A POWYS pub is under new management and will be reopening later this week.

The Castle in Rhayader will open its doors once again at 3pm on Friday, November 3.

The pub has been taken on by Gwyn Davies, whose family have owned and run the popular Fountain Inn, in Builth Wells, for many years.

The move comes after Kirsten Price announced in August that she would be ending her six-and-a-half-year tenancy at The Castle in September.

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The opening weekend under the new owners is set to be jam-packed, with local karaoke king Neil Rees entertaining punters from 9.30pm on Friday, with the Rock Ewes performing on Saturday night.

“The doors will be open from 3pm this Friday. We are all looking forward to seeing you over the weekend,” said a post on the new-look Castle Rhayader Facebook page last week.

Mr Davies, a farmer and businessman who is also a Builth town councillor and former mayor, said the pub is on the look-out for kitchen staff and he is hoping to have The Castle’s kitchen open in time for Christmas.

“We're opening at 3pm on Friday and have got entertainment on both Friday and Saturday night,” he said.

“We've taken it on as Rhayader is my partner Lisa’s hometown and we have a lot of friends, family and business connections here. It's the first pub I've done on my own but it'll be up to the same standard (as The Fountain) and there’ll be a lot of familiar faces.”

Former landlady Kirsten said she had made the decision to leave The Castle for family reasons; and she stepped down in late September.

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“The past six-and-a-half years have been a pleasure to serve all my loyal customers. You will all be missed but I want to spend more time with my family and, unfortunately, I'm not able to do so with having the pub.

“I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everybody for making the Castle a huge success for me and my staff.”

To keep up to date with all things going on at The Castle, phone 07875 461247, email pencoltd@hotmail.com or check out The Castle Rhayader Facebook page.