North Wales pub opens shop to serve local community

The entrance hall of the Red Lion in Cyffylliog, Denbighshire, has been converted into a fully-equipped store offering a range of essential items.

It is being run by the pub’s landlord Nirmal Singh and his family, who previously ran a shop in Birmingham before taking over the Red Lion last year.

"We knew how to set it up and it makes things a lot easier for the people here and saves them a lot of time and petrol," said Singh.

“It’s convenient and it’s added value for the village and the local community which we are part of and which we want to support.”

Pub is the Hub teamed up with Cadwyn Clwyd (the rural development agency for Denbighshire and Flintshire) earlier this year after a £1.3m package of support for rural pubs was announced by the Welsh Government.

The Red Lion was given a grant of £7,500 towards building the new shop — 75% of the total cost — and it was officially opened by Clwyd West National Assembly member Darren Millar.

Millar said: “All too often we see village shops closing across North Wales, so it’s great to see a new one opening and if it helps keep the local pub going, that’s even better.”