A NEGATIVE review of a Machynlleth Cafe – due to staff and customers speaking Welsh there - has caused a storm in a coffee cup.

And a Powys County Councillor believes that it’s time for the attacks on the language to stop, as it is a unique selling point for tourists.

Simon P an Englishman who had moved to Dolgellau visited Cafe Alys in the town.

In his review on Tripadvisor he said he felt “not welcome” while having a coffee there.

In his now deleted posting, he said: “We realised quite quickly that we had wandered into a haven of the Welsh language.

“We chose to make Wales our home some years ago and enjoy the fact that the language is being brought back to life, but this is the first time we have not felt welcome somewhere.”

Glantwymyn County Councillor and Powys CC, Plaid Cymru group leader, Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, said: “We live in a bilingual community with a proud long history thorough the medium of Welsh. It’s the home of Owain Glyndwr’s Parliament, of poets and authors, of a cross roads that joins Gwynedd and old Dyfed. It’s a natural Welsh speaking area.

“It’s empty vessels that think that a monolingual imperialistic language is the norm. Everyone should have access to full bilingual education and adults given easy access to learn Welsh. Let’s make the most of what makes this area unique and different to the rest of the world or do we want a boring homogenous magnolia area.

“It’s our USP, unique selling point, harness it, enjoy it.”

In response to the claims, cafe owner Gail Jenkins, said: “As a Welsh speaker, you get used to these kind of things.

“It is the kind of place where a lot of locals come in, so we do talk to each other in Welsh.

“Maybe he felt I was not giving him as much attention as I could have, but all my staff are very friendly, so to say that my staff were rude and unwelcoming is not true.

“Of course it angers me, but I’m not going to take it out on anyone else.

“On Saturday we were having a book festival, it was a bilingual event, there were lots of Welsh people in on that particular day.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened.”