Havards Ironmongers shop has been an institution in the Pembrokeshire town of Newport (Trefdraeth) for more than 140 years, selling a wide range of everyday items including tools, cookware and crockery, gardening equipment, and outdoor gear.

Following the announcement that the shop would be placed on the market earlier in 2022, a community share offer launched by the local community in June has since raised £445,000.

At the weekend the community group announced that fund-raising had been successful and that the purchase had been completed. Havards Community Hardware store is now the first community-owned hardware store in the whole of the UK!

The volunteer committee members and town volunteers viewed other successful community-owned enterprises in North Pembrokeshire and South Ceredigion including Tafarn Sinc, Rosebush, Câr-y-Môr - Wales’ first community-owned regenerative ocean farm - near St David’s, The White Hart Pub in St Dogmaels, Cwm Arian Community Wind Cooperative in Llanfynrach, Canolfan Hermon Cooperative centre near Crymych and 4CG Cymru Ltd, the community-owned car parks, shops, flats, bunkhouse, courthouse gallery in Cardigan.

The committee received support from the community development support charity PLANED in Narberth, as well as Cwmpas the Wales Cooperative Centre, in setting up the community share offer.

The chair of the committee Clive Hooper said: “I truly wish to thank everyone who has helped and invested in keeping this last traditional ironmongers shop trading in our community here in Trefdraeth.”

Clive concluded, “We are ready for Christmas and have a great and wonderful set of gift and activities over December: We’re hosting an IT workshop for all your broken mobile phones, tablets and PCs on December 14 from 2pm to closing, shears to knife sharpening – time to get the turkey carving knife sharp in time for Christmas, and we’ll be joining the town Christmas Market and Treasure Hunt on December 10 with clues at Havards Community Shop while enjoying a mince pie and for grown-ups, a glass of mulled wine too. Please see our Community Shop website for full details on www.siophavards.cymru .”

There continues to be time to become an investor in this community enterprise and full details can be picked up in the shop or contacting Chris Morgan, secretary of the Havards Shop community benefit company, on [email protected] .