NEWPORT Cathedral has become the unlikely buyer of a former city pub thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous benefactor.

The cathedral has bought the former Church House pub on Stow Hill and plans to turn it into a hospitality centre for use by visitors and the local community.

The pub, which closed earlier this year, is situated just across the road from the cathedral’s lych gate.

Plans involve turning it into a centre, called Cathedral House, which will include a cafe, and meeting rooms, as well as space for the cathedral shop and office.

The purchase was made possible by an anonymous donation.

A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Monmouth would not reveal how much the building was bought for or how much money was donated.

The Very Rev Lister Tonge, dean of the cathedral, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the cathedral to expand its welcome and its ministry.

“The project demonstrates our determination to be available to the community in ways that are not possible in the limited space of the cathedral itself.

“The pub building needs a lot of refurbishment but we are looking forward to seeing our ideas for possible uses become reality.

“We are grateful to the benefactor who gave funds specifically for this project to help us engage with the local community.

“We also hope it will encourage people to help us restore the 900-year-old cathedral building so it is somewhere Newport city can be proud of for centuries to come.”

Last year, former pub manager Andrew Carragon refurbished the Church House pub, creating a club paying tribute to drag queen Danny La Rue upstairs.

An architect is currently drawing up plans for the building to be transformed into Cathedral House.