Martin Roberts announces exciting new project away from Homes Under the Hammer after ‘accidental’ purchase

PRESENTER Martin Roberts has announced a new project he is working on away from Homes Under the Hammer.

The show host developed an affinity for Wales after spending a lot of time there filming the BBC renovation programme.

He then went on holiday there with his son during some time off work, which deepened his appreciation of the "absolutely world class" location.

The 60-year-old ended up buying an old farmhouse in the Rhondda Valleys and transforming it into an Airbnb with his spouse Kirsty.

While bonding with the locals, Martin found out about a pub in the area that had shut for good during lockdown.

Without consulting anyone, he sprung into action and purchased it.

Now he is working on the daunting project of spending £500k to refurbish it.

He told : "The Hendrewen Hotel was a much-loved pub, famous in the area for its Sunday lunches. But they lost the heart of their little village and that's heart-breaking, so I thought I would buy the Hendrewen inn.

"I often act a bit on gut instinct, and possibly don't always tell my wife because sometimes I think there's a danger I will be talked out of things because they appear daft on the surface, I only sort of mention it when it's too late!"

Martin also joked: "I've never run a pub, I've never run a restaurant, and I've never run a hotel so, hey, what could possibly go wrong?!"

He was surprised to see how quickly the news about him taking over the boozer spread.

"My cleaner rang me up one day," the bemused man laughed, "and she said, 'Have you bought the Hendrewen? My aunty was in the queue down Asda and the woman behind was saying 'that Martin Roberts has bought the Hendrewen'.

"It's just hysterical because as far as I was concerned I hadn't told anybody, but it was being discussed in Asda."