- Under sheets and pillow slips are washed between every visitor.
- All cutlery is washed between visitors on an intensive 3 hour wash and we ask our visitors to do the same during the week.
- All bedlinen is washed on 60 degrees – I have no tumble drier and dry on the line in fresh air.
- All surfaces likely to be touched are washed twice, once with soapy water and once with disinfectant.
- Fridge is thoroughly cleaned with sanitising wipes.
- Children’s toys have been put away for now.
- The mud kitchen in the woods remains available for play.
- I have ditched eco cleaning products and gone back to anti bacterial fluids.
- Check in time has been put back to 4.30pm to ensure enough time to clean between guests.
- I have recruited another adult to help with Friday changeovers!
- I have created my own deep cleaning checklist.
Coronavirus
In response to growing concerns I felt I should tell our visitors what I am doing to keep Old Oak Barn as safe as I can.
Our visitors constantly tell us that the barn is kept spotless and I have always paid a lot of attention to ensuring every corner is clean. However I have now introduced even more stringent cleaning between visitors. The list below includes the measures I am now following.
Read some of the latest information from Wales here
It may be that your travel insurance covers you for a full refund – if not and you need to discuss your planned holiday please get in touch. Our T and C have already been sent to every visitor but if there is any way we can be even more helpful we will do so. We would always wish to be fair to everyone who has booked with us.
Thank you to visitors who have already been in touch saying they wish to continue with their planned holiday – that they are relieved they have not booked a foreign break – that they are reassured by my actions – and that they feel as safe here as anywhere. Infact the isolation we potentially offer here may be seen by some as a big bonus.
Severn Toll Scrapped 2018
Severn Toll Scrapped 2018
Big news today – the Severn Toll is to be scrapped next year in 2018. It was never meant to last for more than 25 years after a deal was struck to build a second crossing in 1992. It has now been announced that promises are to be kept and charging will cease soon.
Read about it in today’s paper The Guardian
We think our visitors will approve! Old Oak Barn is always open all year round for business! I am not sure how scrapping the charge is meant to boost the Welsh economy by the quoted 100 million but we are not complaining. As from next year both the old and new Severn Bridges will be operated by Highways England when they return to public ownership.
The Old Severn Bridge was opened in September 1966 and I remember well the day my father took us for a day trip into Wales that month. It cost a total of £8 million then to build and took over three years to complete!
Lane gets tarmacced!
Lane gets tarmacced
After nearly 30 years of repairing our bumpy lane at very regular intervals, in 2017 we took the big decision to get it tarmacced! The first week of July saw the arrival of my cousin from Berkshire Daniel Hazell to commence the work with his trusty crew! We were blessed with glorious weather that week and everything went smoothly. The pictures tell it all! We are chuffed our lane has finally got tarmacced! I think our many visitors will be surprised at how smooth the lane is. Now and no one will have to consider the welfare of their car anymore. I bet the postman is happy too!
The challenge has always been to keep the rainwater from damaging the lane. With the precision of the up to date machinery in applying the correct camber and slopes we are confident it will last for many years. Preparation was key and the initial digging out and getting smooth before the chippings were laid down took over a day. Each section of the lane was rolled at least 4 times during the week with 2 different rollers each with different weight distribution.
Most of the machinery came down on lorries from Berkshire but an excavator was hired locally. The tarmac chippings – 9 lorry loads of them were delivered in June from GD Harries – were infact from the A40 when it was resurfaced earlier this year. The granite chippings were delivered that week. It was a busy few days but we are well chuffed with the outcome and want to thank Dan for his great organisation and skillful workmanship. How lucky we were that on the Wednesday when the tarmac was being spread over the chippings temperatures reached 30 degrees here at Old Oak Barn. It was not only the flowers that were wilting in the heat!

Top things to do on holiday in Carmarthen
Top things to do in Carmarthen
Besides the lovely beaches dotted around the coastline from Pembrey to Amroth including the famous sands of Pendine we can recommend some great places to visit while staying at Old Oak Barn
Check out this Trip Advisor link which lists the following as being worth a visit!
And we are only a few miles from Pembrokeshire which has so many beautiful beaches, spectacular scenery over the Preseli Hills and lots of popular visitor attractions for children of all ages many of which are open all year round. We know the area well and are on hand to help you plan the most of your holiday in Wales.