The future for country pubs
Here’s a tale of three country pubs and their struggle to survive in challenging times.
All three are on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales in attractive scenery and within easy reach of Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Ilkley and Skipton.
The Hopper Lane Hotel is on the busy A59, but with no immediate neighbours. It’s had its ups and downs and has just reopened following acquisition by the small Inns of Yorkshire group and an expensive refurbishment. It’s a large building and has been transformed in gastropub style (though the owners hate this description). It wasn’t busy when we visited on Thursday lunchtime – but the redecoration has been well done, the food was special and there was a choice of Black Sheep bitter and Golden Pippin from two well-known local breweries. I’ll be back.
The Timble Inn has had an even bigger transformation having been closed for several years. Timble is a hidden-away conservation village and I was surprised to find how busy it was on Thursday lunchtime (smart cars were overflowing along the village street). Not having made a reservation, we were not able to eat there – so the Theakston’s Best, Golden Pippin and Hambleton Ales are for another day. This is much more a restaurant with beer than a pub with food. I’ll leave it for a special occasion – though a village pub would be welcome here as Timble is a hub for good local walks.
The Sun Inn at Norwood is on a busy B road between Nidderdale and Leeds-Bradford. There are a few near neighbours (I’m one of them) but this large pub relies on attracting people from the urban areas just over the hills to the south. In particular, it’s a well-known bikers’ pub and though it’s been expanded over the years, it’s resisted a makeover like the two above. Its fans admire its traditional qualities and the presence of the landlord. Yet a large pub that isn’t known for food, that welcomes bikers (who don’t drink much), and is not a free house (Theakston’s Best and Old Peculier are the only local beers) is clearly going to struggle. So there’s a planning application to transform it into an events pub (with amplified music inside and out). Call me a NIMBY, but I oppose this plan. Their business may be at stake, but so’s the quality of my life (and that of my neighbours): we have all chosen to live in a peaceful rural area that is part of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We’ve tolerated the bikes up to now, but more traffic and many more events would be intolerable. I don’t welcome a fight – but it’s one we need to win.
