The doors to Pembrokeshire’s historic Black Pool Mill has re-opened to the public offering a unique heritage dining experience.
Restored to maintain and showcase the original features and architecture of the 19th century mill, the restaurant offers guests a blend of Welsh dining and history.
The mill has been restored to its original architectural glory, with the large iron cogs and wheels making a striking backdrop to the restaurant area. Spanning four floors, Black Pool Mill will feature two floors as a dedicated guest dining space, a third floor as a fully operational state-of-the-art kitchen, and an upper floor banqueting area.
Guests can also enjoy the views over the River Cleddau and the famous ornamental bridge from its riverside terrace.
Sarah Davies, Head of Black Pool Mill, said “Our aim is to give our guests a true taste of Pembrokeshire with some locally sourced and foraged ingredients, offering a unique, new showcase for Welsh gastronomy, offering guests an experience to remember.
“Our dishes have been carefully curated using top-quality produce from local suppliers where possible such as the locally brewed Bluestone Ale featuring in our Welsh Rarebit, and Welsh lamb and beef sourced by local butchers. With the sea on our doorstep, seasonal seafood dishes will always be well-represented on our menu, using fresh lobster, crab, mussels and laver sourced locally as often as possible.”
Situated in the beautiful Pembrokeshire coastal national park, a team of foragers will work closely with the chefs to collect the best, fresh seasonal ingredients and add Welsh character to the menu. William McNamara, who founded neighbouring Bluestone National Park Resort, was granted planning permission to restore the mill in 2020. Since then, an impressive £3million has been spent on the preservation, restoration and transformation of the Grade II listed Georgian building and grounds.
Local craftspeople and engineers have sensitively renovated and rebuilt the 210-year-old mill, including 53 traditional sash windows matched to the classical Georgian architecture, bespoke staircases, and the original milling equipment with their connecting rods and braces to reflect its industrial past.
Food lifts have also been installed for food service across all levels, along with a passenger lift to the upper three floors.
The restaurant hosts a team of at least 35 front and back of house staff who will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests, seven days a week.
Sarah Davies will lead the Black Pool Mill team with 30 years’ experience in hospitality, including nine as deputy head of food and beverage at Bluestone. Two-rosette chef, Paul Owens, will join her as head chef, having previously held the same role at Mansion House in Llansteffan.
Sarah added, “Being transparent and respectful to the historical elements of Black Pool Mill was at the forefront of our plans during the restoration journey. We’re delighted to open the doors for guests to experience the next phase of the building’s story.”
