Hayscastle’s community pub crowned best in West Wales 2026

Key Points

• Y Cross Cas-Lai in Hayscastle Cross has been declared the best pub in West Wales for the 2026 regional CAMRA awards.
• This community-owned pub was rescued from closure in 2023 by a buy-out with the help of a Levelling Up grant by the Welsh Government.
• The pub came in third place in the 2026 CAMRA Wales Pub of the Year competition held in August.
• Y Cross was awarded the title of 2026 CAMRA Pembrokeshire Real Ale and Cider Pub of the Year in April.
• This award was attributed to the contribution of volunteers and members of the pub by the society secretary, Brian Griffiths.
• The pub has been selected in the 2025 and 2026 CAMRA Good Beer Guides.
• Criteria used by CAMRA for judging include value for money, atmosphere, décor, customer service, and welcome.

Wales (Wales Times) September 14, 2026 — A community-owned pub in Pembrokeshire that was rescued from closure three years ago has been named the best in West Wales in the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) 2026 regional awards.

Y Cross Cas-Lai in Hayscastle Cross won the West Wales title ahead of strong competition from county winners in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, according to reporting by the Western Telegraph. The establishment also secured third place in CAMRA’s Wales-wide Pub of the Year competition in August 2026, marking a rapid rise from the brink of permanent shutdown to national recognition within three years.

As reported by staff at the Western Telegraph, the pub was saved from closing in 2023 through a community buy-out supported by a Welsh Government Levelling Up grant. Since the acquisition, the venue has built a reputation for quality real ales and ciders, earning inclusion in both the 2025 and 2026 editions of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Who is behind the community buy-out of Y Cross Cas-Lai?

The pub is operated by a community benefit society, with local residents forming the membership base that purchased the freehold. Brian Griffiths, secretary of the society that runs Y Cross Cas-Lai, issued a statement following the award announcement.

As reported by the Western Telegraph, Brian Griffiths said:

“Congratulations to everyone involved in the pub on these awards and promoting all that the community has achieved together.”

He added:

“The recognition is not simply for the pub itself, but for the people and members who support it, volunteer their time and have helped make Y Cross such an important and welcoming part of the local community.”

The pub’s transformation follows a period of uncertainty when it faced permanent closure before the community intervention in 2023. According to CAMRA’s local pub guide for Pembrokeshire, the establishment was formerly known as The Cross Inn and had been in the Phillips family for 150 years before the community purchase.

What criteria did CAMRA use to judge the West Wales pub award?

CAMRA’s Pub of the Year competition assesses venues on multiple factors beyond the quality of beer and cider alone. According to the Western Telegraph’s coverage of the awards, CAMRA’s judging criteria cover value for money, atmosphere, décor, customer service, and the quality of the welcome extended to patrons.

The national coordinator for CAMRA’s Pub of the Year competition, Andrea Briers, commented on the standards applied across all regional contests. As reported by Nation.Cymru, Andrea Briers said: “These amazing pubs really are the crème de la crème and I would encourage the public to seek out the winners from across the nations and regions of the UK – they are top-tier pubs serving excellent beer, cider and perry, run by welcoming, hardworking staff.”

Andrea Briers also highlighted the broader challenges facing the licensed trade. As reported by Nation.Cymru, she said:

“It’s also important to support your local all year round. With constant pressure from stubbornly high energy prices, fluctuating running costs and grossly unfair business rates threatening to drown pubs across the UK, it’s vital to get out and support the licensed trade.”

How has Y Cross Cas-Lai performed in previous CAMRA competitions?

The West Wales award represents the latest in a series of accolades for Y Cross Cas-Lai in 2026. According to the Western Telegraph, the pub was named the 2026 CAMRA Pembrokeshire Real Ale and Cider Pub of the Year in April before progressing to the regional and national stages of the competition.

In August 2026, the pub achieved national-level recognition by finishing third in the 2026 CAMRA Wales Pub of the Year competition. The Wales-wide winner was Mold Alehouse in Flintshire, which secured the Welsh regional title and advanced to the national finals alongside 15 other regional winners from across the UK.

The progression from local to regional to national recognition within a single competition year demonstrates the pub’s consistent performance across CAMRA’s judging framework. Just three years after being brought back from the brink of closure, Y Cross Cas-Lai now ranks among the best-performing community pubs in Wales.

What role does Y Cross Cas-Lai play in the local community?

Beyond its function as a licensed premises, Y Cross Cas-Lai serves as a vital community hub for Hayscastle and surrounding areas. According to CAMRA’s Pembrokeshire pub guide, the venue hosts regular pub quizzes, darts evenings and live music events.

The pub also provides space for local walking groups and craft groups to meet, according to CAMRA’s local listings. As reported by the Western Telegraph, volunteers help to organise a variety of events and activities throughout the year, reinforcing the establishment’s role as a focal point for community life.

The CAMRA awards are expected to raise the profile of Y Cross Cas-Lai among visitors to Pembrokeshire. According to the Western Telegraph, the recognition gives the pub an opportunity to introduce itself to a wider audience, particularly holidaymakers keen to discover local places to eat, drink and experience Welsh hospitality.

Background: How did the community buy-out of Y Cross Cas-Lai unfold?

The community acquisition of Y Cross Cas-Lai took place in 2023, when the pub faced permanent closure after 150 years of family ownership under the Phillips family. Local residents formed a community benefit society to purchase the freehold, with financial support from a Welsh Government Levelling Up grant.

Following the buy-out, the pub was rebranded with its Welsh name, Y Cross Cas-Lai (formerly The Cross Inn), and reopened as a community-owned venue. The society established a membership structure allowing local residents to hold shares in the pub while volunteering time to support operations.

Since reopening, the pub has focused on serving quality real ales and ciders while maintaining its function as a village local. According to CAMRA’s listings, Welsh language is often spoken at the venue, reflecting its position in a predominantly Welsh-speaking area of Pembrokeshire.

Prediction: How will this award affect community pubs across Wales?

The success of Y Cross Cas-Lai is likely to encourage other communities facing pub closures to consider similar buy-out models. CAMRA has been actively campaigning for stronger planning protections for pubs in Wales, calling on the Welsh Government to require planning permission before a pub can be converted or demolished.

As reported by Nation.Cymru, CAMRA continues to fight for measures that would give communities time to organise rescue bids when developers seek to close pubs. The visibility gained by Y Cross Cas-Lai through its CAMRA awards may strengthen the case for such protections by demonstrating the viability of community-owned models.

For pub-goers and residents in rural Wales, the award may increase footfall at Y Cross Cas-Lai as visitors seek out award-winning venues. However, the broader impact will depend on whether other communities can replicate the combination of local organisation and government grant support that enabled the Hayscastle buy-out.