2nd Jul 2026
Community Hero Award: Celebrating Leonie of The Steamboat, Lossiemouth
Our first destination was the Ring O’Bells located in Christleton, Chester. We had a chat with the tenant, Ian, along with the pub’s managers to learn about the story behind this multi-award-winning establishment. The Ring O’Bells is well-known for being a family-friendly venue, having won gold in 2025 for the ‘Best Family Friendly’ venue, silver in 2024, and bronze in 2023. However, their collection of awards dates back even further, starting with Ian’s journey in 2007. We were curious about how it all began, what drew Ian to the Ring O’Bells, and how it has evolved over the years. ‘We took over the site in 2007 and renovated it in 2008. Over the years, the venue has grown with a significant extension,’ Ian shared.
The Ring O’Bells is nestled in the village of Christleton, offering a cozy, modern atmosphere with a fabulous outdoor space for the warmer months, complete with seating, charming wooden huts equipped with heaters, and an area for kids to play. Regarding the venue’s development, Amy, the general manager, added, ‘For our clientele, we focus on families. We do lots of kid events. The service, the staff has just developed and gotten really strong over the years which is really important to us, and also staying on trend and knowing what people want is how we are constantly developing.’
Given their focus on families, we were curious about how this translates into their offerings, service, and atmosphere. Amy explained, “It’s all about engaging with the kids and making them feel welcome. As a parent myself, I know how challenging it can be to keep kids entertained in a restaurant. That’s why we provide paper and crayons, along with events like movie nights and paint-and-sip activities.” Ian added, “There’s a primary school just down the road, and every Friday, families come in after school. We make sure it’s a warm, welcoming space for them. If the kids are happy, the parents can relax.”. The recognition must be amazing to receive, but what does it truly mean to Ring O’ Bells? They shared “It means a lot to us and drives us to keep going and boosts us as a team. Knowing the hard work is getting recognised.” Ian and his team clearly keep the venue on trend and current for their clientele and reducing those pain points for families.
In working with Trust Inns for an extensive period, we wanted to get his thoughts of his support with us and his regional BDM: “We have been lucky all the way through with trust and the relationships I’ve built with them. Tom (BDM) is there when we need him.”
Next, we visited the Rake and Pikel in Huntington, on the outskirts of Chester city centre—a traditional community pub known for its hearty food and warm, local atmosphere. Neil and Nigel have been tenants at the Rake and Pikel for just over a year, though their experience in the industry spans much longer. As the pub plays an important role in the local area, we wanted to hear their perspective on what makes it special.According to them, Huntington is “a very close-knit village”—and the Rake and Pikel truly embodies what it means to be a community pub. Neil shared: “The community are very outspoken with what they want, so we try to keep as many people happy as we can. We’ve developed a lot, including the garden and the fencing, and we’re looking at getting pods put in. We’ve extended the rear car park to create more spaces, which has alleviated some of the issues we had previously. It’s all about implementing things the community want to see—or what they need.”
It’s clear that both Neil and Nigel are driven by passion for the pub and a genuine desire to give back. Their focus on supporting and engaging the local community continues to shape what they do. As part of this commitment, Neil mentioned that they’ll be hosting their own Christmas markets at the back of the pub, inspired by the Chester Makers Market, which features over 40 independent stalls. They’ve reached out to a variety of potential stallholders to take part, and have confirmed stalls including Immortal Flame, Dreamy Doughnuts, Pawtraits by Rebecca, Celebration Queens, Wrexham Cider Company, and many more.
What would you say is the key to success in running a pub? “It’s about listening and adapting. There is no point us doing something for the community if it not what they are looking for or want. Also its finding that balance between pitching ideas and seeing their thoughts on it and finding that middle ground. We have a lot of engagement with the community. With how the industry is now, just opening the doors isn’t enough. You have to work for it, coming in with pride and passion to make it work and succeed.”
The final stop took us back towards Lancashire to the Yew Tree Inn in Heath Charnock, a countryside pub known for its great food, fantastic ales, and wines in a casual yet elegant setting. Adam, the tenant, has been running the pub for around three months and has already invested significant time and resources to bring it back to its best. When we visited, the pub was bustling with customers mid-afternoon on a weekday—a clear sign that the team’s hard work is paying off. Alice, who manages the day-to-day operations and has been involved both before and after Adam took over, shared her thoughts on the response from the community: “There has been a really good response from people. It’s brighter, more inviting. The outdoor area is so much better as well. Before it was quite tired. Everything is just a nice amount of modern.” While Adam has only been in place for a short time, Alice highlighted his understanding of the area and his commitment to making the pub the best it can be: “Adam is very perceptive to the area, he knows what it needs. He wants it to be the best place possible.”
Visit all the pubs highlight that running a successful pub goes beyond just opening the doors—it’s about building relationships, understanding the community, and bringing passion and pride to everything you do.