PRESS RELEASE : Welsh projects’ success in latest round of Community Ownership Fund [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 22 December 2023.
A pub and museum, both in North East Wales, will receive a share of £440,000 in UK Government funding.
- £440,000 will be awarded to two projects in Wales to breathe new life into a village community pub and build a new museum and art gallery
- The Sun Inn pub set to receive £292,000 for transformation into community hub
- Museum in Denbighshire to undergo renovations with £146,580 from fund
A community pub is one of the successful Welsh projects set to receive thousands in UK Government funding following a successful bidding round.
Wales will receive a total of £440,000 as part of the Round 3 Window 2 of the Community Ownership Fund.
To date, Wales has received £4.2 million for 19 projects, including a pub frequented by Dylan Thomas. The pub, in the village of Ystrad Aeron in Ceridigion, won a £300,000 grant in September this year.
The Sun Inn community pub, supported by the community Ownership Fund development support provider, will now also receive £292,000 to purchase and renovate the Sun Inn in Eryrys, near Mold to create a social hub for the village that complements the neighbouring Dewi Sant Community Centre.
In Denbighshire, essential renovations to Llangollen Museum will make it available for future generations to enjoy. Once completed, the building will reopen as a museum and art gallery offering a range of educational programmes for schools and educational institutions.
UK Government minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said:
We’ve had brilliant bids from every corner of the UK and I’m delighted we’re supporting an extra 72 projects with almost £25 million of levelling up funding going directly to community groups.
We know this funding has the power to bring about meaningful change to local people; protecting local spaces, preserving historic buildings, and transforming communities.
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:
“Congratulations to the Sun Inn, and the Llangollen Museum which are both receiving funding from the UK Government to safeguard them for the future.
“We recognise how important it is for communities to give the places that are important to them a new lease of life. These projects mean that local people will have somewhere to socialise and amenities that bring them together.”
The Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund over 4 years to support community groups across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost to the community.
This window will see £24.7 million awarded to 72 projects across the United Kingdom. This additional funding will take the funding total to £71.4 million for 257 projects.
