built

I visited the world’s smallest Wetherspoons that’s built on the remains of a 2000-year-old palace

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A woman stands in front of "The Sir John Hawkshaw" Wetherspoon pub, smiling, Image 2 shows A pub interior with a "Happy Halloween" banner, a long bar with drinks and decorations, and several patrons, Image 3 shows A wooden table and brown chair in the foreground of a train station platform with two trains stopped at the platform

WHO can say no to a Wetherspoons? And what if I told you the smallest one in the world is just as good as the rest, if not better.

Not only is it the smallest Spoons, but it is also in a rather bizarre location – a train station.

A woman stands in front of "The Sir John Hawkshaw" Wetherspoon pub, smiling.
I visited the world’s smallest spoons – it felt like being in an airportCredit: Cyann Fielding

Of course, some UK airports have Wetherspoons, but I have never come across one in a train station before.

Sat at one end of Cannon Street Station in London, you will find the Sir John Hawkshaw, complete with just 42 tables.

Whilst that might sound a lot, compared to the usual London Spoons, this is considerably less.

And the obscurities about this spot just continue – if you need to use the toilet, well then you’ll need to head to the other end of the station and down a set of stairs.

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I tested out the journey myself, and it took me around one minute (no good if you’re desperate!).

For those who love to train spot, sit outside on the terrace, which is essentially like sitting on one of the platforms.

The boozer opened back in 2014 and is named after one of the co-designers of the original station building, which first opened in 1866.

Inside, it does have a more cosy feel than most Wetherspoons pubs I have visited.

With Halloween fast approaching, the interior was decked out with cobwebs and pumpkins.

But keen to experience the pub-slash-train-station experience, I opted for a table on the terrace to enjoy my nachos.

Despite its small size, the pub still features Spoons’ extensive menu and the service isn’t impacted either.

To learn more about the pub, look for a blue plaque on the veranda.

It states: “The station had eight platforms under a single span arch roof.

“Far below the station are the remains of a Roman palace, built in the first century.”

At another point, the ‘Steelyard’ was used by German and Flemish merchants.

However, in 1666, it was then destroyed during the Great Fire of London.

A quarter of a century later, and the Company of Plumbers built their Livery Hall on the site, which remained there until the 1860s.

I sat peacefully enjoying my chips, nachos, chicken strips and raspberry lemonade, coming to a grand total of £18.

Whilst eating I noticed how the pub also has a unique soundtrack – clinking glasses mixed with the clack-clack of trains running over metal rails.

In all, I found myself feeling like I was in a quiet bubble in the middle of the hustle and bustle of commuters and tourists.

It felt as if I was in an airport, enjoying a drink whilst people watching – but with no pressure that I was going to miss my flight.

For the tired and sore commuter, this spot is ideal for a post meeting drink, before hopping on a Southeastern train home.

And of course, in typical Spoons style, your pocket won’t be stretched either.

Whilst to most, this may feel like another typical Wetherspoons spot, it somehow manages to fit all the character you get with Spoons into a small venue.

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For Wetherspoons fans, there is also good news as a new location has opened inside an abandoned UK attraction.

Plus, take a look inside the best-loved Wetherspoons in the UK from converted theatres to underground bank vaults.

The 10 most beautiful Wetherspoons in the UK

SOME of the prettiest Wetherspoons pubs can be found in old cinemas and even bingo halls – here are the top spots…

  1. Opera House, Royal Tunbridge Wells: The former opera house in Royal Tunbridge Wells first opened its doors to the public back in 1902.
  2. The Winter Gardens, Harrogate: The Winter Gardens used to be part of the Royal Baths in Harrogate and provided a place where people could relax.
  3. The Corn Exchange, Bury St Edmunds: The Grade I listed building started life as a location for merchants and Victorian farmers to trade back in 1862.
  4. The Royal Victoria Pavilion, Ramsgate: Ramsgate’s Royal Victoria Pavilion holds the title of the world’s biggest Wetherspoons.
  5. The Velvet Coaster, Blackpool: The pub is named after one of Blackpool’s most famous historical fairground rides, in which thrill-seekers of the past sat in velvet-lined carriages that rolled along a wooden track.
  6. The Caley Picture House, Edinburgh: The art-deco insides of the Caley Picture House in Edinburgh make it look like like it could feature in the Great Gatsby.
  7. The Palladium, Llandudno: The Palladium in Llandudno, in North Wales, is another Wetherspoons that used to be a cinema.
  8. The Counting House, Glasgow: The ex-Bank of Scotland building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style and visitors can even have a drink in its underground vault.
  9. Hamilton Hall, London: Outside of London’s Liverpool Street Station is Hamilton Hall, which at one stage was a ballroom in the Great Eastern Hotel.
  10. The Knights Templar, London: Elsewhere in London, The Knights Templar can be found inside a former Union Bank building.

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OCI Holdings buys 65% stake in solar wafer plant being built in Vietnam

This is an artist’s concept of a solar wafer plant under construction in Vietnam. South Korea’s OCI
Holdings has agreed to purchase a 65% stake in the project. Photo courtesy of OCI Holdings

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (UPI) — South Korean chemical giant OCI Holdings said Monday it will enter the solar wafer business to target the U.S. market by acquiring a facility being built in Vietnam.

Toward that end, its subsidiary, OCI TerraSus, plans to spend $78 million to purchase a 65% stake in a 2.7-gigawatt wafer plant from Elite Solar Power Wafer, which is scheduled for completion by the end of this month.

OCI Holdings expects the factory to start rolling out wafers early next year, without having to worry about U.S. tax-credit restrictions.

A solar wafer is a tin slice of crystalline silicon that serves as the primary building block for manufacturing solar cells.

The United States introduced legislation in early July barring prohibited foreign entities from receiving clean energy tax credits. These are entities controlled or significantly influenced by such nations as North Korea, China, Russia and Iran.

OCI Holdings projected that the deal would create synergy because OCI TerraSus is set to provide all the polysilicon needed for the new facility to manufacture non-prohibited foreign entity wafers.

The Seoul-based corporation said the plant’s capacity could be doubled within six months with an additional $40 million investment. However, it has yet to decide whether to proceed with the expansion.

“This strategic investment brings us closer to building a supply chain that facilitates U.S. exports,” OCI Holdings Chairman Lee Woo-hyun said in a statement. “We will continue to strengthen our presence in the global solar market by fostering partnerships with local companies in Southeast Asia.”

In July, OCI TerraSus joined hands with Japan’s Tokuyama to channel $435 million into establishing a semiconductor-grade polysilicon factory in Malaysia. Each company holds a 50% stake in the project.

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Pretty seaside destination built 20 years ago ‘looks like it was made for Hollywood’

The small seaside development in Carmarthenshire is known as ‘Sunset Village’ and offers stunning and tranquil views that residents say are like a year-round holiday

In a charming seaside town, there’s a row of houses that leave locals gasping ‘wow’ every morning.

Living here feels like a permanent holiday, regardless of the British weather. Who needs a coastal getaway when you can see the sea as soon as you open your curtains? Welcome to Pentre Nicklaus Village on the fringes of Llanelli in south-west Wales.

Although it’s just a stone’s throw from the town centre, the peaceful views and tranquillity make it feel miles away. Two decades have passed since the first of approximately 170 homes were built here, offering vistas found in few other parts of the UK.

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The properties in this development were designed in a ‘New England style’, giving you the feeling of being in a Welsh mini-version of The Hamptons – an area in Long Island, New York, known for its grand homes with spacious terraces and balconies overlooking breathtaking sea views, reports the Express.

In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to Seahaven, the fictional small, privately-owned beachside town from the Truman Show, made famous by Jim Carrey in the 1998 hit comedy drama. From your balcony, on a clear day, you can enjoy stunning views of Gower on one side and Tenby on the other.

“I’m always in awe – in the summer in particular it’s just breathtaking,” said Janice Gallacher, a local resident who enjoys a stunning view of the Millennium Coastal Path, a picturesque trail along the Loughor Estuary that leads into the bounteous Carmarthen Bay.

“But whatever the season, it’s beautiful. Every day is different, every day you get to see the sunset. Even when the tide is rough it’s brilliant to watch.”

In 2004, Janice relocated to Pentre Nicklaus alongside her husband Stuart, a Llanelli icon celebrated for his rugby accomplishments in both union and league, before assuming senior positions as chief executive of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets.

Stuart died in 2014, but Janice has remained deeply devoted to the area they selected together. Now a great-grandmother, the location continues to provide plenty for her to enjoy.

Showcasing her spacious open-plan upper-floor home, Janice enthuses about the local wildlife and the sweeping coastal views on her doorstep.

She also highlights the proximity to Llanelli’s town centre, saying: “I can walk to the nursery in 10 minutes, we’ve got the golf club around the corner – it’s a wonderful place to live. I can see the coast for miles around. We knew when we bought the place almost 20 years ago that it was a home for life.”

Carwyn and Susan Richards, who reside next door to Janice, are equally fortunate with their seaside outlook and recall how the view of the property convinced them to relocate immediately. The pair hail from Llanelli and returned here in 2014 following a period in neighbouring Gower.

“We had to travel into and through Swansea to get anywhere, but here we’re close to shops, we’re close to family and we’re close to the M4, it’s perfect. Summer time is the best time to live here but it’s beautiful all year round,” they gushed.

A photograph captured by Carwyn, which adorns their wall, perfectly captures the stunning panorama from their home. “We’ve moved around a lot over the years with my job,” Carwyn recalled.

“We had a lovely place to live in Gower, right by the beach. When we decided to come back to this area, we looked at several places. But as soon as we stepped through the door here, it was June and straight away we saw that view. That was it. We knew within 30 seconds that this was where we wanted to be.

“We’re not moving again!” Susan declared emphatically. “This is home.” Further along Pentre Nicklaus, Garry is busy with his refurbishment.

Unlike most properties of comparable design that boast a wall separating the kitchen and lounge on the second floor, Garry has opted to knock it down, forming a vast open-plan area that makes the most of the spectacular seaside vistas through the enormous glass windows.

Garry and his family were attracted to their property in Pentre Nicklaus six years ago, chiefly for its breathtaking outlook: “We wanted this place because of the view. We originally came here because it’s near the sea and the coastal path and I love cycling – all that is literally right in front of us, so it was a lifestyle choice.”

Situated in Llanelli, a town with a proud rugby tradition, Garry’s home boasts a remarkable sporting connection, having previously belonged to Gareth Jenkins, the former player and head coach of the Wales national team – a detail Garry enthusiastically mentions from his balcony.

“We wanted this place because of the view. We originally came here because it’s near the sea and the coastal path and I love cycling – all that is literally right in front of us, so it was a lifestyle choice.”

“Some people might look at the land down there (between his home and the estuary) and think it’s just wasteland but we don’t see it like that. We have wild foxes here, we have birds of prey – for us it’s a nature reserve on our doorstep.

“The best part about the view is that it changes every hour. It’s expensive to buy a property here but it’s free for everyone to enjoy the path and the surroundings. We used to commute a lot, which is bad for the environment and it’s bad for our health. Thankfully I’m able to work from home. People might think you take it for granted after a while but you don’t. It’s just stunning.”

Living in Pentre Nicklaus delivers the perfect balance. Whilst the town centre’s energy and activity lies just a brief stroll away, your property serves as a peaceful sanctuary.

Peering through your generous lounge window during the evening hours, you’re surrounded by wildlife and the ocean, creating the sensation of being countless miles from civilisation.

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