Gwynedd restaurant smashed up in council bin lorry crash still waiting to be fixed

A family run restaurant building has still not been repaired four months after a bin lorry ploughed into the back of it.

Service at Yr Wylan restaurant in Porthmadog came to an abrupt halt on Friday, January 20 when the Gwynedd Council truck smashed into it leaving a hole in the rear of the building.

Owners Claire and Justin Roberts, who also live above the restaurant with their teenage children, were forced to close for four days after an environmental health officer deemed that the building was “unsafe” for the public.

The restaurant has since reopened but despite an inspection being carried out by the council and necessary repairs being approved, building work, which is expected to cost thousands, has still not begun, leaving the family in limbo.

Mrs Roberts said: “We arranged for a structural engineer to assess the damage ourselves and we’ve been told that the damage is so bad that the stone will have to be removed and replaced.

“It wont just be a patch up job and it means that the hole will end up being three times as big while it’s being repaired.

“We’ve got no idea when it’s being repaired or how long it’s going to take.

“The worry is that they’ve not just damaged our restaurant, it’s caused damage to our flat bathroom too meaning we wont be able to use it while the damage is fixed.

“I don’t think the council realise how big the job is or how it’s going to impact us, where will we live while the work is being carried out?

“It’s also coming up to busy season now, we can’t afford to close for weeks while the repairs are carried out.

“It’s affecting our work as well as our home and we’re fed up of being in limbo with no idea of when things are going to happen.”

Claire and Justin, who have been running the business for 13 years, believe the crash happened as the bin lorry tried to navigate past illegally parked cars down Smith Street.

They say they have spent six years complaining to the council about the cars parking illegally behind their business, but their calls and e-mails have gone unanswered.

Claire added: “The only good thing is that the warning signs and barriers prevent people from parking there at the moment.

“The whole situation is getting very silly, it just needs to be sorted out.”

A council spokesperson said: “The matter is being dealt with by the council’s insurers.

“Surveyors have carried out an inspection of the building on behalf of the insurers and the necessary repair work has been approved.”