The history of Goodwick's Fishguard Bay Hotel

The building is that of the former Fishguard Arms Hotel which now stands empty after decades as a hotel. Here we look back at the history of the building.

The building initially began life as a manor house in the 1700s named the Wyndcliffe, which was leased by the Rogers family. In 1805 it was sold to David Harries and remained in his family until 1894 when it was sold to the Fishguard and Rosslare Harbour Company. During this time it had been turned into a hotel.

Wyncliffe Hotel being converted into Fishguard Bay Hotel in 1900s. Picture: Deborah Tilley via Our Pembrokeshire Memories

In 1900, planning permission was granted to the Fishguard and Rosslare Harbour Company to build the Fishguard Arms Hotel after the company purchased the Wyncliffe hotel and seven acres of land for £4,500.

When the hotel was built, it had 40 bedrooms, tennis courts and tropical gardens and each of the bedrooms had a telephone. In 1910, it also had two apartment suites, a dining hall, smoking room, two lounges and a billiard room.

Fishguard Bay Hotel in 1940. Picture: Andrew Harries via Our Pembrokeshire Memories

It was owned at the time by Great Western Railways. The company closed the hotel in 1951 and was leased by Mrs Burscough in 1959 as a hostel for men building the Milford Haven oil refinery until reopening as a hotel in 1967. It was refurbished in 1974 when it was taken over by the Schell family.

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In 2015, the hotel owners began sharing its large collection of photos showing the history of the surrounding area. The photos – of which there were more than 500 – were donated to the exhibition by customers and local people.

Fishguard Bay Hotel in 1979. Picture: Stephen Hughes via Our Pembrokeshire Memories

Northern Powerhouse Development Ltd bought the 60-bedroom hotel from the Schell family, who owned it for 58 years, for a reported £966,720, in July 2017.

The hotel went into administration in August 2019 after an investigation into Northern Powerhouse and has been empty since. A fire in the grounds in June 2020 which was being investigated as arson.

Fishguard Bay Hotel is a Grade II listed building due to it retaining most of the structure of ‘an extensive terraces and wooded Edwardian garden’ which is laid out to complement the Great Western Railways Hotel.

Fishguard Bay Hotel in April 2022. Picture: Mark Lewis via Our Pembrokeshire Memories

It is said that some of the specimen trees and shrubs remain from the Edwardian planting including exotic and tender species.

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