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Powys County Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Llandrindod Wells Lakeside Boathouse's secret to success
The owner of a popular visitor attraction in Llandrindod Wells has shared the secret behind the company's growing success. Lee Percy, who runs Lakeside Boathouse with his wife, Jenni, said entering the Powys Business Awards in 2024 made them look at every detail of the business and improve efficiency. The couple, who went on to win the Micro Business Award, sponsored by The County Times, now have their eyes set on completing a double by entering the Business in the Community Award this year, sponsored by EDF. Mr Percy said: "Just entering the awards last year helped because I restructured some of the business. "When we launched the business, we had a five-year business plan which we achieved in the first year. "We made the mistake of not doing a new plan and when I sat back and looked at the figures, we found that there was a lot of fishing equipment sat there hardly being used. "We decided to create two axe throwing lanes and they made more money in one day than the fishing equipment did in a whole year. "Entering the awards forced us to look closely at the little things which has made the business much better and more efficient." Since winning the award last October, the couple have opened a tea room in Rock Park, Llandrindod Wells, which has created nine new jobs. The Rock Park Tea Room venture uses the 14 acres of woodland surrounding it for a range of activities, including orienteering, board-walking across a river, and archery. The Lakeside Boathouse employs three full-time and 22 part-time staff. The couple are considering another new venture, canoe polo. Their son, Gethyn, is a member of the Wales Under 17 canoe polo squad and they believe there is a gap in the market for the sport in Llandrindod Wells. Lakeside Boathouse offers a variety of family activities with a fleet of dragon boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts, and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) for hire on the scenic 13-acre lake. The business also has an award-winning ice cream parlour, a small mountain bike centre with scooters, electric, and normal bikes for hire, and offers team building sessions and activities for stag and hen parties. Ceri Stephens, group manager of Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, who organise the Powys Business Awards, said: "Lee and Jenni's journey with Lakeside Boathouse is a testament to the transformative power of the Powys Business Awards. "Their success story highlights how the awards not only recognise excellence but also inspire businesses to innovate and grow. "We encourage all enterprises in Powys to seize this opportunity to showcase their achievements and drive their businesses forward." This year's Powys Business Awards has 12 categories, including a new one - the Business-Education Partnership Award, sponsored by Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership. The awards, organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG), showcase the diverse range of successful enterprises within Powys. The closing date for entries is July 27 and the award ceremony will be held at The Hafren, Newtown on October 17.
Powys County Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Llanrindod Wells' Chalybeate Tea Room officially opens
A NEW tea room officially opened in Llandrindod Wells with a VE Day-themed event last weekend. Opened by Jenni and Lee Percy, who also run the multi award-winning Lakeside Boathouse and Llandrindod Community Events, Chalybeate Tea Room officially opened its doors on Friday, May 9, with a celebratory event involving the community taking place on Saturday. Over 180 people attended the event, who were all treated to a free drink on entry, a fantastic barbeque, and VE-themed performances from Llandrindod Wells Theatre Company, as well as from Angharad Hyde and Phil Hill. Based in Rock Park, the tea room offers a charming and peaceful space for people to enjoy a range of premium teas and coffees, light bites and provides the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and socialising. Located in the old Pump House building, the tea room boasts many of the original features – including the water pumps which would historically draw water from the nearby spa, during the iconic period that made Llandrindod famous. 'We are absolutely delighted to bring this piece of Llandrindod's history back to life,' said Jenni. 'It's taken a lot of work from a lot of people, but seeing everyone having such a wonderful time at our opening event made it all worthwhile. 'We've already had lots of visitors, which was fantastic over this lovely spring weekend. It's great to see people enjoying this beautiful space – Rock Park provides beautiful surroundings.' Feedback from the event was hugely positive, with one local resident saying: 'Fantastic evening, from food drink entertainment and atmosphere. Looking forward to the next event.' Another described the venue and event as amazing, saying: 'Thank you for an evening of great entertainment, fantastic food, fun and laughter.' 'A wonderful evening getting the community together, thank you so much,' said another attendee. 'Such a lovely evening. A wonderful start to your new adventure, wishing you every success with this brilliant addition to the social and economic fabric of this amazing town.' The tea room offers light lunches, afternoon tea and cakes. Dog lovers can also bring their four-legged friends along to sit in a designated seating area. Jenni added: 'We're dedicated to providing a really lovely experience for people – something a bit different, something that feels like a bit of a treat, but still in keeping with our vision for accessible facilities for people in Llandrindod Wells. 'We'll be exploring events like concerts and themed evenings in the future, we're really excited at what this venue can offer.' Chalybeate is open from 10am-4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pay them a visit, or call 01597 243013 or email Chalybeatetearoom@ for more information.
