A Mirfield pub - known for supporting local veterans and their families - has celebrated its 24th birthday.

The Old Colonial, on Dunbottle Lane, opened on 4 July, 2000, after landlord and landlady Tim and Carol Wood bought what was the Town Gate Working Men’s Club in September 1999.

The couple spent nearly 12 months on a rebuilding project of the site and has now been serving the people of Mirfield ever since.

Tim told the Reporter Series: “We’ve grafted it. It took 12 months to rip apart and build onto it until we could start trading but it’s been a community-based success story ever since.

The Old Colonial in Mirfield celebrated its 24th birthday earlier this month. Pictured are from the left: Landlord, Tim Wood, landlady, Carol Wood, and staff members Aimee Lowe, Sydney Hinchliffe and Abigail Hinde-Marsden.

placeholder image — The Old Colonial in Mirfield celebrated its 24th birthday earlier this month. Pictured are from the left: Landlord, Tim Wood, landlady, Carol Wood, and staff members Aimee Lowe, Sydney Hinchliffe and Abigail Hinde-Marsden.

“We have supported lots of different local cultures and associations within the community, we’re still here and we are proud to be doing things for the community. We like to give something back to crown service veterans and make things nice for them.

“There’s a war memorial outside which we built for the Royal British Legion to bolster their numbers 20 odd years ago. We are still here, we’re still going forward and we’re still enjoying it.

“It is home. It is personal to us because it involves people. You can’t walk away from them. You have got to give something extra back to society.”

On the couple’s survival in the pub industry, Tim said:

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“I have had 45 years in the licensing trade which could be a record locally. I am pleased with what we have achieved. We have a good set of customers. They are all decent and sensible minded! We are happy to be here.

“We have had no support whatsoever from the outgoing government, with gas and electric prices going up. That has been a crippler and we had to curtail our hours. Coming out of Covid, there has been no help.

“It is a survivor's game. The pub trade and hospitality industry has been the lifeblood and backbone of this country for many years, and we’ve had nothing back. The Great British pub is a Great British institution and sadly, I think we have been let down in a lot of ways.

“We can’t thank the customers enough. They like to support us and like to be given a platform in which to support others from.”

The pub celebrated their 24th birthday with a special’s board made up of homemade dishes on Thursday, July 4.