Impasse at historic village pub rumbles on

THE future of a historic pub remains unclear as campaigners and the property’s owner continue to disagree about its future.

The owners of the 18th century former Vaynol Arms want to turn it into holiday lets, but an action group opposes the plans.

The Pentir Village Action Group says it wants to obtain the 18th century former Vaynol Arms for use as a village pub and community hub but has rejected a lease offer from the owners, saying they want to own it, but the the property’s owners say it is not for sale.

A previous application to convert the 18th century former Vaynol Arms into holiday accommodation was turned down. Now, its owners propose to convert the ground floor to holiday lets.

The upper floor of the pub is already run as a three bedroom apartment and listed on Airbnb.

After the property was purchased, it was leased to R&R Tavern who reopened it in late June 2021 as a pub/restaurant on a temporary license. Duncan Gilroy, director at Vaynol Arms Ltd, said it later closed for six weeks amid an appeal against local objections to an application for a full licence.

It again reopened for a short while but then ceased trading in early 2022.

Once R&R Taverns had vacated the property, they said they “offered the lease on extremely favourable terms” to Pentir Action.

“We agreed to a rent-free period, a year at substantially reduced rent, rising eventually over a period of three years to a rent equivalent of 50% of the rent the previous landlord had paid.

However in its response, the action group said it .did not feel that leasing was “an appropriate option”.

“We wish to purchase the entire property, and we suggest independent valuations of the Vaynol Arms are obtained.

“When these have been received and when you are ready to sell, we can then carry matters forwards,” the letter said.