A COUPLE of regulars have turned their village pub into an award-nominated business.

Iain and Elin Robertson, from Llandyrnog, received a letter in the post on Thursday (November 15) to say their Golden Lion Inn in Llandyrnog has been nominated for the Countryside Alliance Awards (CAA), the rural business awards for Wales.

The couple, who have been married for nine years and have three children, took over the pub three years ago when it was put up for sale and their friends encouraged them to buy in the belief they would make a good job of it.

Now, the ‘wet pub’ – which only serves drinks – has been nominated in the CAA’s pub category, for such establishments that represent ‘a positive story about rural life while championing local food and drink’.

The CAA receives thousands of anonymous nominations from the public that are then shortlisted for its regional competitions, after which the winners are invited to the Houses of Parliament for national finals in the presence of MPs and ministers.

Mr Robertson, who at the age of 36 is amongst Denbighshire’s youngest landlords, feels the nomination is a huge boost to the wet pub as they are a “dying breed”. Yet Llandyrnog's own has experienced a rise in customers over the last 18 months following a determined effort by the owners to stage entertainment that attracts returning customers.

Mr Robertson said: “The Golden Lion was our local pub which we would frequent on a weekly basis to socialise and have some fun, then three years ago the pub became available and we decided to take the pub on as we had wanted to see it kept open – and the rest is history!

“We are very honoured to even be thought of for the award.

“As we are a wet pub we’re a dying breed, so we have to put on nights of entertainment, live music and themed events to keep the community happy. They do bring people from nearby towns Denbigh, Ruthin and neighbouring villages together.

“It is such a great feeling to be recognised and that all those hours of work have been paid off.”

Mr Robertson has previous experience of the hospitality sector as his dad, Ian Snr, previously owned the Woodlands Hall in Llanfwrog, near Ruthin, and currently Elwy Hall in Rhyl. The junior was also helped by the backing of Llandyrnog county councillor Merfyn Parry since the takeover, who has lauded him and Elin for doing “a marvellous job", adding: "The pub hosts entertainment every week.

“It is one of few rural pubs that doesn’t serve food that can survive in Denbighshire.”