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The History of The Lion - Llanbister.
The Lion at Llanbister was purpose built by the Lewis family in approximately 1897. At the time the local pub was at “The Poplars” opposite the village shop and this was also owned by the Lewis family. The new public house was built in Victorian times to cater for the Ladies and Gentlemen wishing to pursue fishing, walking and other countryside activities. It was mentioned in the Radnorshire standard in 1898 “Llanbister, a pretty rural village nestling on the hillside, a prominent feature in this landscape and this will be found an excellent house of call”
Due to the demise of her parents Miss Lewis, an only child, was unable to carry on the public house. It is believed at the time a widow was allowed to carry on as licensee but not an unmarried lady. So in a local newspaper dated either 1913/1914 the following item was mentioned. “The Lion hotel has ceased to be a licensed house and has started a new life as The Ithondale Private Hotel with Miss Ada Kinsey as its tenant…”
Various tenants then ran the hotel and many local families rented rooms at the premises but it always remained in the Lewis family and eventually Miss Lewis, the grand-daughter of the original Lewis married a Mr Poacock and the Lion became a private house for quite a time
Peter and Anne Johnson purchased the Lion Hotel in 1981. First they opened a craft shop in the old barn followed by a restaurant which extended into a more general public house due to popular demand
The current licensees are Ray and Janet Thomas who have been at The Lion for 16 years.
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