RESIDENTS of a rural community are seeking to raise £275,000 to buy their village pub and keep it open.

A campaign has been launched in the village of Cwmdu, near Crickhowell, to see how much interest there is in residents clubbing together to buy out the Farmers Arms.

Its current owners are keen to sell up and retire and local people who fear the pub, which has been on the market for around three years, could close have formed a Friends of the Farmers Arms group to try and buy it.

Richard Renshaw, one of those behind the campaign which held a public meeting was held in the village hall last week, said the couple who own the pub had recently said they would be willing to accept a valuation previously put forward. He said: “We need to sound out how much support there is and whether the idea is a goer.”

The friends are now inviting pledges to see how much financial support there is for buying the pub. Once the group has a total amount it will decide whether it can go ahead and purchase the pub and how it should run the business long term.

Mr Renshaw said although he isn’t a regular at the pub he thinks it is a vital part of the village which saw its primary school close in March 2012.

“I’m not a regular pub goer but I enjoy going there now and again. When we first came here 23 years ago it was a very popular pub and attracted people from outside the area and local farmers as well. It trailed off over the years and has had several owners. The current owners want to get out and retire and it has been on the market for a few years.

“There’s not been a great deal of interest and as a group we’re concerned if it does close that could be the end of it.

“It is an important asset to the community. We’ve lost the school, that was quite a blow, and now we could lose the pub. As a place for people to meet I think it is quite important.”

The sculptor said should the buy out be successful he thinks its new community owners should seek tenants for the pub, which as a free house isn’t tied to a brewery.

“I think we would look for tenants, a young couple with energy and ideas, not run it as volunteers. There have been other examples of people going down that route that have struggled.”

Kathryn Silk, the Powys county councillor for Cwmdu, said a meeting had been held in November last year which indicated support for a buy out and the group is now collecting pledges towards its total.

“The meeting last week was to find out how much money we can raise.

“Until we know how much money we can raise we can’t know whether it is viable or whether it will be just a handful of people or a wider group.

“We need to raise £275,000 which is the purchase price and other costs such as stamp duty and legal fees.

“Time is of the essence to a certain extent though it will take three to four months for the pledges to come back.”

More information about the group and how to make a pledge towards buying the pub is available on their website friendsofthefarmersarms.org.