A woman, who has taken over an historic pub in Salterforth, said she is excited to "take on a new adventure”.

Michelle Finnigan is the new manager of Anchor Inn on Salterforth Lane, which officially reopened on Friday, July 14.

It has been closed since September 2022. 

Michelle, with the help of landlord Tom Davies and partner Ian Ralph, plan to turn the site into a treasured community pub.

She said: “We want to turn it into more of a community pub that is pet and family friendly.

“We are hoping to get a pool table and a jukebox for visitors to enjoy.

“In August we want to open the kitchen so we can serve pub food that is reasonably priced.

“We want to create a comfortable and friendly environment.”

Michelle used to work in the pub, as kitchen hand and waitress, 30 years ago.

She said: “I used to work in The Anchor 30 years ago. I know a bit about the pub but it is very different to how it was all those years ago.

“Many people recognise my face from when I used to work here in the past.

“I know the pub really well and I know the community too.”

Michelle, who grew up in Buxton before moving to Barnoldswick aged 21, says punters are excited to visit the pub, which dates back to 1655.

She said: “People are excited on social media. They are buzzing to see it open again.

“We have had numerous people knocking on the door, asking when we are going to open.

“I am so happy, excited and nervous. It’s a new adventure for me and we have been busy setting up and cleaning it, ready to open.”

In its early days, The Anchor Inn used to be called the The Travellers Rest.

In the 1770s, when work was taking place on the construction of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which runs behind the pub, the inn became damp and the new pub was built above it utilising the old pub as its cellars.

It is famous for stalagmites and stalactites, elongated forms of various minerals deposited from solution by slowly dripping water, which have formed over the centuries in its cellar vaults.