A celebrity chef who refused to let non-customers use his restaurant’s toilets has been blamed for the council spending £280,000 on the public loos next door.
Bryn Williams, known for his turn on Great British Menu, is the owner of Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, in the town of Colwyn Bay, Conwy, in north Wales.
The Welsh chef, from nearby town Denbigh, has received three Michelin Bib Gourmand awards – recognising quality food at a good price – for the bistro.
It comes after his famous Odette’s restaurant in the Primrose Hill area of London closed its doors for the last time in May last year, after more than 15 years of service.
Mr Williams only lets paying customers use the facilities at his eatery in Wales, named for the beach it sits on and which specialises in Welsh produce.
He leases the building, including the ladies and gents loos inside, from the council, which constructed it.
His move has left a cash-strapped Conwy County Council needing to spend £280,000 to build new public toilets just yards from the celebrity chef’s kitchen.
The local authority has obtained a grant of taxpayers’ cash from the Welsh Government to construct the bathrooms on the beachfront promenade.
Bryn Williams (pictured), known for his turn on Great British Menu, is the owner of Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, in the town of Colwyn Bay, Conwy, in north Wales
The Welsh chef, from nearby town Denbigh, has received three Michelin Bib Gourmand awards – recognising quality food at a good price – for the bistro (pictured)
Mr Williams (pictured on This Morning in 2020) only lets paying customers use the facilities at his eatery in Wales, named for the beach it sits on and which specialises in Welsh produce
Conservative councillor Cheryl Carlisle has said the existing restaurant loos should be opened to everyone instead of new ones being constructed.
The furious representative for Colwyn argued this was only fair as Mr Williams leases the building from the council.
The opposition council leader said: ‘I find it quite astonishing that Conwy Council have obtained a grant of taxpayers’ money from the Welsh Government for £280,000 to build more toilets on the side of the Porth Eirias building when public money has already been used to pay for the existing toilets.
‘These existing toilets should be for the use of all residents and visitors, not just the customers of Bryn Williams’ restaurant.
‘There are public toilets across the road at the bottom of the Dingle [bridleway] which could have had any grant monies available spent on them, to modernise and make them self-funding…
‘This money is coming from the pockets of our already hard-pressed council-tax payers. This cannot be right, and it needs an urgent rethink. Every penny counts!’
A council spokesperson confirmed the restaurant toilets are for customers using the seaside business centre which houses the restaurant.
It said: ‘The toilets at Porth Eirias are for use by customers of the building, and we ask that anyone who is visiting the photography exhibition, café, or restaurant enters the building fully clothed and does not come into the building either wet or excessively sandy.’
Conservative councillor Cheryl Carlisle (pictured) has said the existing restaurant loos should be opened to everyone instead of new ones being constructed
The furious representative for Colwyn argued this was only fair as Mr Williams (pictured in his former restaurant Odette’s in London in 2014) leases the building from the council
Mr Williams, who is married to Sharleen Spiteri (pictured together in 2016), the Scottish lead singer of rock band Texas, has worked under renowned chefs Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux
But the spokesperson confirmed there are other free public toilets for general public and beach users sponsored by Bay of Colwyn Town Council across the road.
And they also stressed: ‘It’s not been fully confirmed yet how the Brilliant Basics funding will be spent – this is currently being discussed.’
The matter will be discussed further at Conwy county council’s economy and place committee on September 22.
Mr Williams, who is married to Sharleen Spiteri, the Scottish lead singer of rock band Texas, has worked under renowned chefs Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux.
While still working as the Chef Patron at his London eatery Odette’s, he opened his Porth Eirias site in 2015.
His efforts there saw him win the AA Restaurant of the year for Wales Award 2019/20.
The Michelin Guide writes of the bistro: ‘If you’re after a relaxed, friendly environment, this striking beachside brasserie with faux industrial styling, blue leather banquettes and stunning sea views is the place to come.
‘The owner is proud of his Welsh roots and it shows on the menu. Cooking is pleasingly unfussy and local seafood is to the fore.’
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias was contacted for a comment.
