PURCHASE of the old Countrywide site at Presteigne by Radnor Hills Water has been welcomed by the town’s Mayor, Cllr Trevor Owens.

“It is good to see a local firm investing in Presteigne and it’s to be hoped Radnor Hills’ acquisition of the former Countrywide site proves beneficial for both the company and the town,” said Cllr Owens.

“Hopefully, when the new site is up and running, it will provide job opportunities for local people.

“In welcoming Radnor Hills to Presteigne, I am sure the overwhelming majority of residents would agree it will be good to see the site being used productively again after several years in which it has been dormant,” the Cllr Owens told the County Times this week.

The Countrywide site comprises almost four acres, with 30,000 square feet of building.

Announcing the purchase, Radnor Hills managing director William Watkins said: “It is an important step for us at Radnor Hills and gives us some exciting potential for the future. Exciting times ahead!”

In the short term the company will use the site for extra storage capacity, but hope to turn it into a full scale production site in the future.

Radnor Hills has been producing award-winning soft drinks from its family farm base near Knighton for more than 25 years after being founded in 1990 by Mr Watkins, whose family have farmed the land at Heartsease Farm since 1903.

The spring water is sourced from 12 boreholes on the family’s land.

Today the company employs 170 people and is a £42 million business.