The building that houses Gales at 18 Bridge Street has a rich history.

For hundreds of years the hostelries of Llangollen served the needs of travellers taking he road from London to Dublin. As they approached the wilds of Snowdonia the small town of Llangollen must have seemed an outpost of civilisation.

From the late 17th Century the premises of 18 Bridge Street, then the Lion Inn, was one of those hostelries. (The building that houses the Wine Shop was The Butchers Arms).

In 1977 Richard Gale was looking for premises to start a Wine Bar, addicted as he was to the “winebar lifestyle” he decided that the less expensive option would be to have one of his own. By chance a friend suggested Llangollen as a suitable location and so a chain of events began that led to 18 Bridge Street once again becoming a haven for travellers visiting or passing through North Wales.

Initially the reception was mixed - this was, after all, the first Wine Bar in North Wales! Over 35 years, however, local support has ensured the ongoing success of Gales and underpinned the development of the business that now includes Gales Wine Bar, Hotel and Wine Shop.

Gales was an extension of Richard's personality. It's a business but it has to be fun. Fun was, after all, the cornerstone of Richard's life philosophy.

Richard is sadly no longer with us, but his son, Pip, is a member of the new team at Gales.