A couple hoping to rescue a beloved community pub have been forced to close after six short months.

Rob and Ruth While have visited Aberystwyth for 40 years and as experienced publicans, decided to renovate and reopen the Fountain Inn, Trefechan, in May this year after it closed its doors in 2020.

However after Rob and Ruth rolled up their sleeves and splashed their savings into opening the Inn, they found there wasn’t the same interest.

In a heartfelt Facebook post on their last day serving on 27 November, they wrote: “It's with a very very heavy heart but due to the lack of support we are forced to close.

“Unfortunately without you guys, this is no longer a sustainable business.

“I put my life savings into the Fountain because we love Aberystwyth and thought we would give this little pub back to the community but it was not meant to be.

“We would like to thank all those who did support us you know who you are, holidaymakers you were great.”

The couple, who also own a pub in Shropshire, moved to live above the Trefechan pub and ran it with the help of 27-year-old daughter Charlene and chihuahua Penny.

Having given the Inn a facelift, fitting the lighting and the beer lines themselves, they say they are now “forced” to return to Shropshire.

Rob said: “We’ve had little to no support from the local community who actually wanted to see it reopened.

“It’s expensive to stay here as it is but without support, we can’t afford to stay.

“This was our dream to open this pub.

“We did brilliantly and the holidaymakers loved the food we were doing but it's been an uphill struggle since the beginning.

“Now we’re dead in the water.”