Monmouthshire pub tackles loneliness and social isolation

A pub in the Monmouthshire village of Tal-y-coed is aiming to support local people to overcome loneliness and social isolation.  

Publicans Rhiannon Metters and Jason James, who run The Halfway pub, are addressing the fact that this rural community is an area where many people live and work alone, meaning they have little opportunity for social interaction. 

The area has a population of a little over 700 people and limited services, with no local shop or public transport links to nearby more populated areas. After contacting charity Pub is The Hub for help and advice in order to tackle the lack of services and activities for people in the local community, the publicans have launched some new areas of their business.  

What have they done?

The Halfway has launched a new village store inside an area of the pub, which stocks a range of essentials from bread, milk, cheese, bacon, honey and ham. There are plans to eventually move this into an outbuilding for more space and to stock more products from local suppliers. 

A new marquee has also been erected, which is being used as a community hub to support social interaction, community cohesion and promote health and wellbeing. It is also the centre of a range of community events and is being used as the base for the new local produce market. 

The village shop will also be used to provide opportunities to create partnerships with schools and youth service providers to ensure young people are given an insight into local produce, reducing carbon footprint and how the shop can help to support the rural economy.  

"We are situated in an isolated rural community with the pub being the social hub of the area," says Metters. "It is so important that we support local people ensuring they are not feeling isolated and alone. We are very passionate about making sure this is a pub for everyone in the area. 

"The village store here in this isolated rural area is such a support for people in the local community with the marquee enabling us to run more community events supporting both local people and suppliers."

Expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub were provided to help with the opening of a village store and community marquee.  

Pub is The Hub is a not-for-profit organisation that helps pubs to diversify and provide essential local services. It has supported a number of projects in rural areas across Wales after receiving a grant of £25,000 from The Royal Countryside Fund. 

"These publicans are the real heroes of this local community and have made the pub the hub of this rural village," says Pub is The Hub regional advisor Roger Belle. "Offering these services and activities to support people in this area of Wales is proving to be a lifeline to overcome social isolation and loneliness."

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