"It's a tiny village, we don't even have a shop"

This week's pub is found in Laneshawbridge, a village of fewer than 1,000 people near Colne, and is run by a couple with close ties to the area.

Jordon Hadfield and Domino Day took over the Emmott Arms weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions ever since.

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Jordon Hadfield, and I run the Emmott Arms with my partner Domino.

What made you want to take over a pub?

It's something I've always wanted to do. I was head chef at the other pub in the village for six years after I’d worked there for 13. I found out the former owners wanted to retire and sell, I asked about it and got it all sorted, and then two weeks later the first lockdown hit.

Tuna loin with sticky rice at the Emmott ArmsTuna loin with sticky rice at the Emmott Arms (Image: The Emmott Arms)

How much of an effect did Covid-19 have?

It wasn’t great, the first lockdown, none of the staff got any furlough as we didn't have a payroll set up, but we got the business grants. The second lockdown was easier as staff could get furlough and we could do some takeaway food. It’s a lot nicer now you can go out it's like normal life again, but since everyone was excited when the pandemic was over everything has died down a little bit. Then we had a recession and cost-of-living crisis.  Our electricity bills went up to £2,500 a month, just absolutely ridiculous for a village pub.

The pub is in Laneshawbridge, near Colne.The pub is in Laneshawbridge, near Colne. (Image: The Emmott Arms)

Onto the food, who do you cater to?

It's gourmet, and homemade, we make our own ice cream, our own bread, our own sausages in the winter, anything I can make in-house I will.  My favourite dish we do is the harissa lamb, it's a nice summery dish with jewelled rice, pomegranate and lemon yogurt.

The harissa lamb at the Emmott ArmsThe harissa lamb at the Emmott Arms (Image: The Emmott Arms)

What's the popular pick?

The chili beef, unfortunately, everybody seems to want it, it's all they ever have sometimes!  

I’ve been doing it for years, it’s always top every week, people can't get enough. Asian food is really popular at the minute.

But we do try and cater to everybody, our prices range from the £14 mark, so we do cheaper stuff like fish and chips.

Vocation is brewed in Hebden BridgeVocation is brewed in Hebden Bridge (Image: The Emmott Arms)

What beer is available?

  • Birra Morreti

  • Amstel

  • Beavertown Neck oil

  • Orchard pig cider

  • Vocation brewery - £4 Bread and Butter pint is the pub's cheapest

  • Salt brewery 

  • Moorhouse Brewery guest ales

  • Lancashire brewery's Top Dog - the punter's most popular pick

  • Pennine brewery ale selection.

  • Guinness

  • Cruzcampo

What's been the best thing since taking over?

We do have a group of locals that consistently come in, but a Friday and Sunday all the locals come in which is good. My first job was at the Emmott Arms when I was 14, I grew up 200 yards from the pub, so I really enjoy being in the community and speaking to people I've known for ages.

It’s also nice to be able to work for yourself, it means more to you when it's yours and you can have that personal stamp on a place.

Jordon will be hoping to have more sunny days in his beer garden this summerJordon will be hoping to have more sunny days in his beer garden this summer (Image: The Emmott Arms)

Are the financial strains easing off?

It's getting better but we're operating week to week. It can really vary, last week was Father's Day so we were busy, week before it was a bit rubbish.  It's unpredictable but that's the way it is.