Blue Plaque tells historic pub's remarkable story

The historic Red Lion pub, in Kirkgate, has been honoured with a blue heritage plaque, which tells the story of the inn's unique contribution to community life. Landlord and brewer Luke Reid (right) is pictured with David Mason, chair of the Silsden Local History Group, which has funded and installed the award. It is the third plaque the group has presented to the town. The Red Lion was originally a mediaeval farmstead. By the early 1700s the farming Horne family had introduced a brewhouse and inn with stabling. Later, in the19th century, the pub became the centre of social and cultural life under the musical Weatherhead family, who ran the Red Lion for more than 100 years.

Newly on display in the tap room is the old pub sign pictured above, which has been loaned by Richard Spencer, owner of P. J. Motors, whose grandparents John and Edith Spencer ran the pub for 17 years up to 1976. Since 2015, the pub has been owned by the Reid family, which has moved its microbrewery to the premises. Production will resume shortly after a refit and two of the most popular brews of the 10 offered so far, Cobbied Ale, a traditional bitter, and Luke's Brew, a strong IPA, will return.