A PUB in Powys that closed just over a year ago due escalating energy costs is reopening today (Friday, April 26) – and to celebrate the landlords have created a brand new menu.

The Fforest Inn announced last month that it would be reopening, having shut in February 2023.

The iconic inn, located on the side of the A44 in Llanfihangel-nant-Melan, between Hundred House and New Radnor, has been lovingly owned by Nicky and Colin Williams for almost a decade.

They described the pub as “their world” when they made the gut-wrenching decision to shut.

County Times: Landlords Nicky and Colin Williams say: “We can't wait to see some familiar faces.” Landlords Nicky and Colin Williams say: “We can't wait to see some familiar faces.” (Image: Nicky and Colin Williams)

The announcement they were reopening attracted swathes of support on Facebook, with nearly 1,000 people ‘liking’ the news, in addition to there being hundreds of comments and shares.

On a revamped website, the pub announced: “While a few things will be slightly different the greeting will be just the same.”

And one of those differences is a new menu – which includes a nod to the history of the pub and two beloved former landlords.

“Here it is... our new menu,” read a post on the pub’s Facebook page earlier this week.

“We decided it would be nice to celebrate The Fforest of times past, and have resurrected some old favourites.

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“Including making Thursday nights exclusively ‘basket’ night in honour of the pub's favourite landlord and landlady, Tom and Winn Lander in the 60s.

“The menu is smaller than previously. This is to allow us more time to be creative with our specials every week.”

The revitalised menu includes pub classics like scampi and ham, egg and chips, as well as steak and a selection of mouth-watering burgers. There will also be a light lunchtime menu, the basket night menu and a Sunday carvery to get your teeth into.

“We’re very nervous about it as the world has changed, but we enjoy it so much, and invested all of our love, time and emotion into this place for almost 10 years,” Nicky said, following the news of the pub’s return.

County Times: The Fforest is steeped in rich history too – including murder, both fictional and real. The Fforest is steeped in rich history too – including murder, both fictional and real. (Image: Nicky and Colin Williams)

“We owe it to ourselves and the building to give it another go. It isn't going to be easy and I am very nervous about it, but we’ve been completely blown away by the response since we announced it.

“We can't wait to see some familiar faces.”

As well as being one of the oldest pubs in the country – dating back to 1548 – the Fforest is also said to be the highest pub in Powys.

The Fforest is steeped in rich history too – including murder, both fictional and real.

The pub was the setting for a 1946 novel by H.L.V. Fletcher, called ‘Forest Inn’, which tells a story of romance and murder when a mail carriage is forced to stop and its passengers spend the night.

Going back further, the pub is also associated with an actual murder – that of local legend ‘Silver’ John Lloyd.