When Rhiannon Metters MBII and her partner looked for a change of pace and lifestyle, owning a pub was initially not on the cards, committed to making a difference and giving back to the community, The Halfway was too good an opportunity to pass up. The BII’s Imogen Vivier MBII Reports.
Rhiannon Metters MBII had been in the social care industry for as long as she could remember, working as a Youth & Community Worker helping young people with additional needs and addiction issues. In her role, she discovered a passion for hosting different types of events to help bring the community together. But after starting a family of her own, Rhiannon decided it was time to have more control of her schedule, leading her to choose something new for her career path.
“During Covid I was watching too much TV and a lot of New Lives in the Wild, so I blame Ben Fogle for my wanting to set up a life in the countryside,” says Rhiannon.
Situated in the idyllic Welsh countryside, halfway between the historic towns of Monmouth and Abergavenny, Rhiannon and her partner came across The Halfway in 2022, and knew it was the perfect place to start their next venture. “It was like something you would see on a chocolate box. When you drive somewhere really posh, and you’re like, Oh, my God! Look at that, it’s beautiful!”
Moving from one industry to another can be a stressful time for anyone, and Rhiannon found her first year at The Halfway to be overwhelming: “I have had challenging jobs in the past, but nowhere near as challenging as this!”
But now, having been at the pub for three years, with her small team of staff, she has learnt the industry while on the job. As the face of The Halfway, Rhiannon enjoys most of her time being out with the customers, while trusting her team in the back: “It’s like a Utopia in here, I try and make it enjoyable for all my team members.” She values giving opportunities to younger people, wanting to give them that first safe workplace. “I tell them don’t be afraid of your mistakes.”
She has opened up her pub as a community space, where locals can enjoy Morris dancing, crafting workshops and more. “It’s a difficult time to be in the trade, since costs have gone up. We have been a victim of that, like everyone else. So, we are looking at what can we do to survive.”
One thing that stood out to Rhiannon, upon looking at The Halfway, is the beautiful allotment of land around the back of the pub. The scenic greenery inspired Rhiannon to utilise this space as a place for the community. “I wanted to have a place where families can come and stay that was open to the public.”
What started as a small event space, open to all, slowly morphed into something bigger, and now The Halfway has its own glamping pitch for motor homes, campervans and more – free of charge, as long as you visit the pub for a meal and/or drink during your stay. But Rhiannon didn’t stop there. “I wanted to provide stays for families who have young people with terminal or life limiting conditions.” To make that possible, Rhiannon set up Pubtopia, to fund free experiences for families in need.
Pubtopia is a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up by Rhiannon not long after acquiring The Halfway. “We want to start packaging the stay with activities and outings.” The aim is to raise funding through further awareness of the project and in her words be the local “Robin Hood”, where she can partner with charities and provide even better experiences for less privileged children.
In March of this year, Rhiannon took the pub a step further, by launching The Village Shop. With the aim to serve the community with local produce and essentials, like milk, bread, eggs and more, the shop’s profits go towards Pubtopia and back to supporting community-led events. “The shop opening has given us a real buzz,” says Rhiannon.
The first event, leading on from the success of the shop, was a chunky knit workshop in collaboration with Cosy Throws, a local business. “It was an Easter Workshop and wellbeing activity, with free entry. We’re able to do this from all the support from the shop,” she explains. Having the support of the community and local businesses has helped Rhiannon take The Halfway beyond being just a pub.
And utilising the BII’s resources has been an integral part of her building her business. She says, “I’ve never had a pub, or a history of trading knowledge, so I wanted somewhere I could go to find all the information I needed. I’ve also called the support line, and they sent over detailed resources to help.” Rhiannon also values the knowledge of her fellow BII members, looking to them for inspiration on what new things she can bring to the pub. “I saw another member does cheese and wine events, rather than the usual beer festivals, and I thought ’would that work for me?’”
As for the future of The Halfway, Rhiannon aims to keep up momentum and continue to utilise the space as a community hub for all. With the success of The Village Shop, the motivation to expand is high on Rhiannon’s list. “I want to add a dementia friendly café,” she says, to create a more inclusive setting for elderly people to be able to enjoy.
With three years under her belt, it’s clear Rhiannon has taken this closed pub and turned it into a labour of love. The list of events being trailed at The Halfway is endless and the space provided means it is not only a pub but a shared and loved community hub. We wish Rhiannon the best of luck on building her business further with the appreciation of her local community!
