Lion Inn www.lioninn.co.uk

Trellech, Monmouthshire Tom and Debbie Zsigo first set up a website for the Lion Inn around seven years ago, around 12 months after they brought the freehold of the Trellech pub, which is set in the picturesque Wye Valley, but not exactly on the beaten track.

Tom's previous job as an IT consultant helped minimise the cost of setting up the site and is also apparent in the design and ease of use.

"Everyone that has seen the website has said it is good, easy to read and well laid out," say the Zsigos.

And they are right.

Tom and Debbie's initial plan for the site was to raise awareness about the Lion and, importantly, to generate extra income for their pub.

If anything, this plan has now taken on added poignancy because four village pubs within a five-mile radius of the Lion have closed in recent months, demonstrating how vulnerable pubs can be if they don't attract good local custom, as well as drawing in people from outside the immediate vicinity.

A list of what the pub and the surrounding area have to offer runs down the left-hand side of the home page.

The list includes: details of the pub; a short history of the Monmouthshire village; menus; a stock list of beers and ciders; events; how to find the pub; a web cam; a photo gallery; and a list of the many awards picked up by the Lion.

There is also an on-line facility to book accommodation for a cottage to the rear of the pub and information on how horse lovers can bring their steeds on holiday with them when they rent the cottage.

Pride of place in the photo gallery goes to pictures of the couple attending a reception hosted by Prince Charles at his Highgrove residency last May to celebrate two years of the Pub is the Hub campaign.

Although food forms the backbone of the pub's turnover, pictures on the website reassure would-be visitors that the Lion remains a pub and has not transmuted into a restaurant.

Last July, the Lion "moved" to a new web address, which was also registered with several internet search engines.

The wisdom of the move was evident within the first month, when the couple received two bookings for the newly-completed cottage.

Tom does admit, however, that the full impact on business of the new website has yet to be measured, although he says the number of hits is increasing on a daily basis.

It took Tom around 30 hours to design the site and a minimal outlay (just £35) to get it up-and-running.

He currently spends roughly two hours per week keeping it up-to-date.

To ensure that people get the message about the pub, all correspondence and advertising features the Lion's web address.