Adrian Emmett
Nominated for Business award
Adrian Emmett is a community minded local entrepreneur, and your friendly pub landlord. He has over 25-years’ experience in the hospitality industry, working all over the UK. 9 years ago, he returned home to Wales and now operates 2, previously boarded up pubs in Treorchy, employing over 40 local staff.
The Lion is an award-winning pub, winning Best Sports Bar and Best Community Pub in Wales at the Great British Pub Awards. The Lion is truly the hub of the community, home to 15 sport teams, over a dozen local groups and champions many local causes and charities, raising over £29,000 in recent years.
Adrian is heavily involved in local schools, offering work experience, running hospitality courses and runs the Lion Attendance Challenge that supports attendance to over 11,000 pupils in 44 schools.
Adrian chairs the local Pubwatch and Chamber of Trade, growing its membership from 30 to 120 members. He has secured £25,000 grant funding for the town, launched the ‘Visit Treorchy’ concept and was a key figure in establishing Treorchy’s Business Improvement District.
Adrian is involved in many local events including the Rhondda Arts Festival, Open Air Cinema, town firework display and the Christmas parade, to name but a few.
In an area where many communities are struggling, this former mining town is really bucking the trend with over 25 new businesses opening in the past three years. This year, Treorchy has been crowned the Champion High Street of Great Britain, and Adrian its High Street Hero.