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Wales now has the first community-owned hardware store in the whole of the UK

01 Dec 2022 3 minute read
Clive Hooper, chairman, behind the till on the first day of opening the Havards community hardware shop.

A traditional ironmongers shop in Wales has become the first community-owned hardware store in the whole of the UK.

Havards Ironmongers shop has been an institution in the north Pembrokeshire town of Newport 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 was launched by the local community in June.

It has since raised £445,000. 

Last weekend the community group announced that fund-raising had been successful; completion of the purchase was made on 25 November.

Havards Community Hardware store is now the first community-owned hardware store in the whole of the UK.

Chair of the committee Clive Hooper said: “This last week has been frantic with contracts, legal conference calls, IT, Marketing, job interviews and paperwork in preparation to exchange contracts and move to ownership. 

“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.

“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 14 December from 2pm to closing, shears to knife sharpening – time to get the turkey carving knife sharp in time for Christmas, joining the town Christmas Market & Treasure Hunt on 10 December 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.”

Community enterprises

The volunteer committee members and town volunteers viewed other successful community-owned enterprises in North Pembrokeshire and South Ceredigion including Tafarn Sinc, Rosebush, and 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.

There’s still time to become an investor in the community enterprise; contact Chris Morgan, secretary of the Havards Shop community benefit company.


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Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards
1 year ago

100% good all round, 2 miles away 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Marcus Williams
Marcus Williams
1 year ago

Actually the second, after Blaenau Ffestiniog.

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