A message from Heptonstall Forward communications group: we were recently contacted by William Turnbull, owner of the Cross, offering information about the Cross pub. As this has been a controversial subject in the village,  we don’t intend to continue the disputes here.  However we believe that people will welcome more information about the pub’s future. Mr Turnbull’s remarks below:

“The pub is open again and there are new tenants in, Simon and Sophie, a young couple from Oldham. I’ve told them I just want it running in the same way, to give the people in the village what they want.

“They are interviewing a new chef on Monday and will be doing food again, the same kind as before. I’ve put in new carpets, new flooring, new tables and chairs, and re-done the beer garden.

“I own half of the barn at the back. I’m negotiating to buy the other half, which is the old toilets. I’m then going to apply for planning permission to turn it into four bedrooms for bed-and-breakfast, to encourage walkers into the village.

“I bought the Cross pub to save it as a pub. I lost the pub in my home village and whenever I’ve got some spare money from my business I buy a pub to save them. I bought the Railway in Hebden Bridge for the same reason.

“ I’ve no interest in turning them into Chinese restaurants or Indian takeaways or anything else. I hope in time people in Heptonstall will be pleased that it’s been saved as a pub.”