New owner sought for historic Otley pub The Manor House after brewery Thwaites put it up for sale

Brewery Thwaites of Blackburn have decided to sell The Manor House and Otley Pub Club are calling for individuals or small companies to come forward and take on the freehold of the Victorian inn, which was a confectioner's house before becoming licensed premises in the 1860s.

Described as a 'proper community local', The Manor House is a mid-terrace property opposite the maypole on Manchester Square.

It has Asset of Community Value status, meaning community groups and charities can register their interest in running it before it goes on sale on the open market. The six-week moratorium ends on June 24. Otley Pub Club cannot trigger the clause themselves, but can work with other parties who express an interest. There is then a further six months in which a bidder can come up with a proposal.

Otley Pub Club said: "The current tenants, David and Eileen Stephan, have announced that they have decided to leave, so the pub could become a freehouse, a managed pub or a brewery tap. David and Eileen and family have run the pub for the last nine years, bringing an Irish twist to this Yorkshire mid-terrace local and Otley Pub Club thank them for their service to the town and for being popular local licensees and friends to many.

"The Manor has a reputation for folk music, with sessions and open mic evenings and it has long been the post-concert venue of choice for musicians on the annual Otley Folk Festival weekend. The Manor has a historic late 1am licence meaning that many people, often including other pub and hospitality staff, gather there at weekends.

"The pub has separate areas giving a traditional and cosy feel and in the winter, there is an impressive open fire. In the warmer months, the surprisingly large outdoor terrace at the back is a pleasant place to enjoy the weather, along with a marquee for music and an impressive seated smoking shelter.

"So it is a great opportunity for the right owner and Otley Pub Club look forward to working with whoever comes forward to buy the Manor House as a pub."

Otley Pub Club chair Rob Skinner added: “The Manor House is one of Otley’s famous historic pubs and with the news that the freehold is up for sale, we hope that a new owner will buy the pub and look forward to working with them. It is a lovely welcoming pub, a proper community local, with huge history and a great ambiance.

“We thank David and Eileen and their family for their years of service to the Otley community and are sad to see them go. We now hope that new a new operator will take up the reins and continue to make this one of Otley’s proper locals. There is the opportunity also for this to become a community or co-operative pub and we would also be happy to work with any group with an interest, if they contact us”.