The quaint Welsh pub saved by Hollywood-backed campaign – in an UNESCO World heritage site & just minutes from the beach | The Sun

A PUB in Wales has been saved from closure after a Hollywood A-lister backed a campaign to keep its doors open.

The Glan Yr Afon pub in Pennal in southern Gwynedd in Wales has been part of its community since the 1800s.

But the pub's owners decided to sell the historic building, which left its future uncertain.

Instead of losing the pub to developers or allowing it to become derelict, local punters launched a campaign called Menter y Glan to save the watering hole.

Locals needed to raise a whopping £250,000 to secure the pub's future.

While it may have seemed like a tall order, the campaign was soon backed by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys who has ties to the area through his father.

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The Cardiff-born star is known for his roles in The Americans, Cocaine Bear, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood.

Rhys donated to the campaign and encouraged his fans to do the same after he visited the pub last year.

In a recent interview with BBC Wales Radio Breakfast, Rhys described his decision to support the campaign as a "no-brainer."

He added: "The community has now taken back control of the pub. It was either threatened with closure or being sold on or worse still, possibly becoming derelict."

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Locals reached their goal back in December, and the site successfully reopened in February 2023.

They also held an official launch party in July.

As well as relaunching their beloved pub, they aim to develop a shop and cafe too.

Further plans are also underfoot to turn the pub's upper floors into hotel rooms where holidaymakers can book to stay.

The pub is one of three restaurants in Pennal and gets good reviews on TripAdvisor.

The pub has a 4.5/5 star rating from 709 reviews on the platform -with many praising the reopening.

One person wrote: "The welcome from the new owners was excellent and the range of beers is first class. We would've stayed for dinner but the whole place was full. We will certainly come again."

Another added: "It's good to see that this pub has reopened!"

While a third wrote: "This pub and restaurant is in a tiny village and is owned and managed by the community. 

"All the more remarkable that the food and service was by far the best we experienced during our stay in mid-Wales."

The British pub serves lots of hearty grub and has dishes to suit a variety of dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

The pub is located in the Welsh village of Pennal, which is part of Dyfi Biosphere – a UNESCO site.

Dyfi Biosphere is a designated area around the Dyfi estuary, which is an important area for wildfowl and shorebirds.

The village also sits on the edge of Snowdonia National Park too.

And the pub is just a 20-minute drive away from Aberdyfi Beach, which is a small sandy beach on the edge of the village.

Other nearby attractions include King Arthur's Labyrinth, the Talyllyn Railway, and the Corris Steam Railway Museum and Railway.

Holidaymakers who want to stay overnight in Pennal can book a room at the White Lion Hotel, which costs £65 per night based on two people sharing a room.

Meanwhile, other Hollywood A-listers have taken their love of the pub one step further and bought their own.

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Acting royalty Sir Ian McKellen and Sean Mathias co-own The Grapes, a small London pub with a 500-year history.

And this restaurant is a celebrity's favorite with grub only costing £6.80 for a hearty portion.

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