Elizabeth Riley and her husband Paul moved into a house above the Travellers Rest in Llanidloes, a much-loved restaurant of more than 50 years, last month. The couple, who are both InteleTravel agents, now plan to launch Hafod Travel to serve the town’s nearly 3,000 residents.
However, before they can start selling holidays from the premises in Long Bridge Street, they must first submit an application to Powys Council for a change of usage. Riley believes it could take up to six months before Hafod Travel officially opens, adding: “It’s very early days.”
Explaining why she and her husband, who will continue in his IT job for the time being, decided to make the jump onto the high street, Riley said: “I’ve always only been a mum – I’ve got four kids.
"A couple of years ago, I got involved with InteleTravel for the purpose of selling holidays to my family. I’ve never sold a holiday to anyone outside of our family. We want to create a business that will sustain us into retirement. We’re very much at the concept stage.
"We have a lot of official steps to take first with local planning, with InteleTravel and with travel providers. It’s important to us we get it right and honour the terms of all parties involved."
Riley, who says her expertise revolves around holidays to Florida and Disney, continued: “It will just be me at the beginning. But I absolutely love this town – I want this agency to be somewhere residents can be proud of.”
She stressed not knowing what life has in store encouraged her and husband Paul to take the plunge.
“Maybe in a couple of years’ time, we will look back and realise it wasn’t the right move," she admitted. "But at least we will have a lovely house."
The couple moved to mid-Wales from the Hampshire market town of Alton eight years ago before relocating to Llanidloes when they saw the owners of The Travellers Rest were retiring.
Riley said passers-by had already come knocking to ask what had happened to 50-year-old restaurant and its owners. “We feel that Llanidloes has adopted us,” she added.
