THE SPIRIT of Owain Glyndŵr inspired people of Corwen to save their local pub - now it's the teeming hub of the community.

Just two months after it reopened, Gwesty Owain Glyndŵr on the Square in Corwen - commonly known as the OG - is serving a packed bar every night and has raised more than £1,000 for local good causes and charities.

The hotel is even now looking at creating future employment and training opportunities for young people.

The community stepped in to save the OG - which was the site of the first ever National Eisteddfod in 1789 - after it had been on sale for three years with no takers.

Amid fears the Grade II listed building would deteriorate and be lost to the town, the community stepped in with a fundraising committee raising £164,000 through sales of shares, a figure boosted by a grant for £452,700 from the UK Government's Community Ownership Fund.

Volunteers helped to get the top bar ready and the hotel reopened to the public in September, with Daf and Pam Morris in charge.

It's most recent donation was a £678 gift to Corwen Junior Football Club, with money raised during the OG's Ogtoberfest event, which featured live music from the Gaslight Monkeys.

"That is the whole ethos of the pub - community," said interim General Manager Daf Morris. "We are by the community, for the community. 

"We nominate a charity each month to support and local people have really embraced what we are doing here.

"It is still a work in progress. Due to the election the full amount of money from the Government we couldn't spend, so we are now looking at investing that into upgrading the kitchens and refurbishing the bottom bar, which has been closed since 1998. We are also looking at restoring five rooms so people can once again stay at the hotel.

"All that will mean that we need to employ more people and offer training and opportunities in cooking and hospitality, so the future is exciting."

So has running a community pub been a learning curve?

"Very much so," said Daf. "We have almost no experience of running a pub. But we are committed and passionate about it and - being a community pub - there is lots of good advice on offer when we need it. 

Daf puts the early success of the OG down to the community. 

They have made this a vibrant place to be already," he said. "Corwen Football Club are on board and come here after their games, we've had lots of live music for people to enjoy but one of our biggest successes has been the bingo.

"We are packed for bingo, people love it. So much so the bar is full to the brim when its on!

"Obviously we need to make a profit but that's not why we are here. We came together to preserve this amazing, historic landmark and make it a hub for the community once again.

"But that only works if the community comes along with you and they have. They have given us their support and hopefully we can continue to give back to the community and ensure the OG is here for many years to come."