Billycan

Amidst the pastel-coloured Georgian and Victorian townhouses in this busy Pembrokeshire seaside resort, Billycan is a welcome addition to Tenby’s hospitality sector. Accommodation round these parts usually means old-fashioned B&Bs, hotels that need a refresh and packed caravan parks – a stark contrast to this historic, elegant destination. Opened in 2016, the former British Legion in the walled old town has been successfully turned into a contemporary bar-restaurant with five minimalist rooms and a two-bedroom/two-bathroom penthouse apartment complete with jacuzzi. Décor throughout has a nautical feel – in keeping with the town’s past as a major port during the Middle Ages – thanks to wood-lined feature walls, leather banquettes and the odd touch of zinc; Melin Tregwynt soft furnishings, made at a 17th-century mill in the village of Castlemorris in north Pembrokeshire, add a touch of luxury in the bedrooms. Billycan’s owners also run fish and chip shops in the Rhondda Valley so it comes as no surprise that this British favourite is one of the star dishes on the menu, sitting alongside the likes of appetite-sating burgers and grills; vegetarians have some interesting options too including Puy lentil and sweet potato pie or goat’s cheese and walnut salad. The bar has a few street-side tables and chairs for fine days and there’s a large selection of beers, both local and international. An equally good variety of wines and gins means that Billycan is a very popular hangout with younger drinkers and diners at weekends from Easter to the end of the summer holidays.