'I was branded a traitor for buying my local pub and helping to save it'

Doug Fowlie, 32, has restored Y Goron (The Crown) in Aberffraw, Anglesey, to its former glory and has a smart young management team in place - but some have criticised him

A man has found himself navigating a storm of accusations and social media abuse after setting out to rescue his local pub.

Locals buzzed with whispers that Doug Fowlie had his eye on the place for an Airbnb and planned to switch its historic moniker to reel in tourists. Branded a "traitor" and "Judas" online, Doug's loyalties were questioned despite being rooted in Y Goron (The Crown) as a fifth-generation patron, amidst claims he was betraying the last pub standing in an Anglesey village that used to boast five taverns.

Yet Doug ignored the gossip and pressed ahead, and Y Goron opened its doors again on August 23 with free-flowing Prosecco celebrations. Under Doug's guidance, the pub is now run by a dynamic young management crew, with a beacon shining on Welsh heritage and tongue. Y Goron's time-honoured titles still gleam along its walls, and prospects are looking up.

For 32-year-old Doug, safeguarding the beloved community watering hole was always the goal, but he wasn't prepared for the backlash. As an independent councillor for Anglesey's Crigyll ward, he suspects it has all been politically fuelled, reports North Wales Live.

"The false claims were definitely malicious," he admits. "I'm just a young lad trying to do my best for my constituents but there's a lot of politics and some people always want to do you down. Not so long ago a Facebook post claimed I was changing the pub's name to The Bridge. It attracted 100 posts. Most were critical and yet it was completely untrue. Just a few people welcomed the pub's reopening, which was a shame."

The first-time pub owner, who also works as a Network Rail signaller, is the son of a former farmer-greengrocer. He shares the same warm personality as his late father, Phil Fowlie, who once led Anglesey Council and achieved legendary status in the pig world with nine Royal Welsh championship wins before his death in 2019.

His father's passing drew him back to Anglesey after seven years working in Australia, where he now holds citizenship. Feeling the pull of home and a desire to contribute to his community, his unexpected entry into the hospitality industry was perhaps not surprising.

"When Y Goron came up for sale, I asked my Nain about it," he said. "She remembered her great-grandfather drinking at the pub. The family lived in a row of houses known as the Bragdy cottages because they were once small brewhouses - they were known as the Bragdy family." Bragdy is Welsh for brewery.

Locals were shocked when Y Goron closed its doors in March 2023, with previous owners unable to cope with successive Covid lockdowns. It hit the market three months later, with offers over £300,000 invited. By the time he took ownership, for significantly less, it was in dire need of renovation.

"It had been closed more than 12 months and in that time the roof over the ladies toilet had fallen down - the ceiling was on the floor," he said. "The place was damp, the beer garden was overgrown and there was a general sense of neglect."

Regulars who returned on August 23 were surprised to see the interior had been spruced up but the outside left untouched. Doug had agreed a deal with a film company to leave it as it was - slightly shabby and in need of attention. Last week all was revealed when a film crew descended on the village centre. Among the cast, for a film set in 1995, were Hollywood giants Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Bean.