In honour of the final episode of Gavin and Stacey, a hotel in Barry Island has amusingly rebranded itself as ‘What’s Occur-Inn’. The much-loved sitcom’s last instalment is set to air on iPlayer and One this Christmas Day.
The previous episode, aired in 2019, left viewers on tenterhooks with Nessa’s street proposal to Smithy, a storyline fans are eager to see concluded. After its Christmas release, the episode had garnered over 17 million views by New Year, making it one of the most-watched UK shows ever.
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With the announcement of the series finale, devotees of the Welsh sitcom have been flocking to Barry to catch a glimpse of Nessa and Stacey’s hometown. Now, they can immerse themselves further into the show’s world by staying at the newly renamed hotel during the festive season leading up to the final episode.
The Premier Inn, situated in the renowned filming location, has adopted the name change in tribute to the show’s memorable catchphrase, coined by Ruth Jones’ character Nessa.
Sam Boothroyd, a Premier Inn guest from South Yorkshire who was staying at the hotel at the time, expressed: “It was so exciting to see the What’s Occur-Inn sign. We were very surprised but really pleased. It’s really cool. The final episode is going to be great. We miss the King’s speech each year, but we won’t want to miss this.”
The ‘What’s Occur-Inn’ was inaugurated by none other than a Nessa lookalike, who was also spotted working at the hotel. In ‘true’ Nessa fashion, she takes a break from her shift for a tour around Barry, courtesy of Dave’s Coaches, after sneaking in a quick nap.
‘Knock-Off Nessa’ expressed: “As a Barry local myself, it’s been great to be involved in this opening. Ever since the final episode was announced, the town has come alive with the Gavin and Stacey buzz. It has been very exciting, especially when the filming started in September, so this is the cherry on top of a lush year.”
The rebranded hotel was opened by ‘Knock off Nessa’ based on Ruth Jones’ character in the show (Image: PinPep)
A representative from Premier Inn chimed in: “The last ever episode of Gavin and Stacy is a hotly-anticipated national event and as the UK’s biggest hotel company here to help people rest easy this Christmas, we hope our tribute to this beloved sitcom will make people smile.
“People visit our Barry Island hotel from as far and wide as China and even Hawaii, swapping Sunset Beach for Barry Beach to get a taste of what the Island is really like. With bookings at the hotel seeing an increase with guests flocking to the area to get a glimpse of the stars, so we thought this name change was very apt.
“Christmas is a time when people are often travelling great distances to stay with friends and family don’t compromise on quality sleep by risking a cramped spare room or sofa and definitely don’t even dream about a camping trip why not book with us.”