Cheers! New lease of life for traditional and popular Ribble Valley village pub

After protracted negotiations with the administrators for the Seafood Pub Company, Downham Estate announced today that it has bought back the lease on the Assheton Arms. And refurbishment work is due to start immediately!

As reported previously, the gastropub in the picturesque village of Downham was up for sale after the collapse of the Seafood Pub Company in June 2020. The Barrowford-based company, which won multiple national awards and a legion of satisfied customers over the years, operated some of Lancashire and Yorkshire's best known gastropubs.

These included East Lancashire destinations the Alma Inn, Laneshawbridge, the Barley Mow, Barley, the Assheton Arms, Downham, the Forest at Fence, as well as the Farmers Arms, Great Eccleston, the Oyster and Otter, Blackburn, the Fenwick in Claughton, the Derby Arms in Longridge, Harrogate's The Inn, and The Fleece in Ilkley.

In a statement released today, The Honourable Ralph C. Assheton, of the Downham Estate, said he's looking forward to taking the business to the next level. He explained: "It’s been a long haul .. but we really hope that we can return the Assheton Arms, and its reputation, to the best of times. It’s a much-loved community hub and we must give credit to the staff that the management team appointed by the administrators for keeping everything going as best they could.

"Work will now start on finding a new operator for the business, with a view to this very popular local and well-regarded dining pub with luxury rooms reopening as soon as possible. Refurbishment work on the essential fabric of the building will start immediately.

"Now we have the opportunity to really move forward and take the business to the next level.”