It turns out Jon Richardson loves pubs just as much as the rest of us – so much so, he’s become part-owner of one. When the comedian heard last orders were looming for The Plough at Fadmoor, a historic North Yorkshire boozer, he couldn’t resist stepping in to help save it. Yorkshire’s oldest pubs are some of the best in Britain, so we are excited that Jon is saving such a unique spot.
The Plough, which dates back to 1782, has been closed for 14 years. Now, with the backing of the community and a camera crew in tow, Richardson is on a mission to restore it to its former glory in A Yorkshire Pub with Jon Richardson – an eight-part observational series commissioned by More4 that’s set to air on More4 at 9pm on Wednesday, 4th February. The show, produced by Full Fat TV, will air as two four-episode runs.
Viewers will see Richardson roll up his sleeves (and occasionally pass the hard graft onto others) as he joins the Fadmoor Community Pub Limited team. Together, they’ll tackle everything from renovations and fundraising events to embracing sustainability and showcasing local produce on the edge of the North York Moors.
The first episode shows Jon Richardson meeting committee members and volunteers, and the comedian gets stuck demolishing the toilet block, and gathering supplies for the workers. A pub is nothing without its beer, and Jon fetches beer for an Investor and Supporter meeting. The rest of the series will see the restoration of the pub in the North Yorkshire countryside.
“I love pubs so much that I turned my garage into one, but it didn’t scratch the itch,” Richardson joked. “So now I’ve ended up owning one – or a share of a crumbling one, anyway. When I met the amazing people working to rescue The Plough, I couldn’t resist getting involved. Pubs are the beating heart of their communities, and hopefully we’re going to have a great time bringing this one back to life.”
Channel 4’s Senior Commissioning Editor, Jayne Stanger, called the project “a dream commission,” praising Richardson’s passion and the “fantastic community brimming with brilliant characters.” Full Fat TV’s Colette Foster added that the rise of community-owned pubs – locals stepping in to save and repurpose venues – inspired the production company to follow The Plough’s story.
For Peter Jones, Chairman of Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, the series is a chance to show just how much a local pub can mean to a village: “We have a lot of work to do to renovate this derelict pub and bring it back to life, but we look forward to sharing the journey with Jon and More4 viewers – especially as Jon has promised to buy the first round when we open!”
Filming for the second series of A Yorkshire Pub with Jon Richardson is expected to begin soon.
Feature Image Credit: Channel 4
