Dahl fans could stay in sweet shop that inspired classic tales
A FORMER sweet shop provided Roald Dahl with inspiration for some of his most famous plots, and now work is under way to transform it.
Mrs Pratchett’s sweet shop on Llandaff ’s High Street was the scene of a childhood prank which it is believed inspired the Cardiffborn author’s writings years later.
While Dahl was a pupil at the Cathedral School in Llandaff, he played a trick on the reputedly terrifying owner of the shop.
That episode – where he put a dead mouse in a gobstopper jar – is thought to have inspired some of his tales such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits and Matilda.
The sweet shop has most recently been a Chinese takeaway called The Great Wall. Now work is ongoing to turn it into a holiday rental for visitors to experience first-hand one of Dahl’s Cardiff haunts.
According to the application, approved by Cardiff council, the property would be opened to the public when it isn’t in use – possibly as a library dedicated to the iconic author, in the hope schools and nurseries would be able to take advantage of the site.
The front of the 19th-century building will remain largely unchanged, but an extra bedroom and bathroom will be installed.
On the first floor, there is sleeping room for six people. The downstairs will be restored to include a dining room, kitchen, reading room and bathroom.
Extra rooms will be added at the rear of the building and a maisonette will create space for an extra double bed.
The applicant, Mrs Lau, says the restoration will “benefit the whole area” and stresses she says she wants to create something which is not a restaurant or pub.
In 2009 a blue plaque was installed at the property, with Dahl’s widow Liccy and son Theo present.
Meanwhile, guests can also hire the gatehouse lodge where the famous children’s author used to live.
Ty Mynydd is listed on accommodation site airbnb.com as the original gatehouse lodge to the main house on the estate, which was in Radyr.