Leeds nostalgia: Otley loses popular market place pub in 1988

Former New Inn, Market Square, Otley, which closed as a pub in September 1988 after Tetley's reviewed it. Now Superdrug.

Joshua Tetley launched a Â£60m pub investment programme in Leeds but the announcement was met with mixed feelings after it emerged it would also mean the closure of some well known boozers.
One of those was The New Inn, Market Square, Otley, now superdrug, whose closure was pushed through by Tetleys despite massive opposition and an initial rejection by council planners, who were subsequently overruled by the bean-counters, who pointed out that, technically, Tetleys didnt need to ask them to rubber stamp the decision.
So, the closure went ahead in September but during its conversion to a shop, builders discovers a 40ft well, lined by hand-carved stone and dating back to the 1800s. Some wanted to keep it as a feature but it was capped off.

The Leeds-based brewery was said to be putting its 1,100 public houses under the microscope but added this would result in the closure of only half — Former New Inn, Market Square, Otley, which closed as a pub in September 1988 after Tetley's reviewed it. Now Superdrug. Joshua Tetley launched a Â£60m pub investment programme in Leeds but the announcement was met with mixed feelings after it emerged it would also mean the closure of some well known boozers. One of those was The New Inn, Market Square, Otley, now superdrug, whose closure was pushed through by Tetleys despite massive opposition and an initial rejection by council planners, who were subsequently overruled by the bean-counters, who pointed out that, technically, Tetleys didnt need to ask them to rubber stamp the decision. So, the closure went ahead in September but during its conversion to a shop, builders discovers a 40ft well, lined by hand-carved stone and dating back to the 1800s. Some wanted to keep it as a feature but it was capped off. The Leeds-based brewery was said to be putting its 1,100 public houses under the microscope but added this would result in the closure of only half

One of those was The New Inn, Market Square, Otley, now Superdrug, whose closure was pushed through by Tetley’s despite massive opposition and an initial rejection by council planners, who were subsequently overruled by the bean-counters (officers), who pointed out that, technically, Tetley’s didn’t need to ask them to rubber stamp the decision.

So, the closure went ahead in September but during its conversion to a shop, builders discovers a 40ft well, lined by hand-carved stone and dating back to the 1800s. Some wanted to keep it as a feature but it was capped off.

The Leeds-based brewery was said to be putting its 1,100 public houses “under the microscope” but added this would result in the closure of only half a dozen or so establishments.

Among those listed for closure were The New Inn in Market Square, Otley, the Studley Royal Hotel at Market Square, Ripon and the Unicorn in Ivegate, Bradford.

Campaigns had already begun to save all three.