Rugby league legend Andy Gascoigne to sell Yorkshire Dales pub The Farmers Arms at Muker after 'negativity'

Mr Gascoigne and his wife Mandy bought The Farmers Arms at Muker in September 2020 but it is now up for sale again just a year later.

The couple have struggled to recruit staff in Swaledale and relied on volunteers to keep the pub open, and were also badly affected by lockdowns.

Wakefield-born Mr Gascoigne played for clubs including Bramley, Hull, Keighley, Leeds, Doncaster and York in a career spanning more than 15 years during the 1980s and 90s.

The Farmers Arms was the latest in a line of business ventures he has taken on, having already run an oyster bar and microbrewery on a Scottish island and set up the Haworth Steam Brewery. The self-taught brewer bought an old greengrocers in Haworth after returning to Yorkshire, and later branched out into gin distilling.

Mr Gascoigne admitted that the year had been challenging and that some customers had responded negatively to his adherence to Covid restrictions and his decision to focus on dining to sustain revenue.

The couple - with Mrs Gascoigne in charge of the kitchen - had funded extensive refurbishments but say they could 'never have imagined what lay ahead' and are 'certainly not living the dream'.

They are still without regular staff and their volunteer helpers have now left, and Mr Gascoigne said they 'are working harder now than at any other time in our lives' in their 60s.

"It's a thankless task, and nobody really appreciates the work that goes into running a place like The Farmers with only two of us.

"Mandy’s day starts with a walk in the meadow with our black Labrador, Buddy. Once they're back, the daily grind of prepping for lunch and evening service starts; there’s no time for a break between each shift as the washing up is still to complete, nothing comes out of the freezer here and our microwave is nearly redundant. Fresh food made to order is Mandy’s way but working alone each day means 14-hour shifts. I'm now pub cleaner, bar and cellar man, and stand alone 10 hours a day through the summer months. I’m nearly 60.

"The lack of family time as a couple really took its toll on the both of us."

Mrs Gascoigne added: "I have only one pair of hands and customers have no idea what’s happening in the kitchen - they just think it’s business as usual. Andy’s come under a tremendous amount of pressure to run the pub at pre-Covid levels but this is impossible with just the two of us. We have had to restrict our customers to mainly diners as it is what’s paying the bills and keeps the pub from closing, but that’s caused a lot of negativity

"We've also had poor reviews from drinkers who either can’t gain entry or are restricted to a small area inside or indeed outside. Andy hates this and had to endure much criticism from some local people; one woman wrote emails to him three times in two hours saying he didn’t care because he had not replied to her.

"Another factor is we only have eight tables in the whole pub, it’s important we use these wisely so the only way is to control footfall to make any money and maintain social distancing and I won’t have folk at the bar."

Mr Gascoigne added: "We are not looking forward to 2022 if we find ourselves in the same position as this year, so that’s why we have put The Farmers back on the market; either we get help to run this little gem of a place or we have to reluctantly let it go. If you know of a couple who would like to earn a living helping us next season with free accommodation and a good salary get in touch."

The Farmers Arms is for sale with Everard Cole with a guide price of £575,000. Interested parties should contact agent James Boshier at [email protected].