The Tafarn y Plu in Llanystumdwy is extending its community garden and allotment to give locals somewhere to gather to combat loneliness and isolation.

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. Expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub has been given to buy raised beds, create a sensory garden and improve 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.

There are also opportunities for more volunteers, including those with mobility issues, to work on the upkeep of the garden. There are also plans to get the garden’s sensory and wellbeing area ready near a former chapel on the site. There are also plans for the local primary school to help with some of the raised beds to educate them on how to grow their own food.

The pub is located in former Prime Minister David Lloyd George’s home village of Llanystumdwy. It was bought by members of the community in 2019 who set up a community benefit society called Menter y Plu.

Pub is The Hub, a not-for-profit organisation that helps pubs diversify and provide essential local services, is supporting projects in rural areas across Wales after receiving a grant of £25,000 from The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

Publican Siôn Jones said: “This community garden will give local people the chance to grow their own food in a safe and friendly environment. 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.”

Wales regional advisor for Pub is The Hub, Malcolm Harrison, said: “This community garden will be an ideal place for people of all ages to get together and socialise.

“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.”

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 pub.

If you are a pub in Wales that could help your local community by diversifying your pub’s services please go to www.pubisthehub.org.uk for further details or email [email protected].