Villagers in north-west Wales have forced a travel firm to revert a rebranding of an 18th-century manor after the property was marketed under an English name that prompted local outrage.
Plas Bodegroes, a Grade II‑listed Georgian house built in the 1780s in the village of Efailnewydd on the Llŷn Peninsula, was listed by luxury holiday specialist Big House Experience (BHE) as "Bromfield Hall". After complaints from residents and councillors the company has quietly restored the property's Welsh name on its website.
The ten-bedroom house, now a self-catering holiday home that can sleep up to 22 people, has been a notable local landmark for decades. Until 2006 it operated as a hotel and at one stage hosted Wales's only Michelin-starred restaurant. The building sits near Pwllheli and is close to attractions such as Abersoch, Portmeirion, Caernarfon Castle and Snowdonia.
The rebranding to "Bromfield Hall" appeared to reference Joseph Bromfield, an English architect associated with several period houses, but the departure from the property's Welsh name drew strong reaction in the mainly Welsh-speaking community. Some residents called the change "shameful" and "a disgrace to the property's rich heritage," while others said the move echoed a wider pattern of anglicising Welsh place names.
Councillor Anwen Davies, who represents the Efailnewydd a Buan ward, told the BBC she had received several calls from unhappy locals. "I'm not happy at all, although it is some relief if they've changed it back," she said. The ward has a high proportion of Welsh speakers; Davies cited a figure of 72.5%.
BHE director Gareth Allen said the "Bromfield Hall" name was a marketing pseudonym and that no "malice or disrespect" was intended. He told media outlets that pseudonyms are used for security reasons and to prevent people from bypassing the agency and booking properties direct. Allen added that the anglicised name was chosen because, in the company's experience, some English clients "struggle with Welsh-sounding names." He said the property's real name is disclosed to guests after booking.
An old Facebook advert from August 2023 retained the anglicised name, describing the house as "Bromfield Hall" and inviting visitors to "discover a piece of Wales' wild magic." The listing on BHE's website now again uses Plas Bodegroes.
The property is advertised as a Georgian house set in five acres of gardens and woodland, with a large dining room, a fully equipped kitchen and capacity for private chefs. It has ten bathrooms and parking for about 20 cars, according to the agency's listing.
Responses on social media were mixed, with some users welcoming the anglicised title as a "sensible and forward-looking decision," while others said there could be "no justification" for renaming a Welsh house in the modern era. Davies said she welcomed the reversion but stressed that any misappropriation of the Welsh language should be challenged to prevent repetition.
Big House Experience is based in Cheltenham. The company has been contacted for comment regarding the decision to reinstate the Welsh name on its website.