Portmeirion offered free entry to visitors on St David’s Day and had a record-breaking number of visitors in response.
This was the first time that Portmeirion has offered free entry to visitors on St David’s Day, a gesture which was well-received by visitors. The day outperformed expectations seeing the biggest number of day visitors for any single day in the company’s history.
Visitors to the popular tourist attraction enjoyed complimentary guided tours of the village and an audio-visual show featuring Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis explaining how and why the village was built. The new exhibition, ‘Dome of Discovery’ was open to visitors and Portmeirion’s Collections Manager, Rachel Hunt was on-hand to talk to visitors about the artefacts on display. The shops and cafes on-site were busy selling Welsh gifts and souvenirs and serving Welsh Rarebit, Lobscows and special Welsh Cake and Bara Brith ice cream.
The most popular attraction of the day was the woodland train which took visitors on a circular route through the Gwyllt woodlands. Visitors also appreciated the hard work of the gardening team, which planted over 3,000 daffodil bulbs and many other spring flowers throughout the village in time for this event.
“It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the village and celebrating St David’s Day,” said Portmeirion’s Marketing Manager, Jana Jones. “The response from visitors has been wonderful and we hope everyone has had an enjoyable experience with us. The day was a huge success and we look forward to carrying that momentum with us through the rest of the year.”
Portmeirion is owned by registered charity Ymddiriedolaeth Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation. The regular admission fees charged by Portmeirion are used for the continual preservation of the historic architecture and rural landscape of Portmeirion. For more information about visiting Portmeirion, including admission and opening times, visit www.portmeirion.wales
