Julie Woolley, 56, has returned to The Harp Inn in Neston as landlady, the same pub her parents June and Ray Oldfield ran around 25 years ago. She now runs it with her partner Fran McCarthy, 59, an engineer from Liverpool with no previous pub experience.
Julie grew up in pubs, living and working at The Harp with her siblings. After leaving the industry in her early 20s to raise young children and work in education, she always wanted to return. "Going back to The Harp is something I’d wanted to do for a long time, so I talked Fran into it," she said. The couple waited for the previous landlady, Sue, to retire before taking over.
A pub with mining roads beneath
The building is believed to date back almost 300 years, originally built as miners' cottages around 1730, converted into an alehouse in 1750, and then renovated in 1956 when it received a spirits license and a proper bar. Old mining roads still run beneath the pub, preventing underground cellars, so the couple uses an overground cellar with very short lines.
One old customer, Jack, remembers when it was an alehouse with just four rooms, where a lady named Mrs Palphreyman poured drinks from barrels on a shelf.
Guests, spirits, and community
Recent notable guests include Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, who moved Fran to tears. The best-selling drink is Guinness, which Fran takes great pride in serving.
The pub is also home to a few spirits, according to Julie. Ghost hunters have named Eileen and Ronnie, people Julie knew from her parents' time, and Eileen had worked at the pub for about 30 years. Lights flicker around 6pm, and a glass once moved off a shelf on CCTV. "I always say it’s not scary because anyone who is haunting a pub is going to be happy, aren’t they?" she said.
The couple describes regulars as "incredible" and the pub as community-owned. Regulars include Glyn, Barry, and John, proud military men, and tea-time tradesmen like Mark, Jack, and Rob. A corner called "Bullsh*t Corner" hosts different groups at different times. Jed, a former music industry worker, organises a summer solstice festival raising funds for Maggie’s, with more than £5,000 raised so far.
Supporting local pubs
The pub has no TVs, music, or gaming machines, offering an unspoiled space to chat and enjoy views. Julie is passionate about supporting locals, noting that two pubs in Neston have closed in recent years. "It’s too late when a pub shuts to say, ‘Oh, we liked going there’, if you didn't go," she said.
