Bottomleys Arms in Shelf is the T&A's Pub of the Week

“It’s a great spot - we have many regulars who come along for a drink and a meal,” says the qualified chef and master baker who took the reins at Bottomleys Arms in Wade House Road, Shelf in 2011, after working at the pub for 12 years.

Before buying the inn - our Telegraph & Argus Pub of the week - Steve ran a 30-bedroom hotel in Blackpool. He and Jo then owned a successful restaurant in the west coast resort.

“The people who previously owned Bottomleys used to come and stay in my hotel and they also came to our restaurant,” he says. “When they bought this pub they asked me to come and advise them, and said if I ever sold the restaurant I could come and work for them. I came here as head chef in 1999 and have never left.”

The Bottomleys Arms on Halifax Road

Steve now takes a back seat from cooking, but has kept the art in the family: his sons Ryan and Kieron have followed in their dad’s footsteps and are making their mark in Bottomleys' kitchen as talented chefs.

“I have taught them a lot but they both have their own style,” says Steve. “As a family we work well together. My sons have their own families and we split shifts to fit in with that. Jo works front-of-house organising everything.”

Kieron’s partner Kelsey also works at the pub. “They met here,” says Steve. “We have around 18 staff who are a good team.”

A selection of dishes at the pub, which is renowned for its food

An Italian antipasto dish

The inn is renowned for its food, offering varied main, lunch and children’s menus with a mix of traditional English dishes, with Mediterranean and Asian.

“We are a food destination - we serve at least 200 meals a day,” says Steve. You can order sandwiches through to fillet steak. It’s all freshly-made on the premises.”

Popular choices include lamb Henry: slowly cooked shoulder of lamb marinated in mint and traditional roast beef dinners.

“Pan-fried dishes are a top choice as well,” says Steve. Vegetarian and gluten-free choices include butternut squash and vegetable curry.

“We get a lot of compliments from diners, who keep returning.”

Permanent beers are Black Sheep and Ossett Brewery’s White Rat.

The beer garden is popular in warm weather

The stone-built pub was named after Mrs Bottomley, the mistress of a landlord who owned the 18th century building in the 1940s.

The interior is that of a “good old-fashioned pub” says Steve. Exposed beams and prints of the village in bygone days add to the charm.

During the lockdown years the family took the opportunity to create an outside seating area. “It seats up to 50 people and when the weather is good it’s a real sun trap.”

“The pub is in a good location on the main road between Bradford and Halifax, opposite Shelf Hall Park and near lovely open countryside. We get a lot of walkers - quite a lot of our lunchtime bookings are for parties of walkers,” says Steve, who nowadays takes a back

“Some local people come so often that if they don’t turn up we ring to check they are okay, which they really appreciate.”

The pub holds a quiz - Botts’ Quiz - on Thursdays at 9.30pm.

*Bottomleys Arms, Wade House Road, Shelf, Halifax HX3 7NT; bottomleys-arms.co.uk