Aber Hotel and Biscuit Factory, Station Road, Aber, Abergwyngregyn

In 1906 J M Porter was commissioned to prepare designs for the conversion of an old writing slate manufactory into a biscuit factory. In addition, he may have been involved in renovations to the Aber Hotel, formerly Bulkeley Arms Hotel, close to Aber Station and at some distance from the village of . The venture proved a complete failure and by 1908 Porter and Elcock were involved in legal proceedings in an attempt to recover their professional fees.

UNFORTUNATE INVESTMENT ABER HOTEL AND BISCUIT FACTORY. At the Llandudno County Court on Thursday, a singular action was heard in reference to the affairs of Mr and Mrs Walker, of the Aber Hotel, Aber. Two years ago, Mr and Mrs Walker came from Blackley, near Manchester, and took a lease of the hotel. Mr Walker also obtained from Lord Penrhyn a lease of the old writing-slate works adjoining the hotel. Here he proposed to establish a biscuit factory, and expended a large sum of money with that view, but the factory was never actually got to work. The hotel was renovated and beautified at an expense of some £700. [Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald 5 June 1908 page 5]

The writing slate works was shown on the 1889 edition of the Ordnance Survey map and was served by a railway siding from the main line. Originally owned by the Penrhyn Estate it was powered by a water wheel fed from a weir on the Afon Aber, which flows alongside the building. Slate was transported to the factory by road from Penrhyn Quarry and the finished writing slates were shipped out via its rail link. After the failed attempt to convert it into a biscuit factory in 1906, it was acquired by the Pure Margarine Company Ltd and by 1912 was known as the Aberfalls Margarine Factory (although the falls were some 3.5 km upstream of the site). By 1916 77 men were employed. After World War Two it was shown as a bottling plant on the OS map, and by 2001 a   wholesale beer, wines and spirits warehouse. By 2020 Aber Falls Distillery had been established on the site. Aber Station stood close by on the Chester and Holyhead Railway (now the North Wales Coast line) and opened on 1 May 1848 closing to passengers on 12 September 1960. Although the platforms etc have now been demolished the westbound station buildings have been retained and converted to residential use

Reference           Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald 5 June 1908 page 5 - extensive report of legal proceedings