The HMS Conway Coffee Shop, Plas Newydd

Plas Newydd is now owned and managed by the National Trust. Naturally it is open to visitors so OCs can now legally go into all those parts of the house from which they were previously banned! Click here for opening hours etc. However the New Block, Kelvin Block and dock are all leased to the Conway Centre and are only open by prior arrangement.

The Nelson Block was completely refurbished in 2008/9. The upper floors are offices, flats and storage. The library is used for meetings but the books have been removed. The dormitory fittings are also all long gone. After many years of negotiations Captain David Nutman MNI (50-51) secured agreement that our old mess-deck in the Nelson Block would be redesigned as a themed HMS Conway Coffee Shop.

The room has been decorated with a number of colourful information boards explaining Conway life and routine. These include many photos from our Image Archive. The binnacle from the Pinnace has kindly been loaned by the Friends of HMS Conway. The Conway Club provided a large Conway ensign, a large Club crest, a set of signal flags spelling out the motto, a life buoy and a painting of the Ship. They also provided a replica of the name board from the stern of the Ship/Quarterdeck hut. There are children's activities including a knot board and a signalling challenge where they have to decode various signals on the information boards and of course the motto.

As well as the standard cafeteria menu there is a menu board using Conway slang and the staff are already getting used to orders for "Cheese Crap and Skilley". The dining tables are shortly to be covered with panels describing the lives of a notable Old Conways. There are three small booklets describing Conway life "1949-53 Ship & Shore", "1954-64 The Hutted Camp" and "1964-74 The Stone Frigate". These proved popular keepsakes on opening day, the Trust are busy printing new ones!

The coffee shop was formally opened by Captain David Smith OBE RN (42-44) at 11am on Sunday 29th March 2009. Approximately 40 OCs and partners attended the opening and voted the coffee shop a great success. We are most grateful to Jane Richardson (Property Manager) for making the coffee shop possible, and to Gwenno Griffith (Learning and Community Officer) whose hard work turned a bright idea into a wonderful reality.

There are a series of photos of the information boards, the room and the opening here

If you have photos of the opening please email them to me.