A decision by Big Pit bosses to ban the storage of award-winning cheeses in a disused underground mine stinks, claim company bosses.

The Blaenafon Cheddar Company has aged its cheeses 300ft underground in the pit for 15 years to improve the flavour, but says it has now been banned on “health and safety” grounds.

The family-run business, which is based a mile from the UNESCO World Heritage site attraction, say National Museum Wales bosses have refused to supply a full explanation.

And they claim the NMW has demanded payment for using images they took or sourced themselves, and the decision will cost the business up to £60,000 and threaten its existence.

Saying she was devastated and labelling the National Museum “shameless”, co-owner Susan Fiander-Woodhouse posted: “We have some really sad news that is threatening our business.

“The National Museum have withdrawn our formal partnership to us ageing cheese in the Big Pit.

“They will not disclose the reason, but have said it is to do with health and safety.

“Our cheese is less risk than a human (but) I was told by the museum they could not tell us the reason in full.

“This is putting Welsh tourism at risk, the town and our livelihood.”

The end of the long-term relationship will hit revenue based around international food tourism, they say, such as coach tours combining visits to the Broad Street cheesemaking shop and Big Pit.

“They want to charge us for using our own images and some which have been supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government,” added Susan, who runs the business with husband Gerry and spent the weekend trading at Abergavenny Food Festival.

“Our branding, labelling, website, press and media will all have to be rewritten at a cost of about £10,000

“I am absolutely devastated. We stand to lose up to 60 per cent of our livelihood and wonder about our survival.”

The company says it will scrap the production of its famous Pwll Mawr cheese - Welsh for Big Pit - which includes a picture of a mine shaft on its packaging, and will instead use historic tunnels under the town’s Lion Hotel used by the Chartists to mature its cheese.

“As a family and with the help of Marc Harris of The Lion Hotel and Restaurant, 1868 Cheddar aged in their cellar will take over from Pwll Mawr on November 1,” said Susan.

The name relates to pro-democracy riots that year.

“We are sad and exhausted. Building the brand up which brings tourism into our town has been my past passion since 2006. The National Museum is shameless,” said Susan.

As well as exhibiting at many major events, the BCC has featured on several TV shows, including Secret Supper Club on Channel 4, Food Glorious Food on ITV, BBC Countryfile and Coast & Country.

Susan added that Torfaen County Borough Council Trading Standards had also been involved in the ban.

“The National Museum were the Gold Mine but now they are the Pits!” she stormed.

An Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales spokesperson said the agreement to store cheese underground had been an “informal historical arrangement”.

“Due to the pandemic, the cheese was removed in September 2020. We are now dealing with complex operational issues and have had to make difficult business and operational decisions.

“We agreed with Blaenafon Cheese Company this week that they could continue to use the trademark Pwll Mawr and have offered support to the company to transition to a different relationship with Big Pit, including continued use of our images.”