A Pembrokeshire community pub, recently hailed as one of the most friendly in Britain, has been given the go-ahead to install solar panels by county planners.
The White Hart Community Inn in St Dogmaels was ranked second friendliest pub in the UK in a study by security experts Get Licensed.
The 250-year-old White Hart, on Finch Street, reopened as a community pub in 2021 following a campaign after it closed in May 2019 when the last landlords decided to refocus to other activities.
The White Hart Community Inn Ltd was formed as a Community Benefit Society and a community share offer launched with the guidance of the Wales Co-operative Centre.
Two years of fund-raising and campaigning has seen enough money raised through individual community shares purchases together with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government via the Social Business Growth Fund administered by Social Investment Cymru at WCVA, alongside a grant from Pembrokeshire County Council.
An application was recently submitted to Pembrokeshire County council by White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd to install solar panels at the historic pub.
The proposals were supported by St Dogmaels Community Council, which said it “fully supports the application for the installation of photovoltaic panels”.
A statement in support of the scheme added: “[The community council] acknowledges the importance of sustainable energy solutions and believes that this project aligns with a commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing carbon emissions within the community.
“It believes that the benefits to the local business, the environment, and the wider community, in the retention of this business, far outweigh any potential drawbacks. It urges the planning authority to approve this application, with any necessary conditions to ensure the character of the Conservation Area is respected.”
The application was conditionally approved by planners.