A WORSBROUGH pub has been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award for overcoming the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Boatmans Rest, on Edmunds Road, has been praised for going ‘above and beyond’ in keeping the pub going during lockdown.

Like most across the borough, the pub, which had been forced to close its doors for the majority of last year, has been struggling to keep afloat.

However owner Jason Alderton said it was essential to keep the community fed and keep money coming into the business.

He said: “It’s been a challenging time for us but we wanted to find a way to keep going.

“We’ve not done takeaway much before but thought it was essential in order to stay open during the lockdown.

“Word-of-mouth has worked really well as we’ve started to see more faces come in everyday – even NHS workers who have come to be fed during a long shift.

“We’ve done everything possible to keep out staff working. We’re a family-run pub so this is really important to us. Staff have even volunteered their free time to come and help.

“We’re just looking ahead to having bums on seats once again and see everyone back in the pub.”

The team’s dedication has landed them a nomination at this year’s Proud of Barnsley awards in the Exceptional Achievement category.

“It’s brilliant to be nominated and very unexpected. We’re just doing the best we can.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported us during a difficult time.”