About Us

We are two long term members of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) who have followed our dreams to run a pub promoting Traditional Real Cask Handpulled beers from Independent breweries.

When Simon was made redundant as a computer analyst/programmer in February 2002 we decided that this was the opportunity to run a pub of our own. We had previously been involved in the running of beer festivals when we lived in Hampshire and had developed a love of "Real Ale". So, with some trepidation, we eventually ended up moving from Bristol to Yorkshire in June 2002. Why this pub? Because both of us felt that this was the right one.

After a very steep learning curve, we managed to build trade sufficiently to install a second handpump in August 2002, the third early in 2003 and a fourth initially for special occasions in late 2003. These have subsequently been added to by a fifth and a separate handpump for scrumpy cider.

In Spring 2003 our local CAMRA branch in Doncaster (Doncaster CAMRA Website) voted us "Pub of the Season" and in early 2004 made us their 'Pub of the Year', an honour repeated for 2005. In 2006 they voted us their 'District Pub of the Year' an honour which they have repeated each year from 2008 to 2010 and again in 2012, 2014 to 2016 and again in 2018. In 2007 and 2012 we were voted runner up in the CAMRA Yorkshire Regional Pub of the Year competition, in 2010 we were voted third and in 2011 we were voted Yorkshire CAMRA Pub of the Year. As a result of local voting we have been included in the 2004 to 2018 Good Beer Guides, a national publication by CAMRA.

No summary of who we are can omit our late pub dogs.

Orval, a Bouvier des Flandres  named after a Belgian Trappist beer. He greeted people as they arrived (until it got too busy) and was always grateful to share a bag of snacks with any willing customer. He died in July 2006 but is alive in the memories of our regulars.

He was to a degree replaced in January 2007 by Bruno a year old rescue Bouvier. He took a while to learn his job but tried very hard to fill Orval's pawmarks! He developed his own separate character and his own approach to the job. He loved snacks from certain people and if they are a bit slow he had a habit of reminding them of his presence by tapping their leg! After 11 1/2 years of service he joined Orval in August 2018.

After nearly 17 years Simon & Jane decided to take a gap year/semi retirement and have left the pub. We have every confidence in Jill and John carrying on the tradition.