A LANDLORD of 15 years has celebrated being at the helm of a rural pub for a year, but also being the new landlord of a long-closed village local.
Danny Chamberlain became the landlord of The Swan Inn at Letton in May, a pub which had been closed for several years and had purely operated as a campsite and bed and breakfast.
In June he marked a year at The Castlefields in Clifford, near Hay-on-Wye, which he took on after being approached by the owners and departing The Boat Inn in Whitney-on-Wye, with many of his previous customers continuing to support him.
Mr Chamberlain said both of his pubs are unique and operate differently, but says he never shies away from a hands-on task at either pub.
"I think the most rewarding thing for me is reopening The Castlefields and creating that vibe amongst friends, family, because The Castlefields is in a really remote location, there's not many pubs that offer what we do," he said when recounting his first year at the pub.
Mr Chamberlain said he has ensured that the pub remains community-focused, raising money for local schools and nursing homes, and hosting weekly quizzes and bingo nights for those who otherwise may be isolated.
Although both of his pubs present different food offerings, with The Swan specialising in smash burgers and loaded fries, and The Castlefields taking a more traditional approach, both use locally-produced ingredients, including local Herefordshire beef for the former.
"When I took The Swan over I didn't want it to affect The Castlefields, so it was key to come up with something a bit more quirky," he added.
"I employ across two sites, probably 22 staff in total, so obviously reopening the pub, it's given local people lots of work.
"I can't complain, they're two very unique sites, but it keeps me busy, and I enjoy what I do."
He added that The Castlefields is expecting a new addition to its team soon in the form of a head chef, who has over 22 years of experience.
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