance". heritagepubs.org.uk. 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Rival breweries join to reopen The Albion pub in Conwy". BBC.co.uk. February 1, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Albion Ale House in Conwy is CAMRA Wales Pub of the Year". dailypost.co.uk. November 28, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  5. ↑ Turner, Robin (November 30, 2012). "The best bars in the world". theguardian.com. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Men behind the cask – how North Wales microbrewers have turned round the fortunes of an ailing Conwy alehouse". walesonline.co.uk. March 12, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ Pescod, Adam (January 26, 2012). "http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/albion-pub-conwy-taken-over-2688901". morningadvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ "CAMRA UK Pub Design Award winners". camra.org.uk. 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ Williams, Mike (May 9, 2013). "http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/122560/conwy-pub-will-grace-the-cover-of-a-uk-heritage-pub-guide.aspx". northwalespioneer.co.uk. Retrieved December 29, 2014.