The Albert Hall 

The Albert Hall was the brainchild of the adjacent Presbyterian Church, and was completed in 1896 at a cost inclusive of furnishings of £2,000. Originally built to be used for services in Welsh, concerts and functions for the Church, the building has altered little externally apart from changes to the front canopy and entrance. However in 1922 / 23 conversions were carried out to the Hall which involved the provision of a foyer, balcony, stairways, cinema projection room and stage, and the addition of a lesser hall and kitchen - virtually as it appears today. Since then there have been various improvements including the renewal of seating, improved stage lighting and an external front canopy. However, it still manages to retain the essential charm and friendliness of the original design. 

During a century of service to the community and visitors, many famous performers have trod the boards including Bobby Howes, Tommy Handley, Arthur Prince's Pierrot Troupe, Owen Brannigan, Ivor Novello, Hinge and Bracket, The Spinners, Delme Bryn Jones and the BBC Welsh Orchestra. Notable visitors have included HRH King Edward VII, Prince of Wales, Lord Sankey, David Lloyd George and Sir Anthony Eden. 

Having celebrated its centenary in 1996, the Albert Hall is still a centre of excellence, with the Annual Drama Festival held in the first week of May each year. This is now the longest running festival in the country for full length plays performed by amateur companies, attracting the highest standard of players from all parts of the United Kingdom. A professional adjudicator discusses each play at the end of the evening, culminating in the final award ceremony on the Saturday evening. 

Llandrindod Wells Theatre Company are the principal users of the theatre and stage a pantomime every year in January, as well as two or three plays in the course of the year. Every Thursday night during the summer season local players re-enact the 'Good Old Days' with a music hall featuring Victorian and Edwardian entertainment, highlighted during the Victorian Festival Week when two special performances play to full houses. With local eisteddfodau and presentations by local groups also making use of the building, the Albert Hall can look forward with confidence to the next 100 years. 

The Radnorshire Museum 

Situated in the Memorial Grounds, the museum has recently been refurbished and the Red Kite Centre opened. This audio / visual display relates the story of this most rare bird of prey, unique to Mid Wales. There are also displays relating to the social and historical history of Llandrindod and the old County of Radnor. Please contact the Tourist Information Centre for details of opening hours. 

The Conference Centre in the Heart of Mid Wales 

The Pavilion Conference Centre is centrally situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Its tranquillity offers the perfect foil to the bustle associated with conferences and exhibitions. 

The Pavilion is a 500 delegate conference centre serviced by five major hotels all within a few hundred yards walking distance. Accommodation of a high standard and being close by avoids the fragmentation experienced at some venues, where delegates can he spread over a fairly wide geographical area. All delegates are on hand for evening functions or to continue discussions without the hassle of arranging transport to and from the Pavilion. 

The Pavilion conference centre offers full opportunities for exhibitions, conferences, weddings, meetings and Audio Visual presentations with theatre facilities and a licensed bar. 

The Pavilion being located in the heart of Wales makes it an ideal location for organisations with regional offices, with an ease of access for their delegates attending conferences and meetings. Easy access to London and the south east, Liverpool, Manchester and the Midlands by road and rail makes the Pavilion a viable alternative, while travellers from further afield have the convenience of flying via Cardiff Rhoose, Birmingham or Manchester airports.

Tourist Information Centre and Visitor Centre 

Centrally located in the Town Hall, next to the Memorial Gardens, the centre has all the information you need to enjoy your stay in Llandrindod Wells. A video, which runs for the benefit of visitors, highlights a tour and history of the town. 

The Information Centre also provides maps, leaflets and guides indicating places to visit, cycle rides, car tours, local walks (which include the town trail), public transport, a diary of events, an accommodation list and booking service, general information and souvenirs. The centre is open throughout the year, with reduced opening times in the winter months. 

Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival

The now famous Victorian Festival in Llandrindod Wells was established in 1981, and is going from strength to strength. Attracting some 35,000 visitors yearly to a town that has a population of only 5,000 is no mean feat, but the apparent ease with which it is done is largely due to the dramatic transformation achieved in the reversion to the Victorian era. The effect of horses and carriages, Victorian window displays and the townspeople sporting a wide variety of appropriate costumes creates an atmosphere the effect of which is nothing short of miraculous. 

The towns unspoilt architecture provides a perfect backdrop to the celebrations, and in Temple Gardens we have an ideal venue for the many different types of street entertainment provided free for the visitors and townsfolk throughout the day. All tastes are accommodated; daily bandstand concerts, costume parades, children's workshops and magic shows are frequent, and there are many talks and exhibitions for those wishing to learn as they are entertained, as well as numerous trips to places of interest in the beautiful countryside surrounding Llandrindod. 

Evening entertainment ranges from a Male Voice Choir, Music Hall, Victorian Melodramas and musicals, a Victorian Ball, to a Jazz Night, Welsh Night, Murder Mystery Banquet, a Magic Night, a Bier Keller and even an evening of 1940s Big Band Sounds. 

At the end of nine days the proceedings are closed in the grandest of manners with the moving Torchlight Procession and Fireworks Display at the Lakeside. All in all we look forward each year to a spectacular and very special Festival.

Places of Interest

As well as offering visitors a variety of interests in the town, Llandrindod Wells is an ideal centre for touring. The following are just a few of the local places of interest for visitors, but please contact the local Tourist Information Centre for more details. 

Wyeside Arts Centre - Situated in the market town of Builth Wells, seven miles south of Llandrindod, this unique centre incorporates a theatre and cinema and, as well as the latest films, has a variety of live entertainment covering the theatre, music, dance and children's shows. There is also a gallery showing works by local artists and craftspeople. 

Small Breeds Farm, Kington - The Oaklands Small Breeds Farm lies just outside the small market town of Kington, 20 miles east of Llandrindod on the A44. It is open from April until the end of October and offers a close encounter with a variety of miniature, rare and unusual animals and birds in an idyllic setting, with guided tours and wheelchair access. There is a children's play area and coaches are welcome. 

Elan Valley Visitor Centre - Situated a couple of miles west of Rhayader, the visitor centre houses an exhibition showing how the Elan Valley has developed, audio/video facilities, restaurant and information centre. It also organises guided walks to view the wildlife and outstanding scenery around, including a chance to glimpse the rare Red Kite. The Elan Valley is an area of outstanding natural beauty and a drive around the spectacular grandeur of the dams which provide water for a large area of the West Midlands, will reward visitors with unparalleled views of this beautiful, unspoilt part of Mid Wales.