Well the Stubbing Wharf in Hebden Bridge is a fantastic pub, friendly staff good beer etc, and Matt the landlord is cool with people parking up and heading off biking from there. I class myself as a local of the pub as I drink in there when not biking.

Today we had a family meal as I am off the bike for a while after surgery and the car park was quite full before the pub had opened. We had food and drinks headed off into the car park.

6 mountain bikers in 6 separate cars all putting bikes away and all drove off, not one of them spent money in the pub!

Is it just me or if you do park in a pub car park and head off for a ride you should go in and buy a drink, even if it is half a coke.

I just think it is out of order not to!

Mormons?

Don’t use pub car parks at weekends (always P&D) but plenty of times on night rides. As a group we always go in and spend min £30 on drinks and nibbles.

And they don’t mind if it’s a local ride and a few of us turn up caked in half the forest, they just ask we sit on bin bags.

Car parks are normally for patrons only.
If the landlord is happy about bikers parking there, it’d rude not to have at least a half before heading off (especially if they’ve good beer).

I’d definitely feel guilty about that. However, are you sure that they are not regular customers as well, like yourself? Also they may have hoped to be away before the pub opened.

That does seem wrong, unless there was some prior arrangement with the landlord.

Landlord at our local used to let us hose the bikes down with the hose he used for the hanging baskets – also helped that we tended to hose off our muddy boots as well. We stopped doing it after we popped in one afternoon to find the landlord’s dad in an open drain shovelling out a blockage caused by some familiar looking gritty mud 😳

I did say something to one of them and he did not seem bothered. Probably rode an Orange 5 but I can’t confirm this!! 😆

They could be having a post ride beer when they get back?

Shermer – never seen them in the pub and it was 2pm.

Breadcrumb – they had already been biking.

We use different pubs around the Calder valley and I would never not go in one after a ride having parked in the car park.

I agree with Soops, nothing is free, be polite and put some coins their way. Symbiosis.

soops – Member
Shermer – never seen them in the pub and it was 2pm.

Bombers & pee in their footwells

It’s a great excuse to have a post ride pint, rude not to if you’ve parked for free.

We use different pubs around the Calder valley and I would never not go in one after a ride having parked in the car park.

Ahh, I doubt many would have a beer before a ride either! Bit cheeky really.

We use pub car parks every Monday for the night ride. Someone always goes in and ask permission and we always stop for a pint afterwards.

Not to do so is a bit cheeky.

agree with OP, done a lot of different location Sunday lunch rides (9amish start to finish about 12 with drink/lunch), always call pub first (partly to check Sunday lunch cost – after a bit of a shock in the Chilterns), and to ask if it’s ok to use the car park in the morning with the intention of finishing off with a drink/meal at lunchtime- the ‘worst I’ve had was – sure but can you use the overflow to the side.

Never use one unless we are going to be customers and have asked.

Just be rude to otherwise

goes in and ask permission and we always stop for a pint afterwards

This seems the obvious thing to do, I mean it’s not hard is it:

“hello, we’re out for a ride today and plan to pop in for a drink after, is it ok if we leave the cars here whilst we ride?”

Is all it takes.

GLad to hear it is not just me who thinks its rude not to call into the pub after a ride.

Just so you all know, the Hincliffe arms up Cragg road, the cat ith well near wainstalls, The Lord Nelson in Luddenden and the Shoulder of Mutton in mytholmroyd are all wet mountain biker friendly.

I can add the Ring o’Bells in Marple to that list 🙂

Personally, I’m struggling to get to grips with the concept of finishing a ride and not going into an open pub. Doesn’t matter if my car is parked there or not

They might have bought soft drinks and snacks before the ride. Some people are just cheeky though.

I agree with The Artist up there.
We always finish a ride with a beer or two.
Seems odd not too.

grum – the cars were in the car park when I arrived at 11.50am and I left at 2pm as they were putting the bikes in the cars. Definately no money spent in the pub!

It’s a shame because I saw cars driving away on Sunday when they couldn’t get a space in the car park (which is pretty small) so the pub loses other business too.Maybe they all paid to have afternoon tea on Gracie instead 🙂