A food smokery loved by celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay has become embroiled in a row with a neighbouring zoo claiming its visitors are left choking on their fumes.
Halen Môn smokery, which has catered for royal weddings and ex-US presidents, has been accused by next door Anglesey Sea Zoo of 'choking' its visitors, who staff say are left 'gagging and with tears in their eyes'.
The smokery infuses its expensive natural salt in its specialist ovens neighbouring the marine wildlife zoo.
Zoo owner Frankie Hobro, 50, has called for smokery staff to keep doors and windows closed to prevent wind from blowing smoke towards the zoo.
But a year-long council study confirmed the smokery's emissions on Anglesey are safe and 'comfortably exceed Wales' quality air standards'.
Smoke rising from the Halen Môn food smokery, which is now embroiled in a row with a neighbouring zoo over fumes
Staff at next door Anglesey Sea Zoo claim that fumes from the smokery are 'choking' its visitors
Staff at the zoo said the smoke has a 'horrible' smell and the grey clouds of steam have cause discomfort to staff and visitors.
A video posted on its Facebook page showed clouds of grey smoke descending from the smokery alongside the costal path.
She said: 'It seeps through every gap and crevice. The smoke smells absolutely horrible and leaves people gagging and with tears in their eyes.
'It's been an almost daily occurrence since Halen Môn built its smokery next door four years ago.
'We constantly have to apologise to all our visitors.'
Alison Lea-Wilson, co-founder of Halen Môn, originally set up Anglesey Sea Zoo in 1984, alongside her husband David and a mutual friend.
It changed hands with Frankie in 2007 - who shifted the zoo towards indigenous British marine life with over 40 tanks and 150 species.
Ms Lea-Wilson's sea salt company next door has supplied royal weddings, the London 2012 Olympics and Gordon Ramsay's and Heston Blumenthal restaurants.
The company was recently awarded Protected Designation of Origin status - the first Welsh product to be protected alongside other iconic items like the great Cornish pasties and Parma ham.
It established its smokery in 2008 to enhance the flavour of Halen Môn's renowned sea salt - and has since expanded to other oak-smoked products, such as sugar, condiments, and even smoked water.
Halen Môn smokery is beloved by celebrity chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal
The smokery seen from the zoo. Staff have complained of 'horrible' smoke from the facility next door, which leaves 'people gagging and with tears in their eyes'
They improved the smokehouse in 2021 due to high demand and installed an electrostatic precipitator to capture fine particles and erecting a nine-metre flue to disperse emissions.
However, after the zoo raised concerns Anglesey Council conducted a year-long emissions study which found no significant problems.
It stated: 'Based upon the obtained particulate monitoring data and Public Protection officer site observations (conducted on various dates and times throughout the 12-month period), this local authority is satisfied that a Statutory Nuisance 'smoke emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance' is not in existence.
'Therefore, this Statutory Nuisance complaint has now been closed.'
Frankie added: 'I accept the smokery is meeting all its planning and environmental obligations but the fact remains we have thick grey smoke billowing across our attraction when the smokery fires up.
'It's unacceptable. We are fed up with it and so are people living nearby. We are in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and we're trying to attract people with the promise of fresh air and spectacular views across to Eryri (Snowdonia).
'Instead, we're having to live with the threat of smoke 24/7. If this is OK, then the system is broken and it needs to be fixed.'
Halen Môn said its in ongoing discussions with the zoo, just outside the village of Brynsiencyn, about its concerns.
Families enjoying the zoo as smoke rises from the nearby smokery.
A representative for the company said: 'Community is at the heart of Halen Mon and everything we do is aimed at celebrating the resources and reputation of Anglesey.
'We value a good relationship with all our neighbours and local community, most especially Sw Mor Mon (Anglesey Sea Zoo), a business which we actually started from scratch, nourished and ran for more than 20 years.
'In line with this, we have had several discussions with Frankie Hobro about her concerns, most recently this week.'
They added: 'We will always be a responsible business. We care deeply about our staff and environmental welfare across the board, as well as our local community.
'As part of our B CORP accreditation, we work closely with the local community, working with more than 100 local activities and groups.'
A spokesperson from Anglesey Council confirmed: 'No statutory nuisance was identified and the matter was subsequently closed.'
