Special status for Barningham's Milbank Arms pub

STILL GOING: Neil Turner

ONE of Britain’s quirkiest pubs has been given special protection.
The Milbank Arms, in Barningham, is one of nine pubs left in the UK never to have had a bar counter. The inn has also been dubbed Britain’s most unlikely cocktail bar.
Landlord Neil Turner, 82, described fondly by locals as an “establishment in his own right”, offers a menu of 95 cocktails.
Now the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has been successful in getting The Milbank Arms listed as an asset of community value by Durham County Council.
It gives a legal right for Camra members to be given six months to raise funds to make a bid if the pub’s owner ever decides to sell up.
The Milbank Arms is part of Barningham Estate, which is owned by Ed Milbank. He said he was “pretty relaxed” about the new status, agreeing that the pub was a cherished part of village life.
He said: “I did write to Camra to advise against it because I thought it may complicate things by having it designated as an asset of community value. But in terms of Milbank Arms itself, I do not think it will ever be anything other than a pub.”
Mr Milbank, who took over the estate after the death of his father, Sir Anthony, in July, said: “Rural pubs don’t work as a business without the support of the public. We have no interest in selling it but if it was to be sold, it would be in the community’s interest to have control of it, so I’m pretty relaxed about it.”
The inn has previously been listed as a “heritage pub” by Camra. Darlington Camra’s website says: “Entering the pub you could be forgiven to thinking you are in someone's house as there is no bar counter, you stand at the top of the cellar steps to get served – it’s one of only nine pubs left in the whole of the UK never to have had a bar counter.”
The pub dates back to the mid-1800s and is named after the Milbank family. It has been tenanted and run by Mr Turner’s family since 1937.
In 2014, Camra claimed Mr Turner was about to retire and that there would be major changes to the pub.
Two years later, he’s still serving drinks and amusing customers with his unique sense of humour.
He received a letter last week to tell him of the pub’s new status. Mr Turner said: “It all goes over my shoulders. I’ve no plans to retire and the pub’s doing fine.”
The Milbank Arms is the second in Teesdale to be given the asset status by Durham County Council after Fernaville’s Rest, in Whorlton, was protected in August.
County officials said the grade II-listed inn at Barningham had “furthered the community’s social wellbeing” enough to merit the move.
Peter Fenwick, from Mithril Ales, provides real ale to Mr Turner if customers request.
“It’s a one-off sort of place,” said Mr Fenwick, who is also a member of Camra’s Darlington branch.