Landlord used his loaf to beat freeze

Landlord Mark Flynn rises to the challenge of baking bread for snowed-in locals

A DENSHAW pub has bagged a Pride In Oldham nomination after it rose to the challenge of providing locals with food during January’s winter whiteout.

Staff at the Golden Fleece pub pulled on their boots and wrapped up warm to deliver freshly-baked bread to locals stranded in their homes.

Whether it was a simple crusty loaf, sundried tomato bread or a meals-on-wheels Sunday roast, the pub’s owners went all out to ensure snowed-in locals didn’t go without.

Landlord Mark Flynn said: “The snow was absolutely torrential around Denshaw. People were stuck in their homes and couldn’t get down the roads because of the conditions.

“The idea to bake bread at the pub went down really well. People loved the fact that we were giving something back to the community.

“We got through a fair few loaves. People found it much easier to come here instead of going to the supermarket and risk not being able to get back.

“It’s absolutely fantastic to be nominated — we never thought we would be.”

Denshaw is now without a village shop following the closure of the post office last year.

Mark and his wife Angela are now poised to put in a repeat performance should this winter bring equally treacherous weather.

He said: “We’ll definitely be behind the bar selling loaves and out delivering if the weather is bad this year. I pray that it is not as bad.”

The pub is adding to the scheme this year by delivering prepared roast turkey dinners on Christmas Eve that punters can then warm up the following day.