The Famous Hare and Hounds: Top Gear star James May and Pointless star Alexander Armstrong visit Hebden Bridge pub to film Channel 4’s Perfect Pub Walks

At the end of April, the TV crew, host Alexander Armstrong and guest James May visited the pub to do some filming which stunned locals.

The pub was already full of visitors who took photos and filmed videos with the two stars after they were done filming.

The pub landlord, James Fielden, 47, from Hebden Bridge, enjoyed the process.

“It was fantastic,” he said.

“James May, Alexander Armstrong and the whole crew arrived, the pub was running as normal, they came in and set up in front of the big log fire and took filming shots outside of them walking and talking up the hill towards the pub.

“It’s not every day that James May and Alexander Armstrong walk into your local pub. A few of [our visitors] were Top Gear fans and they were really excited.

“The pub was absolutely packed to be fair but the people who weren’t locals who had booked to stay loved it.

“After the filming they were really good at letting the customers go over and get photos and have a conversation. Everything on social media has gone absolutely bonkers.

“It’s a busy pub anyway and to be honest a big chunk of people who were in there didn’t know anything about the filming.”

Mr Fielden said that he’s sure that it will bring a lot more attention to the pub, which is open from Thursday to Sunday.

“It’s already impacted the business,” he said.

“Not only [have I posted] bits of photography out there, but everybody who was in the pub have taken films and pictures and blasted [them] all over Facebook.

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“ It puts [the pub] right out there and really boosts bringing customers to the pub. It really is fitting into its name ‘The Famous Hare and Hounds’.

“We will definitely now see a benefit of that going into this weekend’s opening.

“I spend a lot of time on social media and [working with] algorithms and everything else and the minute that something like this happens and goes digital, it then draws attention and draws people to your website.”

James May and Alexander Armstrong also took part in the pub’s popular Animal Mixed Grill Challenge.

“I think it was more of a token gesture,” Mr Fielden said.

“We cooked it, delivered it out to them and it was all on film. I think it was for something interesting to have as part of the filming.

“I delivered it on a big platter. The film crew was fantastic, it went really well, the atmosphere in the pub was lovely and they got a lot of good filming out of it.”

The second series of Perfect Pub Walks is due to air on Channel 4 in autumn/winter time this year.