Villagers link up with TV firm to re-open pub

A committee of villagers has taken over the running of their under-threat local pub thanks to the help of a television company.

The Raven Inn, in Llanarmon-yn-Ial, near Mold, Denbighshire, which will now be run as the Raven Community Pub, had been closed and on the market for three months.

But after being approached by TV company Twofour, villagers voted to accept its help in re-establishing the pub.

The company and nine villagers have set up a limited company - Raven Mad - and agreed a six-year lease deal with the private owners of the freehold.

The pub will initially be run by volunteers, but the committee is hoping to appoint a permanent manager within six months and plans to franchise out the food operation.

At Saturday's grand opening villagers turned out in force to support the venture, after some helped clean up the pub.

Chris Lees, chairman of Raven Mad, said: "It was absolutely fantastic, we did not publicise it much but we still had around 80 people turn up. We had a good level of custom all over the weekend."

Doug Macpherson, a member for Raven Mad, said it had been a promising start. "We were really busy and even ran out of real ale, so someone had to go to the brewery to pick up some more."

Twofour is also making a documentary about the project, due to be aired in the autumn.

It has also put up the money for the first month's rent, some initial stock and insurance, which will paid back by the villagers.

The company is also providing an experienced mentor for the first month while the pub gets off the ground.

A spokesman for Twofour said: "With so many rural pubs closing around the country, Twofour is delighted to have the opportunity to help save some of them. The precedent of community run pubs has proved successful, and hopefully this show will encourage more to go down this route. We wish the Raven every success."