Tafarn Gymunedol Trewern - The Trewern Arms Community pub project
Help us secure the Trewern Arms as a hub for our community
The Trewern Arms has been at the heart of Nanhyfer/Nevern for generations — a place to meet, celebrate, mark the seasons, and simply be neighbours. Now that it has closed, we have a rare and real opportunity to secure it for the community, for good. We are exploring what that might look like - gathering voices, weighing options, and finding the path that puts local people in charge, for the long term.
This project is shaped by the community, for the community. We want to hear from as many people as possible about what the Trewern Arms means to you and what you'd like it to become — your views will directly shape the next stage of the venture. At its heart, this project is rooted in Nanhyfer and its community — a village steeped in history, Welsh language and culture. We want to celebrate and protect everything that makes this place what it is, while welcoming everyone who calls it home.
A great beginning
Thank you to everyone who managed to make it to our first community meeting in Nanhyfer on the 14th May - an amazing turn out of over a hundred people. Together we heard from the current pub owners about the circumstances leading to the closing of the pub and more about the premises and practical aspects of the business. Everyone then had the opportunity to discuss in small groups their hopes and ideas for what they would like to see at the heart of our village, and then these ideas were shared back with the room. Ideas were all collected on paper and will feed into the next stage of the plans along with a wider community consultation.
An amazing and overwhelmingly positive start to a new venture in our village. More meetings will be planned as we reach the next milestones - please join our mailing list to be kept up to date.
What would you like to see?
We would love to hear from you. Perhaps you're passionate about live music and events, or you'd love to see locally sourced food and drink, Welsh language classes, a community orchard, a café space, a children's playground, craft groups, training and apprenticeships for young people, a post office, a farm shop — or maybe you simply want a traditional village pub back at the heart of Nanhyfer. Whatever your vision, we want to hear it.
We are at the very beginning of this journey and there are many ways to get involved — from joining the steering group and helping shape the project, to offering your skills and time as things develop. No experience of community business is necessary; what matters most is enthusiasm for Nanhyfer and its future. If you'd like to be part of this, please fill in the questionnaire below, pass this on to friends and neighbours, and let's find out together what's possible.
Community pubs are not just surviving — they are thriving. With a 99% success rate and numbers growing by over 60% in five years, they are one of the most inspiring stories in community life today.
There is a wealth of advice and experience behind community pub projects in the UK. This guide from the Plunkett Foundation walks through many of the stages we'll be going through — well worth a read if you'd like to understand the journey ahead.
This case study from Menter Ty’n Llan Cyfyngedig shares the story of the Community Benefit Society created by local people to secure and safeguard the future of the Ty’n Llan Public House in Llandwrog, Gwynedd. It’s an inspiring story of what may be possible in Nanhyfer.
