Jon Richardson loves pubs. He also loves Yorkshire, not to mention an underdog story.
So, when Jon heard last orders had been called on The Plough at Fadmoor, North Yorkshire, he was compelled to join the initiative to save it.
And from next week you can find out how he got on, in Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue with Jon Richardson, a new four-part series which begins on More4 at 9pm next Wednesday (4 February).
The series follows Jon as he becomes a shareholder in Fadmoor Community Pub Limited and sets to work with the team to restore the historic watering hole, which dates back to 1782.
Jon Richardson comments: “I love pubs so much that I turned my garage into one, but it didn’t scratch the itch so now I’ve ended up owning one. Or a share of a crumbling one, anyway.
“When I first heard about The Plough, I had to go and see it and then when I met the amazing people working to rescue it, I couldn’t resist getting involved.
“Like a good pint, they are lively and cool with good heads on them, and they make you feel better about the world.
“Pubs are the beating heart of their communities and we’re, hopefully, going to have a great time bringing The Plough back to its former glory. I know it’s going to be hard work, but I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and watch other people getting their hands dirty.”
Peter Jones, chairman of Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, said: “As you will see, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to renovate this derelict pub and to breathe fresh life back into the building.
The Plough, Fadmoor
“As we work on the building, we keep uncovering issues and so it is going to take a lot of time and money to return it to its natural place as the heart of this fabulous rural community.”
The series follows the efforts of The Plough’s committee, volunteers, and the wider Fadmoor community as they work to bring the pub back into use with support from the 8 Out Of 10 Cats star.
Despite progress, it still requires significant work and further investment before it can reopen.
Filming for a second series is expected to begin soon. Anyone interesting in supporting the Plough can find out more at the pub website.
