Family-run, Hafod Hardware has garnered great attention for its festive advert and has high hopes of putting its Welsh town on the map, with national press even picking up on the story.

Thomas Jones, who helps run the shop with his grandparents, Pauline and Alan, told DIY Week that the two-minute ad, which was filmed in the shop in Rhayader and the beautiful Elan Valley, is “getting a massive reaction in Wales”. Shared on social media, it has had more than 300,000 views across different Facebook pages and on YouTube so far, with pages such as Wales Online and London Metro sharing it. The national press has even picked up on the great story, with news sources like The Daily Mail reporting on it.

Mr Jones said: “Our Initial aim was to create content to share through social media, as this is a fantastic way to reach a ranging demographic. We wanted to show that you don't need John Lewis's budget of £7million to create something special. Instead, we made this for £7 (well, £6.99 for a red sack).”

He added: “We're hoping it puts our little town on the map this Christmas, as so many Welsh Villages get left behind these days.”

The ad and subsequent coverage has led to a huge boost in traffic to the shop’s website and has seen online sales double, explained Mr Jones. “Everywhere we go, people are talking about our business.”

Delighted with the reaction it has had, Hafod Hardware is already planning on creating something similar next year.