An Oldham pub which has had to overcome a major challenge in recent months is a place where "customers feel wanted" and the community spirit is always on display.
The Colliers Arms on Old Lane, Chadderton, is very much a community pub according to landlord Patrick Smith and the establishment is this week's Pub of the Week.
Patrick, 33, took over the pub in June 2024, and it's fair to say his first shift as landlord was a baptism of fire.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times' morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts
He said: "My first day was when England were playing their second game in the Euros that year - the weather was glorious and we'd just had an outdoor TV put in.
"I didn't have a clue where things were and it was so busy, but I think it's still the best day I've had."
Patrick, originally from Middleton, had worked in pubs before in and around his hometown and worked as a manager at Birch service station on the M62, but when he saw an ad on Facebook to be landlord at the Colliers Arms, he went for it.
"It's the best thing I've ever done," Patrick says.
Back in November, the Colliers Arms was dealt a tough and unusual blow when trees came down on the pub and its beer garden shelter during Storm Claudia, forcing the pagolia to be replaced as part of a big clean up.
Read more
Patrick described the incident as "bewildering" at the time but praised the community for their help and support in the aftermath.
It is this community spirit which makes the Colliers Arms special, according to its landlord.
"It's not a pub where you see unfamiliar faces very often, but when you do, they become familiar quickly," Patrick says.
"They do return because you can feel the community spirit. My favourite thing about the pub is seeing the community, you can sort of see the old school pub in the regulars.
"Customers feel wanted and that they belong - it's not just a feeling, they do belong."
Since the old pagolia was damaged, a new one has been installed ahead of the warmer months, while the trees that came down were chopped into logs for customers to take home, showing just how strong the community spirit at the Colliers Arms is.
The pub is a great spot to enjoy live sports on TV with a drink or sit in a beer garden during the summer, with Foster's and John Smith's the most popular drinks amongst customers.
On weekends, there is plenty of entertainment for punters, with live music from local artists on a Friday night followed by karaoke on a Saturday evening.
Dating back to at least 1806, when it was called the Slack Inn, the pub has been a community hub for more than two centuries and continues to harness that spirit and create many lasting memories to this day.
Share