Honour for post office in a pub

The post office opened in part of the pub a year ago

A post office run from a pub in a tiny Ceredigion village has been named the best in rural Wales by the Royal Mail.

Ian Davies has been subpostmaster at the Black Lion in Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron, since September 2005.

Judges said they were impressed by Mr Davies' enthusiasm and customers' appreciation of his work.

Mr Davies runs the business from a room at the inn and had been nominated by customers for the annual awards, run by the Royal Mail.

In other categories, Cwmbran post office won the best main branch while Caerleon Road, Newport, scooped the best town/city prize.

Mr Davies said he was "still in shock" after winning the rural award.

The Post Office is terribly important and vital Garage owner John Jones

"I moved the branch over to the hotel about 12 months ago, with help from a capital start-up grant, and the support from customers has been marvellous," said Mr Davies.

"I am delighted customers think so much of the service that they nominated the branch for the awards."

Customer and village garage owner John Jones, 45, said: "The post office is terribly important and vital."

"We use it several times a week to do things like tax cars."

Mr Jones said travelling to nearby Tregaron or Aberystwyth would cost "time and money".

Gill Pirie, from nearby Ysbyty Ystwyth, said Mr Davies was friendly and welcoming.

Last week, thousands of subpostmasters from across the UK delivered a petition signed by four million people to Downing Street, calling for rural post offices to be saved.

Campaigners said 6,000 branches were under threat, with the current £150m-a-year subsidy for the rural network due to be withdrawn in 2008.