An Aussie couple doing the Grand Tour of Europe have opted to book themselves into a Rhyl B and B for a year rather than a swanky Mayfair apartment.
Sally and Chris Allison were so taken with the warm welcome they received at Barratt’s of Tyn Rhyl during previous trips to the area, that they ditched their plans to stay in London for 12 months and asked the owners, David and Elvira Barratt, if they could stay with them for an entire year.
Since June, the Sydney couple have used the four star hotel and restaurant, which is thought to be the oldest house in Rhyl and dates back to 1608, as their home from home as they have travelled all over the UK and Europe.
Sally, 59, who is originally from Rhyl, said: “It is a fantastic base and Rhyl is a completely undervalued location.
“It is as good, if not better, than being in London because it really is easy to get anywhere in the world from here.”
Only a few weeks ago, the couple, who have a great passion for good food, went for Sunday lunch at the two Michelin-starred restaurant, The Ledbury, in London’s Notting Hill.
Sally said: “We went there and back, quite comfortably, in a day. The train links are superb from this area through to London.
“I think because we are Australian, we don’t think about London being far away and why would it not be a normal thing to do?”
They have also toured round Ireland, Scotland, the south of England including Sussex, Cornwall, north Devon and Bath and then back north to the Lake District.
But both agree there is also much to explore in the area surrounding Rhyl and they’ve taken in Snowdonia, the Llŷn Pennisula and nearby Ruthin.
This has been particularly poignant for Sally who grew up in the North Wales coastal town and left for Australia more than 35 years ago where she met her husband.
The couple built up a successful employment agency business which they sold 10 years ago. The responsibilities of running their own company meant the Allisons had not had a break for 12 years and so they set about making up for lost holiday time.
Sally, a former pupil of Trellewelyn Primary School and Glyndwr Secondary Modern, said: “Coming home and seeing the area again has been just as impressive and enjoyable as any of the other places we have travelled to.
“You don’t have to go far to see something that lingers in your memory.”
Her husband, 65, agreed and said: “If you take the time to find out and go and visit the coastal towns and some of the villages and drive through to Anglesey and through some of the mountain ranges, there is a lot to see and do.”
The couple, who have just returned from Bruges, in Belgium with the Barratts, said part of the enjoyment of their year in Rhyl is staying with their good friends.
Chris said: “Tyn Rhyl itself is a fantastic place. It has a lovely atmosphere and for me it is like a proper house, it is not like your normal B and B. We have become very friendly with Elvira and David. ”
He is also a big fan of chef David’s food. He said: “It is the best food in the area by a mile and we cannot find anywhere else we would rather go. It is the quality of the food and the fact a lot of the produce David uses is local. The Welsh lamb is just beautiful.”
Their friend, Elvira, 56, said having the Allisons for a year had meant a lot to her and her husband. She said: “They have had quite an impact on our lives and have become such friends.
“I have invited them to our daughter’s wedding in Italy because I just cannot think of them not being there. They have become part of our family really.
“In this financial climate it has given us a real boost too. It has given us a bit of security knowing that money is coming in every month.”
Next year, Sally and Chris are planning to see more of the east coast of England, the Isle of Wight and Jersey but also plan to go further afield to Russia.
With the world at their feet, the couple are wondering whether their year in Rhyl will be enough.
Sally laughed and said: “We have already asked for an extension on our 12 months with David and Elvira!”
To contact Barratt’s of Tyn Rhyl, go to www.barrattsoftynrhyl.co.uk or call 01745 344138.
