Our Goodbyes................
August 2009, we started amid speculation from all in sundry that we would not last the year, we did! Our vision for the Rupe was to be a local pub for the local people, a place where the community could come together without prejudice, where you could sit down, and feel comfortable without feeling out of place and serving affordable and totally fresh food, NOT frozen like a lot of other pubs do. We came into this knowing we had 3 and a half years remaining on the 10 year lease that Sue Shaw(previous Landlady) had surrendered, and felt that it would give us both a true understanding of the trade, community and demographic. In order to do this we had to drastically cut costs in every way apart from Quality unfortunately this meant all staff that were here we "let go", since that date both Sian & myself have run the pub ourselves- we have done everything that you saw, everything that you didn't see, didn't notice or took for granted.

We kept our pricing keen, keenest in the village we believe; although we were being "screwed" (for the want of a better word) by our Brewery Punch Taverns, being charged extortionate prices for beer, rent and insurance well above what we could get on the open market.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here, our brood has grown by a further two since moving in, one of them born here, upstairs in the flat, as has our reputation also grown, we started at number 78 out of 120 on Trip advisor, 6 months later we were number 1, a position we maintained for several months and now at the stage of writing this we are still number 1, an achievement in itself.
Unfortunately our time has come to a close and we must move on, we cannot maintain the Ruperra; the business unfortunately when we took over was losing a lot of money even in our hands it could not survive any longer without serious capital injection.

A culmination of extortionate rent and beer pricing, excessive business rates & rip off energy providers all wanting their pound of flesh. We understand that there are business costs, but we believe in a fair price for a fair product, this was not the case.
We have done our best here, some would say they could have done better, hopefully some will take over and will do it better, all we want is for the Rupe to live on in your community, for it to thrive and be a benefit to all that use it, but you must use it or you will lose it.

...........Unfortunately "Punch Taverns" have not released to us what is to happen to your RUPERRA.
We wish all our regulars a very big thank you for your loyalty and support whilst we were here, initially we are moving back to Cardiff and in the future we will be emigrating back to Perth in Australia, where the sun shines a little bit more than bassaleg!
We have met a few characters whilst here, the good, the bad and the ugly-we have had a laugh, and we have had a cry.

All the best
Michael(the grumpy one), Sian and Brood.