Otley Ltd is a family-run pub business. It
currently consists of 3 pubs: the Otley Arms, the Bunch of Grapes and
the Rickards Arms.
The Otley Ltd company was officially formed in
1990, though founder member Alfred Otley first bought the Otley Arms in
1975. Previous to that he was the first ever steward of the Student
Union bar at what is now the University of Glamorgan in Trefforest.
In 1980 Alfred’s son Paul took over the
running of the Otley Arms, along with his wife Janet. They had until
then been stewarding the Whitland R.F.C. clubhouse in Carmarthenshire,
West Wales.
In 1986 the Otley family purchased another pub,
the Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd. Alfred’s second eldest son
Robert took over the running of this pub.
In 1990 the company Otley Ltd was formed, made up of Alfred and all 3 of his sons: Paul, Robert and Nicholas.
The first pub to be bought by Otley Ltd as a
company was the Hawthorn Inn in 1997. Robert took over the running of
this pub and left a manager to look after the Bunch of Grapes, until
Nicholas returned from London to take over it.
The following year, 1998, the Rickards Arms was
bought. Alfred’s eldest grandchild, Paul’s daughter
Samantha returned to the family business to manage it after a number of
years away from Trefforest.
In 2003 a fifth pub joined the fold, the
Coachhouse in Llantwit Fardre. Robert and Nicholas jointly ran it,
whilst keeping the Hawthorn Inn and Bunch of Grapes in order. Sadly
things didn’t work out at the Coachhouse and it was sold later
the same year. It has now been reopened by its current owners as a
Chinese restaurant.
In 2004, Robert announced his desire to retire from running pubs and so the Hawthorn Inn was sold to Punch Taverns.
Sadly on 9th December 2006, Otley Ltd's founder Alf Otley passed away at the age of 80. He will be missed by all.
Thanks for visiting,
Sam Otley.
