Popular Doncaster pub closes down for refurbishment amid Facebook rumours

A popular Doncaster pub famed for its Sunday lunches has closed down for a major refurbishment - just weeks before Christmas.
Woodfield Farm has closed for refurbishment.Woodfield Farm has closed for refurbishment.
Woodfield Farm has closed for refurbishment.

Woodfield Farm, which attracts hundreds of customers for its carvery dinners every week, announced the shutdown on Facebook earlier this month - leaving some customers disappointed and sparking rumours surrounding the closure.

And it has emerged that another South Yorkshire pub in the same chain of inns has also closed its doors - posting the same closure message on social media on the same date.

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The bar and restaurant, on the Catesby Park near Lakeside wrote: "The pub is going to be closed for a week or so to allow us to install replacement ovens and carry out other work on site.

"We would like to apologise to anyone who was intending to visit us during this time. We have already notified those who had bookings with us. We will update you as soon as we have a reopening date."

It is understood the closure is part of a deep clean of the premises before the busy Christmas period.

However, some customers hit out at the sudden closure and took to the pub's Facebook page to voice their concerns.

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Liam Amos wrote: "Something a little bit fishy here....... they wouldn’t have booked for a oven re install and not know when it will re open let alone it been over a weekend when they would be at their busiest????

Sophie Rose Abbott posted: "We had a table booked, turned up and your all of a sudden closed and having a new kitchen fitted without letting anybody know!? Thanks for that!!

Ivan Woodward wrote: "Rubbish - closed for a kitchen oven refit?? Definitely short notice means it's been closed down for another reason. Just be honest it will stop all the rumours that are going round ?????"

Meanwhile, Meadow Farm, a similar venue in Sheffield and also part of the same chain, posted exactly the same message on its Facebook page on the same date.

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The move from the pub in Nether Lane also attracted criticism.

Wendy Turner wrote: "Is that the reason really ??

Another customer, Tracey Louise wrote: "Totally ruined our birthday night. Table booked for 20 people and you notify 2 days in advance you're not open and cancel booking.

"So given just two days to find another place to go that was local for everyone. Why didn’t you know in advance you wasn’t going to be open ? Ruined a birthday weekend."

A spokesperson for Farmhouse Inns said: “We have decided to keep Woodfield Farm and Meadow Farm pubs closed for a short while longer and are sorry for any inconvenience this causes our customers. It was our decision to close to carry out essential maintenance work in the kitchen and replace some of our ovens.

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“We have been working with the local authority on an ongoing investigation into a few isolated sickness cases in the South Yorkshire area over the past few years. There is no suggestion any sickness cases are linked to food preparation at either pub, but we are working with the environmental health team to ensure there are no traces in our pubs.”