Historic pub to make welcome return

The Royal Oak on Sheffield Road in Glossop is set to return after several years of closure, following a major £500,000 refurbishment.

The historic pub, which was originally built in 1818, will be restored and is expected to reopen later this summer as a traditional family dining pub. 

The site has stood empty for a number of years, during which time its future was the subject of uncertainty. In 2021, a planning application was submitted proposing the demolition of the 200-year-old building to make way for housing, including two four-bedroom detached homes and four three-bedroom semi-detached properties. 

Concerns were raised locally and nationally about the potential loss of the historic pub. Former High Peak MP Robert Largan highlighted the issue in Parliament, calling for stronger planning protections to safeguard valued community assets such as traditional pubs. 

The Royal Oak has now been acquired by pub operator JW Lees, a long-established family brewery founded in 1828. 

Former landlords George and Jean Wharmby, who ran the Royal Oak for seven years from 1984 to 1991, welcomed the news. 

Jean told the Chronicle: “It’s wonderful to see the Royal Oak being brought to life. George and I were the landlord and landlady from 1984 to 1991, and we were so lucky to have such great customers - it truly meant a lot to us. 

“It’s heartening to know the intention is to run it as a family pub. I wish them every success and hope they come to love it as much as we did.”