The management team at the family-owned Woodman Inn, at Thunderbridge, Huddersfield, used the pandemic as an opportunity to re-shape the business.

The pandemic allowed owners Craig and Graham Leslie to add new faces to the management team, carry out a refurbishment, appoint a new head chef, and develop The Garden Room, an outdoor space for customers.

Craig Leslie, said: “There’s no doubt the last year has been a challenge for us all, but as working from home became the norm, and restrictions on travel has allowed us the time to reflect and take a different approach to The Woodman Inn as we re-evaluate our work-life balance.

“We’re delighted with the thriving wedding and events side of The Woodman Inn. Events director, Jordan Lee, has become something of a social media star during lockdown, holding regular ‘meet the expert’ events on Instagram.

We’re already seeing interest for face-to-face viewings and requests for weddings of up to 15 people.”

He added: “The pandemic gave us a pause to rethink the future of the Woodman Inn. We took the opportunity to become more ‘hands-on’ with our country inn and invested in improving what we have to offer.

“We are the perfect spot for a family staycation, walkers retreat and romantic getaway.”

The 18th century inn is based in the tiny hamlet of Thunderbridge, near Huddersfield.

It lies within a conservation area, and the hamlet was originally believed to have been named after “Th (e)” underbridge, to distinguished it from a second bridge further up the valley.

Henry Wickman was the first landlord and one of the executive bedroom suites is named The Wickman Suite in his honour. It came under the ownership of Leslie Country Inns in August 2012.

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