Jon Richardson Leads Revival Of Yorkshire Pub

The great British pub has long been considered the beating heart of many communities—a place for celebration, solace, and connection. But in recent years, the fate of these cherished establishments has hung in the balance, with hundreds shuttering their doors, battered by economic pressures and shifting social habits. Against this backdrop, a new Channel 4 documentary, Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue, shines a spotlight on one village’s determined fight to bring its local back to life, with comedian Jon Richardson at the helm.

The Plough at Fadmoor, nestled on the windswept edge of the North York Moors, had stood derelict for 15 years. Once a bustling social hub, its closure left a void in the rural community. According to Daily Mail, it took a remarkable coalition of around 180 volunteers—and a hefty £297,000 government grant—to kickstart a rescue mission. The goal? To revive not just a building, but the spirit of the village itself.

Jon Richardson, best known for his quick wit on 8 Out of 10 Cats and as a star of Waterloo Road, saw the project as a dream come true. "Yeah, it has been," he confessed in an interview ahead of the show’s release, when asked if pub ownership had always been an ambition. "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 became a shareholder in the Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, joining forces with locals and fellow enthusiasts. The documentary, which began filming in September 2025 and aired on More4 at 9pm on February 4, 2026, follows his journey as he dons a hard hat, picks up tools, and—often with comedic mishaps—throws himself into the renovation effort.

When Richardson first set foot inside The Plough, he was floored 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. So even the starting point to me was this is more Grand Designs than a pub series. This is actually building something from scratch," he admitted, as reported by Channel 4.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Richardson’s struggles with manual labor became a recurring theme—and a source of gentle mockery from the community. He recounted, "If that’s what you’re into, people laughing at my efforts, then I’ll be pleased to tell you people were mocking my driving, my parking, the sandwiches that I bring at lunchtime. That is a recurring theme. But 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. So I’ll take the mockery."

Viewers were treated to scenes of Richardson wrestling with hi-viz jackets, wielding a sledgehammer with more enthusiasm than skill, and even being dispatched to fetch lunch—only to be stymied by the lack of vegan options at the local sandwich shop. As Daily Mail humorously noted, the volunteers soon tired of assistance from a "media luvvie," sending him off on errands while they pressed on with the heavy lifting.

Richardson’s involvement wasn’t just physical. He became a vocal advocate for the value of pubs as crucial community spaces. "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 to Channel 4. He pointed out that, especially during lockdown, the presence or absence of a pub shaped the rhythm of daily life: "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. Their importance can’t be overstated."

Yet, for all his affection for the traditional pub, Richardson admitted he might not make the best 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." Still, he recognized that the future of The Plough would depend on embracing change—and on eventually handing the reins to someone with the stamina for the daily grind.

The project’s timing coincided with a government U-turn and a new support package for struggling pubs, a move that Richardson saw as overdue but essential. The juxtaposition of government aid with the ongoing burden of taxes and business rates wasn’t lost on observers. As Daily Mail pointed out, it’s "bonkers that the Labour government is providing aid to defunct pubs, while driving hundreds out of business with sky–high business rates, taxes and levies on booze and food."

Amid the hard work and laughter, the documentary also offered glimpses into Richardson’s personal life. In one reflective moment as he drove across the moors, he remarked, "I really love country pubs as meeting places, places people go when they've lost someone, places they go when they're looking for someone. Not to give too much away about my private life." It was a subtle nod to his recent split from wife Lucy Beaumont, adding a layer of poignancy to his quest for connection and renewal.

Throughout the four-part series, viewers see Richardson visiting local breweries, chatting with villagers, and even lending a hand on a chicken farm—raising questions about whether vegans can collect eggs. Each episode captures both the grit and the camaraderie required to resurrect a beloved institution.

As the scaffolding finally comes down and The Plough prepares to reopen its doors, the story serves as a testament to the resilience of rural communities—and the enduring magic of the British pub. For Richardson and the people of Fadmoor, the journey has been as rewarding as the destination, with every repointed stone and grouted tile a small victory in the battle to keep tradition alive.