A Welsh village pub which was saved from closure by the local community - with a little help from a Hollywood actor - is proving to be a success.
The Glan yr Afon, in the village of Pennal in Gwynedd, looked like it would close permanently when its owners announced their decision to sell up. But the community came together to form a group called Menter y Glan and before Christmas it was confirmed that enough funds had been raised to buy the pub. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.
The money raised locally through a share offer was backed by funding from the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund, and a volunteer team was formed to carry out essential maintenance work at the pub, which has now re-opened.
Among those backing the plan was Emmy Award-winning Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, whose father grew up in the area. He said: “Owain Glyndŵr himself would be proud of the community fighting spirit shown so far, so I would urge people from over the world to get involved and invest in a little part of history.”
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Meirion Roberts, chairman of Menter y Glan management committee, told North Wales Live: "A new volunteer group has been formed to continue on the original plan to develop a village shop and café and develop Glan yr Afon to be a true community hub. As part of the vision of Menter y Glan we are keen to make steps to develop our community mental health hub.
“We are well aware of the challenges of accessing healthcare and support and also the importance of facilitating access for people who struggle with their mental health. We are working with other organisations to move this idea forward. The work of the local volunteers has been overwhelming and it shows what true community spirit really means. We think that Owain Glyndwr would be quite proud of what we have achieved.
"With Easter upon us and with our new head chef producing quality house-made food we are currently seeking a front of house manager to oversee the restaurant operation. If interested, please email admin@menteryglan.org. Plans are in place to have a grand official opening on June 16 to thank all those people who have helped us on this journey.”
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