Residents in Pontardawe, Swansea, no longer have to travel far for some decent pub-grub or a pint thanks to a young entrepreneur who has reopened a well-loved watering hole.
Lauren Castleton, who is just 23, opened the doors of the Ynysmeudwy Arms in October after taking over the lease from her uncle. Until then the pub, which had always been a favourite with locals, had remained closed for more than two years.
When Miss Castleton’s uncle purchased the premises in August 2013, the initial plan was to turn the building into either a block of apartments or a nursing home. However, Miss Castleton saw her dream of owning her own business become a step closer to reality, and persuaded her uncle to let her lease the premises for the next three years.
She secured a Young Person’s Bursary from the Centre for Business in the region of £6,000, which was enough to allow her to undertake the refurbishment, and now the pub is up and running, employing four full-time members of staff and one on a part-time basis.
Miss Castleton explains:
“I was working in a call centre and had been there for five years after completing my A-Levels at college. However, owning my own bar and restaurant has always been a dream of mine and, when this opportunity presented itself, I decided that it was now or never. Without the help of the Centre for Business, who helped me secure a Young Person’s Bursary, I certainly would not have been able to make my dream come true.
“They provided me with assistance when it came to filling out all of the necessary forms that needed to be completed and they offered me plenty of overall advice. The Centre for Business has been such a tremendous help. I would recommend that anyone, like me, who is wanting to go out on their own to get in touch with the Centre for Business for advice and assistance.
“Both my uncle and I worked hard over the course of a number of months to get the place ready for opening in October 2013. We gutted the inside of the building and the only original piece of interior that remained was the bar. We then put down new floors, painted the entire inside and outside of the pub to give a new and fresher look. Weekends are proving to be quite busy so far and we have just opened the kitchen for food service and are hoping that the weekly trade will pick up also now.
” Plans for the next 12 months include building a summer decking area outside and a conservatory, and Miss Castleton is also hoping to convert the upstairs area into bedrooms to offer a B&B option. As the summer approaches, she is also expecting to take on another two waitresses and a cleaner to help over the busier period. The kitchen is now serving pub-grub, Sunday lunch, an evening menu and daily specials, which are all available throughout the course of the week.
Miss Castleton adds:
“Without some financial help from my folks, in addition to the help received from the Centre for Business, I know that I would not have been able to make my dream become a reality. I am looking forward to what the next three years will bring. My goal is to ensure that the locals of Ynysmeudwy have a nice local pub and restaurant that they can return to again and again.
“The support so far has been tremendous. With no other pub in the immediate vicinity, the closest being a mile down the road, the local community seems to be only too delighted to have Ynysmeudwy Arms back again.”
To find out more about the Welsh Government’s Business Start Up Service please visit www.centreforbusiness.co.uk.
