The Travellers Rest, Skeeby: Historic Yorkshire pub that dates back to 1800s gets the spotlight from CAMRA beer and pub enthusiasts in new TV series
A North Yorkshire pub that dates back to the 1800s has been recognised by the national beer and pub organisation CAMRA in a documentary series.
The Travellers Rest is based in the village of Skeeby and was saved and re-opened when villagers came together to take over the community pub.
CAMRA is publishing its latest installment in its community owned pub documentary series, showcasing The Travellers Rest in Skeeby.
The pub was bought by volunteers and the Skeeby Community Pub Society in 2022, and after raising nearly £300,000 in 2023, the pub opened its doors for the first time since 2008.
The latest film show what it is like to campaign and save a pub, as well as how to open and maintain a pub under community ownership with interviews from the pub’s key volunteers, staff and passionate locals.
It will also document the local community’s efforts to save the pub and highlight how the pub cultivated friendships, especially with its popular Leek Club vegetable competition.
It is hoped that the Travellers Rest story will inspire communities across the country who want to save their pub from closure, conversion or demolition and save it as a community owned business.
Film director, Katie Greenhalf, and producer, Rachel Auty, partnered with the charity Plunkett UK that supports community owned businesses and together they have made an emotional and humorous documentary on how important community owned pubs are in tackling loneliness and isolation in UK communities.
CAMRA’s Yorkshire regional director, Kevin Keaveny, said: “This film series highlights how important pubs are to the well-being of our communities.
“If it wasn’t for the amazing volunteers who campaigned so hard to save the Travellers Rest, it may have been lost forever, robbing people of an important social hub.
“Community owned pubs show the difference we can all make when we come together. I hope audiences watching are inspired by the success of Travellers Rest and look into the option of community ownership to save their own local from demolition or conversion.
“The Government must re-introduce a community ownership fund, so community groups can get the help to save their beloved closed locals.”