The real-life village that inspired the setting for ITV’s Emmerdale was severely impacted by the pandemic and a drop in tourism. Esholt, near Guiseley, is now a mere shadow of its former self, according to its residents.
The village was used for filming the soap’s outdoor scenes from 1976 until 1996, after which a model replica was built on the Harewood House estate. Prior to the pandemic, coach tours would regularly visit, with fans eager to see the iconic locations and meet the locals.
However, the once bustling Woolpack pub, a central location in the show, is no longer as lively as it once was. Bobby Sharp, a 53-year-old electrician who has lived in Esholt for 26 years, said that the soap no longer reflects life in the village.
He stopped watching the show because he felt it had become too unrealistic, with too many dramatic events happening in what was supposed to be a small village.
“When I first came down here, it was buzzing with all-sorts going on. There was always a story. These days there doesn’t seem to be owt going on.
Bobby Sharp who lives in Esholt
(Image: Samuel Port)
“The pub used to be busy on an evening, I’m talking a long time ago. There’d be the usual [gossip], so-and-so is going out with so-and-so, that kind of stuff.
“It was weird because when I first moved down here, my friend said to me I’d find the first couple years a bit weird. It’s because I was new, everyone wanted to know my business. It was amusing.
You can now get all the latest Emmerdale news and gossip straight to your phone by joining ‘The Woolpack’ on WhatsApp! Just click here to join and the team at Leeds Live will send you all the latest stories straight from the newsroom.
We hope you like it, but if you don’t you can leave at any time. We also treat members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. Read our privacy notice here.
“There was a clique in the pub, always a sort of crowd that stands out. There was an upper-class clique. When I came down here, the first thing I brought was a trial bike and sleeping bag. So when I moved in then they were like ‘Oh god, the village is going downhill’. It was a bit odd at first.”
Bobby has a fondness for all his neighbours and describes the village as being full of “friendly” people. However, he does miss the days when about half-a-dozen locals would regularly gather at The Woolpack for a chat for an hour or two each evening.
He mentioned that the pub has suffered even more since “the coaches stopped”.
The Woolpack, Esholt. Originally The Commercial, the pub served as the outside of The Woolpack in Emmerdale from 1976 to 1996
(Image: Stephen Craven/Geograph.org.uk)
The landlady of The Woolpack, Linda Saint, admitted in January that the pub was struggling to survive due to the lack of tourism caused by Covid-19 and changes in people’s drinking habits. She declined to comment for this article.
Graham Boyle, 69, who has lived in Esholt for 15 years, confirmed that there were no murderers running loose around the small village.
However, he noted that “Covid really hit the village hard”, resulting in a significant decrease in visitors. He used to take great pride in showing them a ledger he made with all the Emmerdale original locations in the village.
Graham Boyle who lives in Esholt
(Image: Samuel Port)
But now, he doesn’t even know where the ledger is as he hasn’t picked it up in so long. The retired site manager dismissed Emmerdale as “just unrealistic”, debunking any idea that it accurately represents life in the village.
Despite this, Graham remains optimistic about the future, especially now that Covid restrictions have been lifted. He said: “Once we get decent weather, there will be coaches here every day. They’ll be straight into the pub and a walk around. They are very chatty and want to know where things [in the show] were.”
Alan Yuill, 84, and his wife, who preferred not to be named, are avid fans of the show. They watch it regularly but concede it’s “totally over the top and far-fetched”.
Alan, a retired toy salesman, said: “We used to go to the pub regularly but with the pandemic, everybody has had to cut back on their visits.”
Alan Yuill who lives in Esholt
(Image: Samuel Port)
The couple create an Esholt calendar which they sell to tourists when they visit. This raises money for their village group ‘The Village in Bloom’, with proceeds going towards the horticultural upkeep of Esholt and a cancer charity.
Alan’s wife said: “We don’t live our lives with everybody else’s, it’s as simple as that. I don’t want to live in each other’s pockets.
“There’s no murderers in this village that we know of, there’s no one shooting people or poisoning drinks or whatever, no.”
You can visit our Emmerdale homepage to find the latest gossip about the soap and its stars. Don’t forget, we also have a regular Emmerdale newsletter. You can find out more and sign up for it here.
LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp community and anyone who joins will get the latest breaking news and top stories sent direct to their phone. To join click here.