Farmer buys pub to sell own meat

The family hopes the pub will further promote local produce

An organic farmer has bought his local watering hole so he can sell produce from his farm in the restaurant.

Wyn Hughes, 49, saw an opportunity to diversify when the Red Lion pub went on sale at Dinas Mawddwy, Gwynedd.

Mr Hughes' wife Beryl, 50, is taking time out from being a supply teacher to be the pub cook, whilst eldest son Berwyn, 25, is the licensee.

Farmers' Union of Wales vice president Emyr Jones, said it re-enforced the message that local produce was best.

He added: "The customer is increasingly asking where the produce has come from, and when people go out for a meal they want to know what it is they are eating.

"I think every farmer should make a go of diversification if they can, but at the end of the day it has to be something they enjoy doing."

Mr Hughes, who has two other sons, Gerallt, 24, and Carwyn, 17, has already branched out into bottled mineral water after it was discovered by chance that the farm water supply was very pure.

He said: "I had a bit of kidney trouble and had a cabin fitted at home so I could have dialysis here, and when they checked the water they discovered it was of exceptional quality."

Mr Hughes says he drinks less since he bought the Red Lion

Following two kidney transplants Mr Hughes is now fit again and decided to venture into the pub trade when his local came on the market.

"It is quite a big risk because we have borrowed against the farm to buy the pub," he added.

"But I hope that between the pub and the farm as well as the bottled water there will be enough here to provide a living for us all."

Apart from employing his wife as cook and son as licensee Mr Hughes hopes to supply the pub with lamb and beef, and also his own organic pork sausages.

Beryl Hughes said the change from the classroom to the pub kitchen was taking some getting used to.

She said: "At the moment I'm still doing everything the long way round, I'm walking miles. But I hope that when things settle down it will get easier.

"I've also said I'm off every Wednesday because I want to teach one day a week as I very much enjoy being with the children."