A WELSH man has clocked up the miles in West Cork as his business marks its 30th anniversary this year.

Phil Walters has is celebrating reaching the milestone at the Woodburning Centre in Drimoleague after moving here from London on a whim three decades ago.

As well as successfully running the business, the 71-year-old has also built up an impressive collection of classic cars including a model that’s featured in a James Bond film.

Phil started out running an architectural salvage business on the Old Kent Road in London.

Phil Walters with his 1960 Austin Healy Frogeye Sprite. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

‘Basically I’d buy doors, fireplace, architraves – bits of buildings –  and then sell them on. At the time, the early 90s, London was getting congested and my wife and I wanted a safer environment to bring up our children. I saw an ad in a newspaper for a farmhouse and 10 acres for sale in Bantry and it got us thinking.

‘We came over on a whim at the start of December and stayed in a rented Georgian house in Bantry for a week and fell in love with the place. Someone told us about a cottage that was available to rent in the area and we all moved over on April 1st, Fool’s Day, 1996.

‘I remember it had rained so much we could hardly get the loaded van up the driveway and it rained non-stop for the first three weeks. We later found a property in Drimoleague which has been home since and which was a wonderful place to raise our family,’ he said.

He opened his first business here in Bantry selling antique fire places, stoves and bric-a-brac, later moving to Drimoleague where he set up the Woodburning Centre.

While growing the business, he also indulged his passion for classic cars.

‘I developed this interest as a lad when I restored an Austin Healey. When the kids got a bit older I got back into it and have an 1960 Austen Healey Frogeye; a 1966 Sunbeam Alpine Series 5 GT, which was in a James Bond film and a few MG Midgets from the 70s,’ he said.

Phil doesn’t restore the cars but with his skillset he does the mechanical repairs.

‘I’m part of a group in West Cork called ‘Interesting Cars’ and we meet up regularly for drives. Just recently we went from Bantry to the Mizen, and I drive them every chance I get really. I like to play music from the 60s and 70s – the Beatle or the Stones – while driving along and getting lost in nostalgia! My sons also enjoy them and its’ something that brings us together. It’s a good interest to have – once you have a place to store the cars, the tax and insurance isn’t too high.’

Now semi-retired, Phil has more time for his hobby and says coming to West Cork was the best move his family could have made.

‘Coming from a more pressured environment, it was wonderful. I love the honesty and integrity of people here. It’s been an exceptional place to do business West Cork has been really good to me. The next generation is involved in the business now, two of my sons are on board, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the future brings.’