The Hanbury Arms, Pontypool

The following two newspaper reports concerning strange experiences at The Hanbury Arms, Clarence Street, Pontypool were printed on 4 September 2012. The first, entitled ‘Ghostly goings on at Pontypool pub’ is by Natalie Crockett and appeared in the Gwent News.

VODKA, brandy and whisky aren’t the only spirits at one Pontypool pub where so called ghosts have sent everyone from barmaids to builders running scared.

The souls of a little girl named Emily and a small boy in Victorian dress are said to be regular visitors to The Hanbury Arms, according to staff who don’t like being in the building alone.

A man believed to a former executioner at the 1830s building where criminals were once hanged, is also said to be a frequent punter and staff believe they have captured evidence of their existence on videos, which show so called “orbs” of light darting about the bar.

Glasses have spontaneously smashed, lights have been switched on when no-one is in the room and even a barrel of cider was split open in the locked and empty cellar.

Even workmen refurbishing the building upstairs have downed tools claiming they have felt a bitterly cold presence whilst working, accompanied by an unexplained feeling of dread.

Manager Rhian Phillips claims to have heard whispers coming from the empty cellar and refuses to enter certain parts of the pub alone, while other staff have reported a strong smell of garlic in specific spots.

Since owner Sean O’Connor took over the pub last December three paranormal experts have visited and all have been convinced of the spirits presence.

But Mr O’Connor and his business partner Mark Baker, both 47, are not fazed and have instead taken a keen interest in finding out more.

Mr Baker has even ordered electrical magnetic field detectors, motion sensors and voice recorders from America in a bid to gather evidence.

He said: “It does not worry me, I just laugh at it, but it’s not funny when it costs us money like when we lost 88 pints of Strongbow when the barrel was split.”

Mr O’Connor added: “The experiences we have had have been so profound and tangible that you’ve got option but to believe it.”

The second piece which appeared in The Daily Mirror was entitled ‘Spirit level’s too much for builders: Workers flee Welsh pub after ghostly goings-on and evidence of child spooks’

Glasses have spontaneously smashed, lights have come on when no-one is in the room and a barrel of cider split open in the locked and empty cellar at the Hanbury Arms.

Builders at a pub have downed tools after being scared off by the SPIRITS behind the bar.

Everyone from barmaids to workmen is spooked after the ghostly goings-on at the Hanbury Arms.

Glasses have spontaneously smashed, lights have come on when no-one is in the room and a barrel of cider split open in the locked and empty cellar at the pub in Pontypool, South Wales.

Workmen refurbishing the building upstairs downed tools, claiming they felt a bitterly cold presence, accompanied by an oppressive feeling of dread.

Owner Sean O’Connor said: “It doesn’t worry me, I just laugh, but it wasn’t funny when we lost 88 pints of Strongbow.”

Since owner Sean O’Connor took over the pub last December three paranormal experts have visited and all have been convinced of the spirits’ presence.

Manager Rhian Phillips claims to have heard whispers coming from the empty cellar and refuses to enter certain parts of the pub alone. Other staff report a strong smell of garlic in certain places.

And most sacrily of all, the souls of a little girl named Emily and a small boy in Victorian dress are said to be regulars.

A man believed to a former executioner at the 1830s building, where criminals were once hanged, is also said to be a frequent punter and staff believe they have captured evidence of their existence on videos, which show weird “orbs” of light darting about the bar.

But owner Mr O’Connor and his business partner Mark Baker, both 47, are not fazed and are determined to get to the bottom of the eerie events.

Mr Baker has ordered magnetic field detectors, motion sensors and voice recorders from America to gather evidence.

Mr O’Connor said: “The experiences we have had have been so profound and tangible that you’ve got no option but to believe it.”