The Leyland Arms is owned by the Nantclwyd Estate and is leased by Steve Nicolopulo and his partner Glenice Lavin. They host the lunches for the estate’s shooting parties through the winter. A landlord with 40 years’ experience, Steve had officially retired when he moved to the village but agreed to run the pub when it was threatened with closure three years ago. Since then he has kept the pub open and the couple say they couldn’t have done it without the support of the local community.
Following a successful trial in 2011 with a rented marquee, Steve decided to apply for funding to purchase a marquee through the Pub is The Hub/Cadwyn Clwyd Co-operation Project through the Welsh Assembly. The marquee has increased the space at the Leyland Arms in Llanelidan near Ruthin and is being used to host gatherings for the whole village.
With regular events and activities being held in the village, there was never enough space at the pub which always tended to overspill outside. Cadwyn Clwyd has funded £750 of the £1,000 cost to purchase the marquee which has now taken up permanent residence at the pub.
They don’t have any heaters yet so the marquee will probably go down over the winter but it has been a huge boost to the pub’s business and has made the pub much more flexible for the community’s requirements.
UPDATE June 2016:
The pub is now trading as a pub restaurant under new operators Terry and Belinda. The marquee is still available for the community to use.
This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
For more information telephone 01423 546165 or email enquiries@pubisthehub.org.uk