The community of Crymych in North Pembrokeshire is gearing up to launch a cooperative share offer with the aim of buying the local pub, the Crymych Arms.

The local football club wants to coordinate a community purchase of the historic pub in the heart of the village which has been closed since the pandemic.

The club would then reopen it as a traditional food and drink pub while also being a new base for the football club.

The pub has historic and cultural significance, it was thought to be the site of the first building in Crymych. The Crymych Arms name first appears on the 1861 census although a building is shown on the 1812 enclosure map.

A casualty of the coronavirus lockdowns, its presence in the village is sorely missed, “Many residents miss the opportunity to eat, drink and socialise at the Crymych Arms,” said a Crymych FC spokesperson.

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The club is taking its lead from other football clubs in Wales, such as Wrexham Football Club, that have launched community share offers to support the development of their clubs.

Its plans were recently given a national audience when featured by Eamonn Holmes on GB News.

Club secretary Robin Davies and the chair of the local community council, Cris Tomos, were interviewed live on air.

"It is great to see that a share pledge campaign has already seen over £130,000 being promised by local people,” said Cris.

“We now have had support from Cwmpas Cooperative and Coop UK to register the football club as a Community Benefit Society with the FCA, that will then allow us to launch the share offer before the end of March.

“We are also hoping to catch the end of the tax relief scheme before it closes on of April 5, that will allow investors to have 30 per cent Social Tax Investment Relief."

The share offer will be launched at third public meeting on Monday, March 20, at 7pm in Crymych Market Hall.

Anyone interested in knowing more about the share offer scheme can visit the website www.cpdcrymych.cymru or email crymychfc@gmail.com People are also encouraged to come to the meeting to ask questions and pick up the share offer forms.

 

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