The Traveller's Rest, Skeeby: Yorkshire community-owned pub cancels tenant's lease just months after re-opening for the first time since 2008

The Traveller’s Rest in Skeeby, near Richmond, only re-opened in May after being closed for 15 years, during which villagers had fought with a property developer to stop the building being turned into housing. When his planning application was finally refused, he sold the pub to 260 shareholders.

They decided The Traveller’s would be run on a leasehold contract, which was awarded to Chris Wallace, director of the Richmond Brewing Company. However, in August the brewery forfeited its own tenancy on a unit at The Station in Richmond, and is now trading without premises.

The Traveller’s will now be closed for a short period, but will re-open on a temporary tenancy while a new licensee is sought.

A statement from the Skeeby Community Pub Society read: "With immediate effect The Travellers Rest, Skeeby will be closed for a short period.

"The community owned pub, which re-opened earlier in May after a 15-year closure, has over 260 shareholders and is a popular choice for those seeking home cooked food and real ales in a lovingly restored country pub. It has attracted enormous local support and is home to darts and quoits teams, with regular bingo and quiz nights. The recent bank holiday BBQ was a huge success and was welcomed by people enjoying live music and good food in the extensive beer garden.

"SCPS has been working tirelessly alongside the tenant to try and overcome various issues. However, despite everyone's best efforts the tenant has not found it possible to meet the terms of the lease. Therefore, SCPS have served notice to the tenant, which has resulted in forfeiture of the lease with immediate effect.

"Two former board members have agreed to temporarily take the tenancy (independently of SCPS) under a ‘Tenancy at Will’ agreement. This means that the pub can remain open as usual while we seek a long-term tenant. The pub will be closed for a short time to carry out essential stock taking and handover but will re-open in the coming days under the usual stewardship of manager Karen McGhee and her team.

“We will be starting the recruitment process for a new tenant in the coming weeks which will include an open day to attract potential applicants. Further details will be available in due course. Please be assured this is not a decision we have taken lightly. However, we feel our actions are in the best interest of all concerned.”

The Traveller's Rest is not the only community pub in the Richmond area facing issues with tenants. In August, the owners of The George and Dragon at Hudswell, which has been in shareholder ownership since 2010, announced that volunteers would take over staffing the inn themselves for a temporary period after the departure of licensees Mark and Michelle Firby, who gave notice on their lease due to high operating costs.