Skel Windmill has a future

Club News

When the Windmill pub at Skelmanthorpe closed 8 years ago it introduced a lot of uncertainty about what that would mean for the future of the bowling club. The Skelmanthorpe bowlers are encouraged by the latest news and about the visible improvements and learn of the significant investment which they hope will lead to a longer green tenure than the current annual lease renewal. The latest developments appear to have secured the immediate future of the bowling green as covered in this article posted on the Huddersfield Hub website.

From the Huddersfield Hub website 20 October 2025

A pub which has been at the heart of a village community for over 200 years is set for a new lease of life after a no-expense-spared £700,000 transformation. The Windmill Inn in Busker Lane, Skelmanthorpe, closed around eight years ago and was bought by local businessman Andy Needham and his partner Lindsay Holmes.

The premises, which date back to the early 1800s, was a traditional village pub for much of its history but now it’s been transformed into a modern facility for locals and visitors alike. The revamp, which has seen the building stripped back to bare walls, is about five or six weeks from completion and Andy and Lindsay are looking for an experienced hospitality operator to take it on.

“It’s been a long-term project and we wanted to do right by the history of the building and do the transformation properly,” said Andy. “We haven’t skimped on anything and a lot of time and money has gone into getting it back to a standard that gives a new operator a fighting chance in what are difficult times for the hospitality sector.”

Andy, who is in the wholesale food business, is looking for someone with the vision and experience to lease the building. “We want an experienced operator who knows what they are doing,” said Andy. “We’ve created a blank canvas ready for the new operator to come in and fit out the place and put their own stamp on it.”

The building has been completely revamped and taken back to bare stone walls initially. The upstairs living accommodation was ripped out and now provides for a spacious function room and balcony with views over the bowling green and fields beyond. New toilet facilities have been installed along with an external stairway with glass surround. There’s also underfloor heating upstairs and downstairs and a new roof.

Andy originally bought the building when it seemed the popular Windmill Bowling Club, based just behind the pub, could be at risk of eviction. Lindsay has been a keen bowler for many years and when the pub company owner looked like it was going to sell to a developer, the couple stepped in, meeting a completion deadline of just four weeks. Now the bowling club is thriving and the pub is about to be re-born.

The purchase was made pre-Covid but the pandemic meant the project went on hold for two years and planning permission took 11 months to come through. “We want to put the Windmill back as an asset for the village,” said Andy. “I can see the venue as being open in the morning for breakfast and coffee, snacks at lunchtime and then evolve into a nice place to go for food and drink in the evening.”

There’s a balcony at the rear where you can watch the sun come up and a large garden area that would be perfect for cyclists or dog walkers to take a breather. “There’s no doubt the hospitality industry is having it tough at the moment so we needed to do this right,” said Andy.

“You need a nice welcoming environment otherwise people will spend their money elsewhere.

“Skelmanthorpe is also an up-and-coming village with around 600 to 700 new homes built in the last five years, and there aren’t masses of places to socialise locally. “We would be interested to speak to experienced operators who are looking for something different in the local area. “The transformation has been significant and seeing the premises brought back to life is extremely satisfying.” Anyone interested can get in touch with Andy on 07880 601053 or by email at yorkie77@btinternet.com.