I run the UK's most famous pub – one moment changed everything

A charming settlement on the beach is the iconic pub, Ty Coch Inn. It is one of the UK's most photo shoot pubs and was voted in 2013 as the third best beach bar in the world. A few weeks ago, it once again came into the spotlight, naming it as one of the top 10 “best porcik” pubs of Sunday.

The crowd wants to experience this unique place where visitors are tempted by the reputation all year round, with visitors surged between spring and summer, and thousands of people bathing in seaside glory.

The beach pub is already a fascinating draw, but when combined with the breathtaking views, it has an unparalleled charm. Surrounded along the north coast of Gwyned in northwest Wales, these views include not only the ocean and the stunning Lynn Peninsula (a section of northwest Wales that protrude into the Irish seas like a long finger), but also views of Mount Eli (Snowdonia) across Cardigan Bay.

This place is not only beautiful. Its roots go deep into history and go back to the Iron Age. And a few centuries ago, Porth Dinlen operated as a thriving fishing port, once competed with Hollyhead to establish itself as a major gateway to Ireland.

A crucial moment came in May 1806. Pausdinlan appeared poised to surpass Hollyhead as the new building was approved by the village council bill. Porthdinllaen was about as west as Holyhead, but the latter ultimately gained advantage for better accessibility.

The Porthdinlllaen Harbor Company was founded with high hopes in 1808, but the bill designating the village as a port of Ireland trade was overthrown in 1810.

In 1861 alone, more than 700 ships sailed through the port. However, during the violent storm of December 2nd and 3rd, 1863, about 18 ships were transported on land and destroyed, searching for shelter in Porsuddinluen Bay. Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn tied a rope to his waist and managed to save a total of 28 lives with the help of four other men.

After the storm, the local parish priest wrote to the RNLI, demanding that the lifeboat be stationed at the port. The boat shed and slipway were commissioned in 1864 at a cost of £140. Naturally preserved and rich in natural beauty, Porthdinllaen has been under National Trust's ownership since 1994. Today, the village consists of only a handful of buildings.

To reach this location, visitors will have to walk almost a mile across Torosportidinruen (Porsudinruen Beach).

Porthdinllaen is a popular destination for many, but it is actually a home for just a few people. Stuart Webley, the landlord of Ty Coch Inn, calls this place his home and was a pub fixture even before he was born. His parents took over the establishment in 1968, and ten years later their only son, Stuart, arrived on the scene.

In 46 years he lovingly recalls his first memories at the bar, recalling like a baby “washing Guinness at the edge of the bar.”

Stuart began his tenure at the pub at just 15 years old. After her father passed away, his mother took on the role of landlady until Stuart rose to the plate. “It's not a job, it's a way of life,” he declares passionately. “This place means everything to me.”

In 2003, at a tender age of 25, Stuart took the helm of the Ty Coch Inn. Despite his time familiar with pubs from his youth and working there as a teenager, control still assumes that it is a “difficult” outlook for him.

“You're taking over your parents' business,” he said. “There are a lot of customers who are so many who are expecting a lot. I know there are some people who were worried when I took over. I wasn't the young man who acted best, so people were a little nervous.”

However, the pub's fortune made a dramatic turn when it was named the third best beach bar on the planet in 2013, making headlines around the world.

“It completely changed the game,” Stuart said. “We had to adapt to survive, and we adapted (again) when Covid-19 came around. It was better.”

Stuart emphasized that the most important change was the addition of an outdoor bar to the Ty Coch Inn, which effectively doubles the trading area of ​​the pub. The facility also takes pride in its comprehensive menu, placing itself as a great place for drinks as well as a great place for dining.

When he's not serving drinks, Stuart runs his own reggae sound system. Over the past 20 years, landlords have occasionally hosted beach parties at Tycotch Inn. Currently, Stuart employs 20 staff, including three full-time and 17 part-time employees, all living in nearby areas.

“The biggest part of running this pub is the people,” he said. “The people who work here are like my family. I was raised as a single child in this pub, so when I was a child all staff became my brothers and sisters. I carried that spirit to this day.

The business flourished and attracted ever-growing visitors. Porthdinllaen has collected comparisons between Australia's Bondi and South Africa's Hout Bay, but the village has made its reputation as a must-see destination.

Stuart celebrates the growing popularity of social media influence.

“I rarely post on social media,” he admitted. “I have all these tictalkers and influencers here and walk the corner. There are people from Manchester, Liverpool, America, France. We are international.”

Under Stuart's stewardship, the pub surged to height.

“I'm really proud of this place,” he confessed. “I'm quietly proud, but I don't want to get hooked. I'll let other people talk for me. My dad wouldn't have recognized this business right now, but my mother will see it and respect it.”

Intrigued about the epic plan for the future of the pub, Stuart simply laughed and teased.