2nd Jul 2026
Community Hero Award: Celebrating Leonie of The Steamboat, Lossiemouth
For David and Becky, The Hope Inn is much more than a pub. It’s a place where friendships are maintained, traditions continue and local people know they’ll always find a warm welcome.
As the last remaining pub in the area, The Hope Inn has become a vital part of community life. Through charity fundraising, community initiatives and unwavering support for local residents, David, Becky and the team have created something truly special – recently earning recognition with the first Trust Inns Yorkshire Community Hero Award – for the difference they make every day.
When asked which community initiative they’re most proud of, both David and Becky immediately point to the pub’s fundraising efforts for Macmillan Cancer Support.
“We’ve done a few Macmillan fundraisers over the years and they are amazing,” says Becky.
For David, he explains. “We try to give what we can because it’s a fantastic cause.”
The events not only raise valuable funds but also bring local people together in support of something bigger.
Community is at the centre of everything The Hope Inn does, and there’s always something happening to bring people through the doors.
“We try to have something on every weekend,” says Becky. From regular bingo nights to their award-winning Sunday lunch, the pub has built a calendar of events that keeps customers engaged throughout the year.
“Sunday is the best day. It’s another level of community spirit. Families come together, everyone mixes and there’s a real atmosphere.” That sense of togetherness is what has helped The Hope Inn become such an important meeting place for local residents.
Ask David what role The Hope Inn plays in people’s lives and his answer is immediate.
“It’s not really somewhere where you just come,” he says. “It’s like a second home. It’s a cornerstone of the community.” For Becky, the customers are at the centre of everything they do: “We’re here more for them than anything else.” Their commitment goes far beyond serving food and drink. Every Thursday, the pub provides a subsidised lunch for older members of the community, ensuring they can enjoy a meal and company in a welcoming environment. And if someone can’t make it to the pub, they take the service to them – Becky explains.
The team regularly goes above and beyond to ensure nobody feels isolated. In one example, they even arrange transport for a customer who struggles to get out. Becky mentioned they have a driver who’ll go and pick him up, bring him to the pub, let him have a quick pint and some company, and then take him home again. It’s evidently about keeping it alive for them and keeping a place they love to come.
The dedication shown by David, Becky and the team hasn’t gone unnoticed. Their commitment to supporting local people, organising community initiatives and ensuring nobody feels left behind recently earned them a Community Hero Award. From fundraising for charity and the countless ways The Hope Inn serves its community beyond the traditional role of a pub. The recognition is simply a reflection of what they have always set out to do: create a place where everyone feels welcome, valued and connected.
Taking on The Hope Inn has not been smooth sailing David mentioned, but both David and Becky are proud of how far the pub has come.
“I’ve got to take my hat off to Trust Inns,” says David. “Aaron, our BDM, has been really good. It’s been tough, but when you look at what we’ve turned it from and what we’ve turned it into, it’s incredible.”
Becky goes on to mention – “Sometimes you sit back and look and think, ‘We did that.’ That’s what I’m most proud of.”
David is also quick to recognise the support he’s received along the way with being a Trust Inns tenant – “I’d like to thank Trust Inns for the help they’ve given me. Aaron, Neil and Mark have all been great.”
At a time when many traditional pubs have disappeared, The Hope Inn continues to thrive by putting people first. Once one of 20 pubs serving the Leeds 9 area, it now stands as the last remaining pub in the area. Yet rather than simply surviving, it has become a lifeline for local residents.
Their efforts have been recognised with a Community Hero Award, a fitting tribute to the work David, Becky and the team do every day. Whether it’s raising money for charity, supporting members of the community, organising family-friendly events or simply providing friendship and companionship, The Hope Inn has become far more than a pub.
It’s a second home, a gathering place and a cornerstone of Leeds 9 – proof that when a pub truly puts its community first, it can make a lasting difference.
Congratulations to the Hope Inn on their Community Hero Award.