Only one local pub has made it onto shortlist

PUBS from Kirklees have been snubbed in the final of this year’s Yorkshire’s Favourite Pub competition.

Almost 800 pubs were initially nominated and the final line-up of 18 is the biggest it’s ever been for the 2018 competition – run by Welcome to Yorkshire.

Only one from Huddersfield, the Dunkirk at Denby Dale, has made it onto the shortlist although there are some from neighbouring Calderdale, including The Millers Bar, Brighouse.

Members of the public were invited to vote for their favourite pubs across Yorkshire and rose to the occasion – casting around 8,000 votes.

The nominated pubs includes two former winners – The Carpenters Arms in Felixkirk, North Yorkshire and Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax.

The shortlist also includes hopefuls from across all four corners of Yorkshire, including The Huntsman in Thurlstone, near Penistone, The Old Star in Kilham, near Driffield, Marine Bar in Bridlington and The Brown Cow in Bingley.

Voting is now open again so the public can pick their winner – and the pub with the most votes will be revealed at a special presentation at the Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, on Tuesday, July 10.

Every pub which makes it into the top 30 will be included in the Welcome to Yorkshire Ale Trail publication.

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive at Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “For another year we’ve had a huge response to our competition – record numbers of people have voted and shown their support for Yorkshire’s fantastic pubs.

“It’s also interesting that the voting has revealed a real renaissance in Yorkshire breweries. Good luck to all the finalists.

“To make it to the final when the public have nominated almost 800 pubs is a huge achievement. I look forward to finding out who the public has voted as the winner of this coveted title.”

Vote for your favourite Yorkshire pub at: https://www.yorkshire.com/ pub Members of the four families that saved the Dunkirk pub in Denby Dale and now jointly own and run it. (Back row from left) Mark Ronan, Alyson Ronan, Toby Foster, Nia Evans, Ben Kernahan, Martyn Schofield (landlord), James Hampshire, Holly Hampshire, Tarn Kernahan, David Kernahan. (Front row from left) Robyn Hampshire, Brooke Kernahan, Milly Ronan with Doris the Dog and Frank Ronan

The 18 finalists are: 1, Golden Lion, Todmorden; 2, Haworth Old Hall, Haworth; 3, Marine Bar, Bridlington; 4, The Brown Cow, Bingley; 5, The Carpenters Arms, Felixkirk; 6, The Coach and Horses, Harrogate; 7, The Craven Arms, Appletreewick; 8, The Dunkirk, Denby Dale; 9, The Fairfax Arms, Gilling East; 10, The Farmers Arms, Muker, (Yorkshire Dales); 11, The Fleece, Addingham, near Skipton; 12, The Huntsman, Thurlstone; 13, The Millers Bar, Brighouse; 14, The Old Star, Kilham; 15, The Plough Inn, Wombleton; 16, The Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax; 17, The Ship Inn, Sewerby; 18, The Stubbing Wharf, Hebden Bridge. The annual contest was first launched in 2011 to help promote Yorkshire’s amazing variety of pubs.

The Huddersfield area boasts some great pubs from the ivy-clad Nags Head at Ainley Top to the legendary Sair Inn at Linthwaite, home to Yorkshire’s brewing revolution.

And let’s not forget one of Yorkshire’s last traditional pubs, The Slubbers Arms at Halifax Old Road, Huddersfield, which comes complete with old-fashioned snugs, decades of textile heritage on its walls and its original loos slung from the ceiling.

Then there’s the idyllic Woodman Inn at Thunderbridge, classy and stylish with beer garden, a babbling stream as well as serving great beers at what was originally an 18th century inn.