New owner of The Pledwick pub in Newmillerdam to hold music festival

Richard ‘Rich’ Downey, 56, was the former owner of The Rock Café in Huddersfield, managing the nightclub for nearly 30 years.

He got into the business after the Starlight, a well known nightclub in Huddersfield which was owned by his dad, Barry, closed in 1986 and he began doing once-a-week sessions at what used to be the Adega, now the Camel Club.

But after the Covid-19 pandemic, he noticed more people were opting for a meal and a few pints at pubs and bars, instead of going out clubbing, so he sold up and purchased The Pledwick back in January.

The former club promoter used to put bands on up and down the country from Newcastle to London, even hiring Take That to perform a gig before they were famous in the early 1990s.

And he will be hosting his first major event – a music festival called The Pledfest 2023 – which will see a handful of popular bands play at the three-acre site.

Rich said: “When we reopened after lockdown, people shifted to afternoon drinking and sitting outside, which we couldn’t develop in Huddersfield. The Pledwick ticked all these boxes, we got the keys in December and the rest is history.

"We will be putting on some live bands, a marquee, and an outside pizza shack at Pledfest. We will also have an ice cream van and the Coffee Brothers will hopefully be showcasing their products.”

The dog-friendly will also be open for wedding bookings, and Rich also plans to erect a permanent marquee in the garden of the pub, as well as install some new, modern playsets in the garden for children to enjoy.

The pub has also refreshed its food and drink offerings, serving classic cocktails from passion fruit martinis and classic mojitos, to tapas, skewer hanging kebabs, and classic pies and battered haddock and chips.

Rich added: “We’re hoping for a big day and lots of sunshine. The event is free and we invite everyone to come down and enjoy a great day out.”