Six months into the £1.3m local services initiative for Welsh pubs launched in March 2012 and the response has been encouraging.
52 pubs have expressed an interest in diversification with 38 pubs having more than one visit to discuss ideas. This has led to a further 24 considering making applications for funding with nine actually made: Three have been in the Vale of Glamorgan, five in Denbighshire and one in Brigend.
In addition there have been two workshops held in the Vale of Glamorgan and Flintshire for 12 licensees and two more are planned in February 2013 with Gwynedd and Ceridigion.
Malcolm Harrison, Director for Pub is The Hub commented: “Whilst we’ve made great progress so far we still need pubs to come forward to take advantage of our funding window and, realistically, this closes at the end of next summer. Great opportunities like this don’t come along very often for pubs so it would be a shame for anyone to miss out.”