Peak District pubs: Last pub in Bamford - The Anglers Rest - at risk of 'imminent closure'

The Anglers Rest in Bamford may struggle to stay open until the end of this month due to rising costs, managers say.

The boozer was saved in 2013 by locals who wanted to keep a pub and Post Office in the village.

But it is in peril again.

A Facebook post states it has struggled financially in the last year due to rising costs and faces closure without ‘immediate help’.

It adds: “The Anglers Rest in Bamford is a community-owned pub, cafe and post office bought by the local residents in 2013 to save it from closure and to keep a pub and post office in the village.

“For 11 years it has been run by volunteers from the community and limited paid staff, serving the needs of the immediate community and visitors to the area.

“However, in the last year it has struggled financially due to rising costs and it really needs your support to stay open. Without your immediate help The Anglers faces closure’.”

Bamford Community Society has issued a plea for donations and volunteers. A crowdfunder has raised £4,000 of a £30,000 target and runs until February 5.

Responding on the pub’s Facebook page, David Cartwright said the community was very different from when the Anglers was packed with locals and tourists.

He added: “Witness the huge crowds at former carnivals that we remember - where are they now? There is one retail shop (bakery) in the main village instead of eight or more, and many people just don't go to pubs like they used to - that social drinking culture we all enjoyed at the time is largely gone.

“The village has become, at least in part, a dormitory for commuters working in Sheffield, Manchester and elsewhere. Tourists do not stop here like they do in Hathersage, Castleton and Hope (and Yorkshire Bridge) because there isn't much to attract them and there's little parking, although ironically there's plenty available at the Anglers.

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“This is what you are fighting; if successive landlords over twenty years have been unable to make the business work in that same village environment, what can you possibly do differently to the pub that will fix things?”

David and Elaine Randall said it needed more customers.

“The Anglers offers so much potential and has people with energy and ideas getting involved but what it really needs is locals as well as visitors walking through the door.

“If we choose to go elsewhere we only have ourselves to blame if it folds.”

Alan Hyde said: “A crowd of us spent a great couple of nights (and mornings) there recently while on a walking weekend. Brilliant pub, hope this goes well.”

In March, The Royal in Dungworth village closed after 211 years with the landlord blaming changing habits including more drinking at home. A Save the Royal campaign failed to reach its initial target of £500,000.