A GROUP hoping to buy a village pub for community use has begun fundraising efforts with a music event.

The Garndolbenmaen Community Group is still hoping to buy the Cross Foxes, which shut last year, despite an application by its owners to turn the tavern into a dwelling being approved by Gwynedd Council in May.

The group says they have not given up hope and have renewed fundraising efforts, and are in discussion with the building’s owners.

Plans for the pub, which remains on the market, were twice deferred to give the group enough time to try and buy the pub outright.

But now the group has received clearance for its financial conduct authority number to raise shares and apply for grants and is determined to buy the pub to use as a community hub.

The Rocio Garn gig on 22 September at the Garndolbenmaen village hall raised £175 and was “brilliant”, organiser and group chair Carroll Morris said.

“From the profit we have been able to produce a share offer form with 1,000 printed,” she said.

“They will be distributed in the following days and our website will be up and running in the next few days.

“Remember, from little acorns grow big trees, so upwards and onwards we go.

“We would also like to say a massive thank you to Dave Thomas for his drum workshop, to Arfon Wyn, White Ether and Y Cyffro for giving us their time.”

The group says they now have more fundraising events planned, with talks ongoing.

“The best news is that we are now in dialogue with the owners,” Carroll added.

“They have a copy of our share form.

“We have told them where we stand and that it takes approximately three months to get answers back on grant applications – a process that we are in the process of filling out.

“We have been allocated a community regeneration officer to help us by Gwynedd Council, and our thanks to them for this service.”

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online now