The new owners of Chesterfield’s oldest pub say they have big plans for the venue after recently receiving the keys to their new business.
Meg Hartman and Patrick Hopkins are the landlords of Ye Royal Oak, based in Chesterfield’s historic Shambles in the heart of the town. The couple are currently working as teachers, and are balancing the pub’s renovation with their demanding jobs.
Speaking about their decision to take on the pub, which is claimed to date back to the 12th century, Meg explained: “Having lived in Chesterfield for almost three years now, we frequently passed the Royal Oak and spoke about how we’d love to be in the position to buy the pub to transform it back to being a beautiful boozer.
“We are currently both teachers (Patrick – a secondary history teacher – and Meg – a special needs primary school teacher) and while this has been a rewarding career for us both, it has been a lifelong dream of ours to own a pub. We knew that we wanted something in the area and we also wanted a historic pub whose heritage we could celebrate and restore. The Royal Oak, obviously, ticked both of these boxes and we were fortunate enough to be in a position to buy the pub as independent owners.”
The couple say once the pub is back up and running, they are keen to turn it into a venue which can be used by all corners of the local community.
Meg added: “We think it has huge potential as a town centre venue. We are aiming to be a wet led pub with a warm and welcome atmosphere selling regional, national and international craft ale, beer and cider. Having both spent a lot of time working up in the Highlands, we also hope to provide a robust whisky offering.
“Our food offering will be a fine selection of bar snacks (think butties, pork pies, sausage rolls, pickled eggs and the best crisp selection you could imagine). As we become more settled in the rituals and routines of Royal Oak life, we may look to extend this offering to pies and toasties. We will also have a solid roster of regular events (such as a weekly pub quiz, folk sessions, chess nights) as well as one-off events (tap takeovers, meet the brewers etc.). We are also hoping to serve as a space for groups within the local community to come together and connect.”
Since moving to Chesterfield three years ago, Meg and Patrick say they have fallen in love with the town and its people: “We love living in Chesterfield. It’s such a great town that is really made by the people that live here. We have had such an overwhelmingly lovely response from locals who love the pub and have shared their own stories with us.
“We feel very supported in this venture. As the oldest pub in Chesterfield, we are thrilled to add to its layers of history and want to do our best to preserve its heritage. We are looking forward to collaborating with local pub history tours to bring in locals and visitors to the town alike to share in the thrilling history of the town’s pubs. Sitting just in the Shambles, we are looking forward to the developments being made in the market and look forward to being a destination for shoppers to come for a pint, a coffee or a chat. We are also looking forward to joining a network of superb local independent businesses.”
Keep up to date with the pub’s renovation on Ye Royal Oak’s social media pages:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yeroyaloakchesterfield
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeroyaloak_chd/
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