Gwynedd pub opens community garden for local residents

The Tafarn y Plu in Gwynedd, north Wales, has diversified its pub’s offer by extending its community garden and allotment to help local residents get together and combat loneliness and isolation.

Expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub was provided to help with the purchase of raised beds, the creation of a sensory garden and improved pathways to make the garden more accessible.

Volunteers from the village gave over 70 hours of their time to help develop the community garden and get it ready for spring.

The pub, which is also known as The Feathers Inn, is located in the village of Llanystumdwy. It was purchased by members of the local community in 2019, who set up a community benefit society called Menter y Plu.

This is the second pub to be supported in diversifying its services as part of a new two-year programme for Wales from Pub is The Hub, in partnership with The Prince’s Countryside Fund. 

"This community garden will give local people the chance to grow their own food in a safe and friendly environment," says publican Siôn Jones (pictured). "The raised beds, along with the new accessible pathway, means the project can include everyone from older people with mobility issues, to the disabled to young children.

"We also have plans for a self-service garden hut, where people can leave a donation and purchase fresh food grown in the garden. The contact offered by gardening in an allotment environment will be a great help to combat social isolation in this rural area."

Publican Siôn Jones behind the bar

Community site

As well as the community garden, the pub is used for many other social and community activities. Clubs and societies such as the book club, darts team, weekly tea and cake afternoons, IT group, learn Welsh Group, table tennis and the monthly clothes exchange all take place at the site.

"This community garden will be an ideal place for people of all ages to get together and socialise," says Malcolm Harrison, Wales regional advisor for Pub is The Hub. "This pub is the hub of its local community that is helping people form friendships and connections in a healthy, outdoor environment. We are continuing to help pubs in Wales to diversify to help their local communities whether that is projects such as community gardens, village stores or cafés."

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