Greetland - Local Attractions - Public Houses

Public Houses

Greetland is well known in the Calderdale area for its traditional Pubs.

The Druid's Arms (closed 2004)

Perhaps the oldest public house in Greetland, the Druids Arms is affectionately known locally as the "Rat". The sign outside the pub was altered by the current landlord to reflect this.

The pub has been at the centre of a planning dispute with local residents. Since its closure on 17 October 2004, the landlord has applied for planning permission to turn the pub into flats. However, a local residents' committee is attempting to launch objections to the proposed change of function.

The Druids Arms appears in local folklore: Greetland is the home of 'Brandy Hole Wood'. The origin of the wood's name is ingrained in local folklore. It is said by local residents that (sometime before the start of the 20th century) in order to avoid paying excessive tax on his stockpiled alcohol, the landlord of the local pub, The Druids Arms, would roll barrels of spirits into the wood in order to hide them. When the taxman came to take an inventory of the pub's cellar he would not account for the hidden barrels, and so the landlord avoided paying tax on the barrels stashed in the woods.

The cottage adjacent to the pub has been sold. The landlord and his family are still currently living in the pub (February 2008).

The Golden Fleece (closed 2008)

This pub came to nationwide media attention in early January 2008. The supposed landlord, Stuart Smith (It would later emerge that the premises traded under his sons alcohol license) had been publicly flouting the smoking ban that was introduced throughout England in July 2007. He Allowed customers to smoke inside his pub, and has either taken down non-smoking signs or written over them with 'Smoking Allowed'. The pub received support from smokers and non-smokers alike from Halifax, Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds. The landlord claims to have even received phone calls of support from Germany, Croatia and the USA.

Stuart Smith has also recently announced (16 January 2008) that he is to open another pub in Huddersfield(The College Arms) where he will also allow his customers to smoke. He said he wishes to create a small smoking area, leaving most of the pub a non-smoking venue.

The Golden Fleece has now shut its doors to the public following a "case in which the authority, the police and Admiral Taverns worked together to shut the pub". It emerged that Stuart Smith was not the approved licensee of the premises and had no legal entitlement to sell alcohol from the premises.

Others

Greetland is also home to the Rose and Crown Pub (Known locally as "The Crown" or more affectionately "The Frown"), it is also well known to by the locals as "The Rose", The Branch Road Inn, The Sportsman Inn, The Spring Rock, The Star, The Travelers Rest, The Queen, The Shears and a number of Working Mens Clubs.