Key Points
- Comedian Jon Richardson leads 180 volunteers to restore The Plough at Fadmoor, a pub closed for 15 years, funded by a £297,000 government grant.
- The Channel 4 documentary series Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue showcases the challenges of reviving the pub and highlights its social importance to the community.
- Richardson became a shareholder of Fadmoor Community Pub Limited and emphasizes the broader difficulties British pubs face beyond government policy changes.
The British pub has long been woven into the fabric of the nation’s social life—a place for laughter, solace, and the odd pint after a hard day’s work. But in recent years, these beloved institutions have been closing their doors at an alarming rate, battered by rising costs, changing habits, and, some argue, a government that’s not always in their corner. Into this fraught landscape steps comedian Jon Richardson, who, with his trademark blend of awkwardness and sincerity, has thrown himself into a rescue mission unlike any he’s attempted before.
In the new Channel 4 documentary series Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue, Richardson, best known for his quick wit on shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, joins a determined band of 180 volunteers to revive The Plough at Fadmoor, a pub that’s stood empty for fifteen years on the edge of the North York Moors. The show, which began filming in September 2025 and debuts on More4, is more than just a reality series; it’s a heartfelt look at what it takes to breathe life back into a community hub, and what pubs mean to the people who love them.
According to Daily Mail, the restoration effort is no small feat. The Plough had fallen into deep disrepair—no walls, no floor, no electrics, and not even a toilet in sight. Richardson himself was taken aback by the scale of the challenge. “The first time I walked in, I could not believe there were no walls, no floor, no electrics, no toilets. I was flabbergasted,” he said, likening the project more to an episode of Grand Designs than a simple pub rescue. The daunting task, however, did not deter the comedian or his fellow volunteers, who rolled up their sleeves with the help of a £297,000 government grant.
Richardson’s involvement goes beyond celebrity endorsement. He became a shareholder in Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, the group spearheading the revival. The comedian’s dream of owning a pub had always been simmering in the background, though he jokes about the practicalities. “I mentioned to my accountant once that my long-term goal was to own a pub, and I think it was the closest he’s come to punching me in the face. So this is like a dream. It’s a dream option where you don’t have to own the full pub, but you get to gob off about what you think they should have and what you think they should sell,” Richardson told Channel 4.
But why The Plough, and why now? As Richardson explains, the idea for the series began with conversations about the fate of community-owned pubs. When the production team heard about The Plough’s plight, they visited Fadmoor and were immediately drawn in by the warmth of the locals and the potential of the building. “We went up and did a visit and met everyone, and it just seemed right immediately. The people there were amazing, and the building was great. It was a quick turnaround from finding the building to getting Channel 4 to back it, so we were quite lucky,” Richardson said.
The timing of the documentary is no accident. The government, facing mounting criticism for high business rates and taxes that have forced many pubs to close, recently announced a support package and a U-turn on some of its policies. Yet, as Richardson notes, the challenges facing British pubs go far deeper than a single policy fix. “I think pubs have faced various challenges over the years. There’s always something on beer duties. At the moment, I think there’s a big problem around pubs, and a limit to what the publicans themselves are able to do in the buildings that they run. You can feel a clash between the problems that pubs are facing and their importance in the country,” he explained.
For Richardson, the heart of the matter is the unique social role pubs play. “Their importance can’t be overstated,” he said. “Lockdown was defined by the access you had to a pub. I feel like every different phase we were in was about whether you could eat in a pub, drink in a pub, sitting two people in a pub.” The series doesn’t dwell on the economics or the politics, but instead asks what makes a pub truly valuable to its community, and what it takes to keep one open for another fifty years.
The restoration itself is a blend of hard graft and gentle mockery. Richardson, never shy about his lack of manual skills, becomes the butt of many jokes as he attempts everything from donning a hi-viz jacket to wielding a sledgehammer. At one point, he’s sent to fetch lunch for the volunteers—only to be stumped when the shop doesn’t offer vegan rolls. Yet, he finds genuine satisfaction in the work. “The manual labour I loved, because I’ve never done anything like it. I’ve been doing comedy for 20 years, so there’s no tangible thing I’ve ever achieved. So even just to grout a tile and to be able to say, ‘I can come for a wee in here in like 30 years and see that bit of grouting and know that I did it’, it’s a totally unique feeling to me,” he shared. He even proudly sent photos of his repointed stone wall to friends and family, likening himself to a toddler eager for approval.
But the show isn’t just about one man’s journey. It’s about the collective effort of a community determined to reclaim its gathering place. The volunteers, many of whom have invested both time and money, hope the restored pub will boost tourism and breathe new life into their village. As Daily Mail points out, it’s a noble enterprise—one that highlights both the resilience and the vulnerability of British pubs in the modern era.
Richardson is candid about his own suitability as a landlord. “I’d be a terrible landlord because I’m quite grumpy. Ultimately, what I like, this is the real problem facing pubs: quiet pubs. I like pubs where I can sit in the corner, maybe stroke a dog now and again, go and get a pint, sit and not be bothered. But for The Plough to succeed, it needs to be busy and full all the time, which I would be advising them against – let’s not have too many people in,” he quipped. Thankfully, he adds, the day will come when the shareholders hand over the reins to a professional manager.
As the series unfolds, viewers will see Richardson and the Fadmoor community navigate obstacles, from construction mishaps to the more philosophical question of how pubs must adapt to changing drinking habits. Richardson believes pubs are about more than just alcohol. “The pub is one of the few places where you’ll have a table full of nanas together, just giggling and howling and owning up to stuff. And you’ll have men who wouldn’t talk in any other situation having conversations that they didn’t think they were going to talk about when they arrived. There are essentials for that, and that is not booze-reliant, which I’m realising now,” he reflected.
With Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue airing on More4, Richardson and the people of Fadmoor offer a hopeful—if sometimes hilarious—blueprint for saving not just one pub, but perhaps the spirit of the British local itself. For those who cherish the pub as a cornerstone of community life, the series is a timely reminder of what’s at stake, and what can be achieved when people come together, pint glasses in hand, for a common cause.
