The Mostyn Arms in Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey closed its doors around 2009 and has sat empty ever since, but with planning permission granted for a care home, the site is now heading to auction with a £500,000 guide price
The former site of a UK pub that “vanished” has gone up for sale. The Mostyn Arms in the town of Menai Bridge on the southern shoreline of the Isle of Anglesey reportedly shut around 2009 according to website By Gone Boozers.
Prior to that it had operated as a neighbourhood pub since at least 1850, serving as a popular inn for visitors crossing the Thomas Telford Menai suspension bridge which opened in 1826.
In 2025, according to planning documents, permission was granted for the site to be converted into a 10-bedroom residential care home. The 19th century structure had remained vacant since 2009 and was described as being in “a poor state of repair”.
The recently approved proposals detailed a contemporary facility designed to provide accommodation for people aged over 55, serving residents with “a range of needs”. The applicants highlighted there was “an increasing desire from an ageing population for developments adapted to the needs of older persons”.
However, the proposal faced local resistance, chiefly over traffic and parking issues, though the planning officer confirmed adequate space would exist outside the building for a “stopping place, to pull up and drop someone off”.
When the application was brought forward for debate, Cllr Jeff Evans gave it his full backing, stating: “Fifteen years this building has been empty. Now we have someone who wants to develop the property into a much, much needed facility on the island, a residential care facility.”, reports the Mirror.
Emphasising how some locals had been compelled to relocate elderly family members off the island for care, he continued: “This would be so supportive of today’s needs.”
He proposed a motion to approve the officer’s recommendation, calling it “a wonderful opportunity” to deliver another residential care home to the island.
The site is now scheduled to go under the hammer via an online auction with All Wales Auction through the Williams and Goodwin The Property People website on 21 May. The plot is described as having access from two levels, ‘set adjacent to some of the university property to the rear and private residences to the side’, with views towards the Menai Strait and the mainland from its slightly elevated position.
The stunning water views are a key selling point, but for any potential bidder looking to convert the site into a private residence rather than a care home, the agent points out: ‘We understand the plot benefits from C2 Planning Permission (Residential Care) and that artist impressions and the current proposed plans have been provided by the seller and are included in the legal pack.’
The auction house further notes that the site could potentially be suitable for residential use, subject to obtaining the usual planning permission – though bidders are urged to confirm this for themselves before bidding, with concept ideas and residential drawings also part of the legal pack.
It’s important to bear in mind that any change of use or updated plans for a residential development are not guaranteed to get the green light from the local authority. The guide price for the former Mostyn Arms site going under the hammer is set at £500,000. For more information about the property, planning, auction details and access to the legal pack, please contact All Wales Auction on 01248 753939.
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