Community pub The Travellers Rest in Skeeby to open on April 1

It was a day many thought would never come, but The Travellers Rest at Skeeby, near Richmond, will open its doors in six weeks' time.

Over the past year the scheme to save the pub has gathered momentum as volunteers and tradespeople restored The Travellers Rest with a new and improved layout and facilities.

The project has been supported financially with grants from Richmondshire District Council and the Plunkett Foundation, but mainly through the sale of shares to people locally - and as far afield as Australia.

In years gone by, the pub would serve more than 100 Sunday lunches in the space of three hours, an impressive feat considering there were less than 40 seats in the entire building. However, in 2008 the pub closed and was eventually bought by a developer with the aim of converting it into a residential property.

The Skeeby Community Pub Society (SCPS) was formed to fight the planning application, and after a lengthy battle, finally took ownership of the pub in early 2022. A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately, the building had been stripped of all its amenities, including the bar, so the restoration project was a huge undertaking. The newly refurbished pub will feature all-new button-back fitted seating, reclaimed furniture, a hand-crafted bespoke bar, wood burning stove, an enclosed outside courtyard, wheelchair accessible facilities and a new first floor ‘Garden Room’ with decking and views over the quoits pitches and beer garden.

"As well as reopening as a pub, the new venue will become a community hub, offering additional facilities for the local residents.

"There will be no brewery ties for the new business, allowing the manager complete freedom to support small, local businesses when stocking the bar and kitchen. The pub will be offering traditional home-cooked food, good quality beers, spirits and wines, along with hot drinks and cakes. The aim is also to bring much-loved traditional pub games back to the venue, as well as community events and celebrations, music, and culture."

The SCPS has now revealed local Chris Wallace has taken on the lease of the pub. Chris intends to employ an experienced manager and chef to run the Travellers Rest, in a similar way to that of The Castle Tavern in Richmond, where he is also the leaseholder. Chris also owns The Richmond Brewing company which will provide guest beers at times, alongside other local brewers.

Following in the footsteps of other community pubs, The Travellers Rest hopes to attract custom from walkers and cyclists who enjoy the local footpaths and bridleways. It is also ideally situated on the Richmond to Darlington bus route, with services running twice an hour.

The Skeeby Community Pub Society has a committee of nine, along with more than 200 investors who have collectively invested almost £300,000 in the business. A limited number of shares are still available until the maximum shareholding of £325,000 is achieved, so organisers say they won’t be available for much longer.

Anyone who would like to invest, or wants more information regarding the project should email the travellersrestskeeby@outlook.com or head to the website www.thetravellersrestskeeby.co.uk.