White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels' expansion bid approved
The White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels was ranked second friendliest pub in the UK in a study by security experts Get Licensed, which looked at Tripadvisor reviews and median crime scores around each pub to find the friendliest in the UK.
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 saw 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.
White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd had asked Pembrokeshire County Council for permission the expand the licensed premises through a change of use of the former manager's accommodation, vacant since early 2022.
The application was conditionally approved by planning officers.
This is the second application for works at the White Hart recently.
An application by White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd to install solar panels at the historic pub was recently granted by Pembrokeshire County Council.
That proposal was backed by St Dogmaels Community Council, which said it 'fully supports the application for the installation of photovoltaic panels'.
Receiving the recent Get Licensed award, the White Hart Inn received a top score of five on Tripadvisor, and 66.67 per cent of its reviews highlighted the pub's 'friendly' and 'welcoming' atmosphere.
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