Historic revival: Community to gather for Annual Members’ Meeting at the Radnor Arms, New Radnor

THE much-loved Radnor Arms is poised to reach another milestone as its community-backed revival enters its next chapter with the upcoming Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) 2025.

This anticipated event, scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2025 is to be held inside the Radnor Arms or in the pubs car park (weather permitting).

Shareholder voting will see current committee members standing for re-election alongside the possibility of welcoming new faces.

With the chosen committee set to guide the next stage of renovations and the pub’s ongoing role at the heart of village life.

More than just a formal gathering, it’s a chance to celebrate how far the Radnor Arms has come and to look ahead to the future.

The meeting signals the Radnor Arms’ transition from a landmark of revival to a beacon of sustainable community undertaking, continuing its journey of restoration, social cohesion, and local pride.

Since its closure in 2016 and up to it's community purchase in 2023, the Radnor Arms had stood silent, weathering years of disrepair after the last landlord’s retirement.

Residents in New Radnor were missing their much loved pub, remembering days gone by, and in response local villagers united under the Radnor Arms Community Benefit Society (CBS) in 2022, formed by the Radnor Arms Action Group, to save the pub from further decline.

Their grassroots campaign, fueled by exhibitions, concerts, a community shop, art sales, sponsored meals, and a well marketed share offer, garnered remarkable support.

In total, the community raised £200,000, which was matched by a £200,000 grant, and supplemented by £40,000 in additional funding, from the UK’s Community Ownership Fund. This brought the total to £440,000 for purchase and restoration works to begin.

Tastefully renewed and revitalised by local builders, the pub celebrated its reopening on April 18, 2025, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the former landlord Nigel.

Since its official reopening, the Radnor Arms has been operating as a community-owned free house, fully restored with accessible facilities, including community toilets available to the public even when the pub is closed, and a renovated interior complete with wet bar and snacks.

The pub has hosted a variety of community-led events, ranging from a lively Eurovision 2025 screening party to a Pride-themed quiz night hosted by local quizmaster Tony.

To mark Pride Month, the Radnor Arms proudly flew rainbow flags on its exterior, bringing visibility, celebration, and inclusivity to the heart of the village.

Pride quiz night 2025

Local MP David Chadwick, who succeeded the former MP Fay Jones, visited in March 2025, praising the transformation: “This building was once a derelict shell, now it’s filled with good spirit and good joy.”

The Radnor Arms has already achieved notable recognition. In June 2025, it was shortlisted for the “Keeping It Local” category at the Rural Community Business Awards, a testament to its support for local producers, from brewers and bakers to artisans and pop-ups, and its role beyond being merely a pub.

The pub stands as a powerful example of what a determined community can achieve, reviving a cherished village pub, restoring it successfully, and carrying it into a sustainable future under democratic, community-based leadership.

The upcoming Annual Members’ Meeting marks not just another chapter, but a continuation of a heartening story of resilience and local spirit.

Visit www.theradnorarms.com for updates on events and community news.