Anyone know when or why this place closed down? Used to be a really nice place with good food. Great spot too and had been renovated. Just found out ita permanently closed which is a shame. I thought it had looked it last few times id gone by there.

Another for the tick list of pubs shutting down..

Shame. Great memories of going there. A village like that should be able to sustain a pub.either the villagers haven't supported it or a brewery have been ruthless by the sounds of it. Not sure whether it was tied latterly.

There was a big fire there wasn't there - perhaps about 12 months ago?
Don't know if there are any plans to refurbish / reopen.
Yes - it was a pleasant place to eat, with decent food at a reasonable price.

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What often happens is if the pub looks to be doing well thee Landlords bang up the rent, taking all the profit out of it. They have even been known to snatch it back to put one of their managers in. At the moment there are a few building companies approaching Landlords (usually multiples) and buying the land to redevelop, who can then make it impossible for the publican to carry on.... so loads of reasons a good pub could suddenly have gone.

Bloody horrible industry anyone getting a new tenancy needs a good lawyer there are so many sharks out there. Several of my mates have been turned over by one of these methods in recent years. If you want to go into the game buy a freehold or keep you own money out of reach and spend nothing doing it up.

Good story well done them.

What a shame, remember going there as a youngster with my mum and dad regularly for food which was always great, especially when a regular was a certain Andy Lochhead!

Was going to post something about the chap mentioned in the LT article but might get sued. Aside from that, well done to the community group. I thought the pub had reopened though? If not must be close

They did a mean chicken in a basket way back when that kind of pub grub was extremely exotic.

Eh had it closed down or not ? Yes the Chicken in a basket was the best I ever had.

One glaring error in that LT article..

The village is famous for its connection with the Pendle Witches and Alice Nutter, who was hanged at Carlisle Castle in 1612 and used to live there.

Alice Nutter was hanged at Gallows Hill,Lancaster Castle along with all the other Lancashire Witches.

It closed down because of fire damage in the kitchen. Chap who owned it had another pub in Kelbrook and decided to concentrate on that. Think it was a couple of years ago.

It was at its peak in the late nineties when Stuart owned it, never the same after he sold up

It is a very nice pub in a beautiful country village. I loved this place and surroundings since I was a nipper. Hope they get the pub back on track.

I only noticed as Ive drove past a few times and fancied calling in. Last time I went must have been 18 months ago and food was lovely and not too expensive.

We went about 18 months ago and the food and beer was excellent. Was gutted when it closed. Real shame that it isn't going to reopen

If its the same people who have the craven heifer will finally have to try it!

cricketfieldclarets wrote:If its the same people who have the craven heifer will finally have to try it!

Where is the Craven Heifer?

BarstewardsEnquiry wrote:It was at its peak in the late nineties when Stuart owned it, never the same after he sold up

I had a few cracking nights in there mid 90s. Stuart ran the bars and catering at the Turf for a few years and a few of us used to get a cab over after the Centre Spot closed on a Friday night. Usually 4 or 5 am when we rolled out of the Bay.

1968claret wrote:Where is the Craven Heifer?

Kelbrook.

tim_noone wrote:Kelbrook.

Kelbrook

It has been bought by a group of investors, largely from the village, and may reopen before Xmas.

Herts Clarets wrote:I had a few cracking nights in there mid 90s. Stuart ran the bars and catering at the Turf for a few years and a few of us used to get a cab over after the Centre Spot closed on a Friday night. Usually 4 or 5 am when we rolled out of the Bay.

I must know you Herts

I was talking to one of the investors a couple of weeks back. the original plan had been to reopen in September (as in around now) but things have slipped back a bit. They are hoping for a pre-Christmas opening now. I will certainly support it provided the ale is good and the price is more competitve than under the previous owners. A similar thing happened at the Dog in Belthorn. I was in there about a month ago and there was a smashing welcome and a good atmosphere.

Aye, when he did a lock in it was a lock in alright. He was a very generous man, helped me out many a time.

Morning all, the bay horse was my dads pub, he also owns the craven heifer in kelbrook. A while ago there was a fire in the kitchen which closed the pub, during that time he decided to concentrate on the craven heifer and put it the bay horse up for sale. It's nice that it is a group of locals have bought it and we wish them all the best for the future.

I go back a lot further when the landlady was a German woman called Ingeborg. She was serving us one night when Bobby Elliott from the Hollies walked in. She put down one of our half full pints to serve him. She'd already pulled about three pints for us but we told her to stuff it and we walked out with her screaming at us that we had to pay for the drinks.

Shipandpilotdevon wrote:Morning all, the bay horse was my dads pub, he also owns the craven heifer in kelbrook. A while ago there was a fire in the kitchen which closed the pub, during that time he decided to concentrate on the craven heifer and put it the bay horse up for sale. It's nice that it is a group of locals have bought it and we wish them all the best for the future.

Will be sure to give it a try as the food was great at bay horse.

ClaretTony wrote:I go back a lot further when the landlady was a German woman called Ingeborg. She was serving us one night when Bobby Elliott from the Hollies walked in. She put down one of our half full pints to serve him. She'd already pulled about three pints for us but we told her to stuff it and we walked out with her screaming at us that we had to pay for the drinks.

My mother worked behind the bar in the Bay Horse at that time.

She's still going (just) is Inge, her daughter & son in law run The Barlick Tap in, er, Barlick.

Jel wrote:I must know you Herts

Possibly! I used to work in the Sponsors/Guest bar on match days up until I moved Saaarrfff in 1997. Used to do Friday nights in the Centre Spot but that was 93/94. Stuart, Malcolm and Barry were the main guys, Stuart and Barry the bars and food, Malcolm the money! Steve Baldwin bar Supervisor and old Bert was there for a short time.

Happy days. Used to make Malcolm smile when I did a match day with an antiquated old till (think Open All Hours), take a few hundred quid and my till was correct down to the last penny. I used to do all the working out in my head as the till only went up to 9.99 and 1/2p. I guess when it went in no round came to more than a tenner. I heard Stuart sadly passed away a few years ago.

My name is Mark by the way if you do know me......

ChrisG wrote:My mother worked behind the bar in the Bay Horse at that time.

She's still going (just) is Inge, her daughter & son in law run The Barlick Tap in, er, Barlick.

She must be getting on in age, its years ago.

ClaretTony wrote:She must be getting on in age, its years ago.

She'll be 90 odd. I was chatting to her about 4 weeks ago. Fascinating lady.