THE Inn at Penallt has been named AA Pub of the Year for Wales following on from the award of their first AA rosette in February this year.

"Buying the pub was a huge gamble – six banks turned down an application for lending. To proceed we had to sell our home before the seventh would provide any financial support," say owners Andrew and Jackie Murphy who had scoured the country to find a suitable premises to develop a dream.

"Having spent three years trying to find the right pub, just as we were about to move in our first daughter was born. Five weeks after Sian's birth Jackie was ripping up carpets and pulling down walls. Tear up the business plan and working model and factor in a young child!" said Andrew.

Just over two years ago the 17th century Bush Inn was just another village pub on the verge of closure.

Andrew said: " It's really fantastic. This is both our first pub and first business venture so to receive a rosette and be announced as Pub of the Year for Wales so soon after taking over is in truth a little unbelievable.

"Monmouthshire had everything we were looking for. It's a lovely place to live and, from The Inn's point of view, has great independent food suppliers, Welsh micro-breweries and small cider producers."

The couple see The Inn as carrying on a Great British tradition stretching back centuries coupling quality local food and drink with a genuinely warm welcome.

"We both love good food, good wine and ale. We wanted to run a country inn where people could wine and dine in a nice, relaxed atmosphere somewhere we would like to go ourselves."