A Yorkshire Pub with Jon Richardson: New Channel 4 series to follow comedian as he works with community of Fadmoor to restore historic pub dating back 243 years
A new Channel 4 series titled A Yorkshire Pub with Jon Richardson will follow the comedian as he helps restore the historic pub The Plough Inn at Fadmoor along with the local community.
The Plough at Fadmoor pub dates back to 1782 and for centuries it has been seen as a community space for locals.
In 2011, its then-owner, local IT millionaire Peter Wilkinson, decided to close it down as he claimed it was running at a loss and applied to convert the buildings into housing and holiday lets.
This evoked controversy from the community of Fadmoor who fought to keep it open ever since as they believed it had potential due to its location at the ‘gateaway’ to the North York Moors National Park.
Over the years, the pub was listed in the Michelin Guide and was once very popular with a six-month waiting list for tables.
Four members of the local community set up Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, a community benefit society, that sought to save the pub from closure.
As part of their campaign, the building was registered as an asset of community value in 2013 and this status was subsequently renewed in 2019.
After the help of a successful Community Ownership Fund application, The Plough’s future was secured on September 30, 2024.
The project has attracted some attention, including the support from renowned comedian and radio presenter Jon Richardson, known for his appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and his work as co-host with Russell Howard on BBC Radio 6 Music.
He also presented Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier and also featured with his wife Lucy Beaumont in the TV series Meet the Richardsons.
Jon enjoys visiting pubs and is also a fan of Yorkshire. When he heard about The Plough’s closure, he decided to join the initiative to save the business.
Full Fat TV has been commissioned to make A Yorkshire Pub with Jon Richardson, where they will follow the comedian as he works with the community of Fadmoor to bring the pub back to life.
The observational series for More4 follows Jon as he becomes a shareholder in Fadmoor Community Pub Limited and sets to work with the team to restore the historic watering hole, which dates back to 1782.
Along the way, Jon will get to know the local rural community, put in his fair share of work as everyone works together to complete the renovation, as well as tackling the various challenges cropping up.
The bar might not be up and running yet, but the beer is already flowing as Jon helps with fundraising events, champions the project’s sustainability and embraces the local produce on offer.
Jon said: “I love pubs so much that I turned my garage into one, but it didn’t scratch the itch so now I’ve ended up owning one. Or a share of a crumbling one, anyway.
“When I first heard about The Plough, I had to go and see it and then when I met the amazing people working to rescue it, I couldn’t resist getting involved.
“Like a good pint, they are lively and cool with good heads on them, and they make you feel better about the world.
“Pubs are the beating heart of their communities and we’re, hopefully, going to have a great time bringing The Plough back to its former glory.
“I know it’s going to be hard work, but I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and watch other people getting their hands dirty.”
Fadmoor Community Pub Limited chairman, Peter Jones, said: “We have a lot of work to do to renovate this derelict pub, which has been closed for 14 years, and bring it back to life as a thriving community pub at the heart of this village.
“We look forward to sharing this journey with Jon and More4 viewers, especially as Jon has offered to buy the first round when we open!”
Channel 4 commissioning editor, Jayne Stanger, said: “This is a dream commission: a much-loved comedian with a passion, a fantastic community brimming with brilliant characters, plus a mission to save one of the most-cherished British traditions – the humble local pub. Cheers to Jon, his Yorkshire pub and the team at Full Fat TV capturing this special story for us.”
Full Fat TV CEO, Colette Foster, said: “At Full Fat TV we'd been reading about the decline of pubs, however it was the rise of community pubs halting that decline that really inspired us - locals buying pubs at risk of closure and repurposing them to offer services for the entire community as well as a pint.
“We were delighted when Jon said he wanted to invest in The Plough, allowing us to follow him and the Fadmoor community as they bring this special local in a spectacular part of Yorkshire back to life.”