'Rundown' military pub saved by new ownership

The pub dates back to the mid-19th Century when it was bought by brewers Timothy Taylor's

A pub which was a local brewery's first tied house back in 1859 has been saved from closure.

The Volunteers on Lawkholme Lane in Keighley was put up for sale earlier this year, placing its future as licensed premises under threat.

The Keighley Civic Society applied for it to be registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) in a bid to protect it from a change of use.

Now Graham Marshall, who runs an independent pub company, has confirmed he is in the process of buying the business.

Graham Marshall runs a company which owns a number of pubs in the Bradford district

Mr Marshall is also the landlord of The New Inn in Appletrewick, near Skipton, along with his partner Sarah Wicks.

He said: "It makes me feel extremely proud. It's what was need rather than it becoming a taxi rank or something else. It needed to remain a pub.

"It's not the prettiest of buildings, but it's got an amazing atmosphere inside and I think it can be reborn."

Mr Marshall, who is originally from Otley and used to drink in The Volunteers himself, said he had already found tenants to run the business.

He said: "We have a local couple who used to drink in there until it got dreadfully rundown.

"They intend to give it a complete facelift, with our assistance, and we're going to let them run it just how they want to run it."

Mr Marshall said the civic society and Bradford Council have agreed to the purchase, but he expected a five-week delay due to conditions of the Asset of Community Value listing.

The walls of The Volunteers were once covered in military memorabilia which is currently in storage

The Volunteers, then known as The Volunteers Arms, was bought by local brewers Timothy Taylor's back in 1859.

It was tied to the company until they sold it in 2013 and it became a freehouse.

The Volunteers had military memorabilia on its walls donated by soldiers from Keighley, some of whom signed up to fight for their country in the pub.

The items remained in the care of Timothy Taylor's and are in storage.

Jane Lee, secretary of the Keighley Civic Society, said: "We ensured the listing by Bradford Council of The Volunteers pub as an ACV, enumerating its historic, social and cultural history and heritage as the prime justification.

"Armed with that and the principles of the 'Protect our Pubs' policy we have fought for and with the regulars, an apt description given the pub's rich military connections, in their efforts to ensure the pub's survival.

"It now remains to restore the pub to its former glory, including displaying the pictures and photographs."

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