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The Woolpack (sometimes referred to as The Woolpack Inn) is a public house in Emmerdale, located on Main Street. The building is attached to The Grange and neighbouring Pear Tree Cottage. It is curently owned by Chas and Charity Dingle.
The Woolpack was first built in around 1776 and was owned by Ephraim Monks Brewery until 1973 In the 1930s, a house owned by Derby Eccles situated behind The Woolpack collapsed. Decades later in 1976, The Woolpack was found to be slowly collapsing due to subsidence. The bar was moved to an abandoned building - a former corn chandlers run by a Mr Mason, which closed in the 1920s. Private rooms were also added to the hotel, which guests were able to book.
In 1993, a plane crashed onto the village. The Woolpack was struck by falling debris, which caused an explosion, demolishing the wine bar. The wine bar wasn't replaced, instead made into more seating. Chris Tate was also trapped under the rubble caused by the explosion, which left him permanently paralysed from the waist down. In 1998, following a lock-in, a small fire set alight a box of fireworks which caused the interior to be gutted by flames. The pub was rebuilt, however the private rooms were removed and were converted into bedrooms.
Management history
Until 1915: The Bainbridges
The pub was run by Percy Bainbridge and his wife Ava, although it was owned by Jack Micklethwaite. Percy's two children, and his and Ava's daughter Iris lived in the pub too. In 1914, The Woolpack was set alight and Percy made it out. Iris was eventually rescued alive however Ava died shortly after being rescued by Hugo, who had previously been branded a coward by the villagers. Percy struggled on his own and ended up leaving the village with his children. The pub remained burnt out for several years. Jack sold the pub to Jonah Dingle in 1919.
1948-1991: Amos Brearly & Henry Wilks
In October 1948, Amos Brearly became the landlord. In 1973, Amos became worried that Ephraim Monks Brewery wanted two people to run The Woolpack, so he went on a quest to find a wife, to no avail. However, in November 1973, Henry Wilks offered to purchase half the pub to which Amos agreed. In January 1976, a large crack was found behind the fireplace and on further inspection, the building was found to be suffering from subsidence. When Sam Pearson told Amos about Derby Eccles, who owned a house behind The Woolpack which collapsed in the 1930s due to subsidence, Amos was insistent on evacuating as soon as possible. An abandoned building just around the corner, previously a corn chandlers which closed in the 1920s, was purchased and converted into the new The Woolpack. Amos soon realised that he liked the new premises better than the old one. The Old Woolpack premises had collapsed due to the subsidence by 1990 and was mentioned by Henry Wilks as being "not there now, subsidence weren't it?"
In May 1978, Amos and Henry were held at gunpoint by teens Steve Hawker and Pip Coulter, who locked Amos and Henry in the cellar and robbed the place in order to accumulate enough money to flee their parents and start a family (as Pip was pregnant). Amos and Henry were eventually rescued the next morning by Donald Hinton. Pip and Steve were arrested in Liverpool later that month and Amos had a chain installed on the back door to try to prevent future robberies.
In 1983, the pub backroom underwent minor changes. In April 1984, the stove in the backroom exploded and ruined the kitchen. The kitchen was replaced and new wallpaper was added. In 1985, more changes were made to the backroom.
Henry and Amos carried the pub for the entire 1980s, however, In July 1990, Amos suffered a stroke and decided to end his time as a landlord. Amos retired to Spain in January 1991 and left Henry as the sole landlord.
1991-1999: Alan Turner
Alan Turner bought the Woolpack off Amos. Alan then became the landlord of the Woolpack and with that a more central character within the village. Henry moved into Emmerdale Farm but carried on working at the pub. Alan made the pub more modern by installing a jukebox and introducing gourmet meals in a converted taproom much to Henry's annoyance.
Henry suddenly passed away from a heart attack in October 1991. Alan had a wine bar built at the back of the pub but it was later destroyed in the 1993 plane crash. In early 1995, Alan took on managers Terry and Britt Woods. In June 1995 Amos returned to the village again and was not pleased. He still dished out advice about his former pub.
In September 1998, Alan's daughter Tricia Stokes unexpectedly arrived in the
The Woolpack is burnt down by fireworks
village and was given a job in The Woolpack. In October, Tricia accidentally sets fire to the Woolpack with fireworks while Alan was on holiday. He was horrified when he returned to find out The Woolpack had burned down but later had the pub redecorated.
1999-present: The Blackstocks and the Dingles
In early 1999 Alan suffered a heart-attack which made him decide he had enough of the pub. He sold it to Diane Blackstock who became the landlady alongside daughter Bernice. Louise Appleton began working behind the bar and later became the pub co-owner with Diane in 2002 when Bernice sold up and left Emmerdale following her failed marriage to Ashley Thomas.
In 2004 the pub suffered structurally damage after lightning hit it resulting in The Woolpack roof falling through, crushing Tricia Dingle who later died in hospital. in 2006 Loise sold her share in the pub to Diane's sister Valerie Lambert. However, after marrying Eric Pollard in 2009 she sells her share to Diane, making her sole landlady.
In 2011 Diane tried to sell the pub, wanting a fresh start and finding it an increasing struggle running the place on her own, but unable to find a buyer for the whole business, she settled for selling a 50% share to Chas Dingle. In October 2013, Cameron Murray held a siege at The Woolpack with many of the regulars as hostages, before he was electrocuted to death. Following the incident, Chas and Diane briefly moved out while The Woolpack is renovated.
In March 2016, Diane retired and sold her share in the pub to Chas' cousin Charity Dingle who had recently gotten released from prison.
Events
- 1993: The wine bar is demolished by the plane crash, paralysing Chris Tate.
- 1995: Britt and Terry Woods become the Woolpack's managers
- 1998: The pub is burnt down after Tricia Stokes accidentally sets it on fire with sparklers.
- 1999: Diane and Bernice Blackstock become landladies.
- 2002: After her failed marriage to Ashley Thomas, Bernice sells her half to Louise Appleton and leaves Emmerdale.
- 2004: The Woolpack roof falls through after it is struck by lightning, crushing Tricia Dingle who later dies in hospital.
- 2006: Louise sells her half to Diane's sister Valerie Lambert.
- 2009: Val sells her share of the pub to Diane, making Diane the sole Landlady.
- 2010: Diane sells the pub to Nicola and Jimmy King.
- 2010: Jimmy and Nicola return the pub to Diane.
- 2011: Diane sells 50% of the pub to Chas Dingle.
- 2013: Cameron Murray holds many of the regulars hostage, before he is electrocuted.
- 2016: Diane sells her 50% share of the pub to Charity Dingle.
Layout
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Community
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Staff
Residents
Current residents
- Chas Dingle (2011 to present)
- Charity Dingle (2016 to present)
- Noah Dingle (2016 to present)
- Paddy Kirk (2018 to present)
- Vanessa Woodfield (2018 to present)
- Johnny Woodfield (2018 to present)
- Moses Dingle (2016 to present)
- Bear Wolf (2019 to present)
Former residents
- Ava Bainbridge (??? - 1914)
- Percy Bainbridge
- Iris Bainbridge
- Joe Hepple (1940s)
- Molly Hepple (1940s)
- Amos Brearly (1948-1991)
- Alison Gibbons (1973)
- Henry Wilks (1973-1991)
- Alan Turner (1991-1999)
- Caroline Bates (1991-?)
- Shirley Turner (1993-1994)
- Britt Woods (1995)
- Terry Woods (1995-1998)
- Viv Windsor (1996-1997)
- Donna Windsor (1996-1997, 2006-2007)
- Tricia Stokes (1998-1999)
- Bernice Blackstock (1999-?)
- Diane Blackstock (1999-2016)
- Louise Appleton (2002-2006)
- Val Pollard (2004-?)
- Martin Crowe (2006)
- Kayleigh Gibbs (2006)
- Marlon Dingle (2006-2007)
- Katie Sugden (2007)
- Victoria Sugden (2008-2012)
- Andy Sugden (2008, 2009-2010)
- Sandy Thomas (2009-2010?)
- Doug Potts (?, 2015-2017)
- Nicola King (2010)
- Jimmy King (2010)
- Aaron Dingle (2011-2012, 2014-2017)
- Ashley Thomas (2012-2013)
- Gabby Thomas (2012-2013)
- Cameron Murray (2013)
- James Barton (2014-2015)
- Liv Flaherty (2016-2017)
- Robert Sugden (2016-2017)
- Debbie Dingle (2018)
- Sarah Sugden Jr. (2018)
- Jack Sugden Jr. (2018)
Background information
- The Woolpack was briefly written out in 1976, as the decision was made to move the set from Arncliffe to Esholt due to the money and time consuming distance. The crew had felt that The Woolpack had the most distinctive exterior and as a result, a storyline which saw Henry Wilks and Amos Brearly move to a new building due to subsidence was created. Between 1972 and 1976, the Falcon Inn was used as the exterior filming location.
- When the show moved to Esholt, the Commercial Inn was chosen as the new The Woolpack building. The owner eventually got tired of changing the sign so the decision was made to rename the pub "The Woolpack", a name it retains to this date. The owner supposedly considered changing the interior to match the interior set, but the idea was negatively received among the community.