Oldham landlord 'living the dream' behind popular pub

This week, we spoke to Tony Beswick who has been running the show at the Bear on the Hill pub on Huddersfield Road for four and a half years.

The pub has hit headlines several times already since Tony took over, earning its stripes as a top training ground for pool pros in the borough.

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'Team Bear' took home the trophy, and the party, back to Oldham in a national pool competition (Image: Bear on the Hill)

Earlier this year, 'Team Bear' women's pool player, Chloe Smithies, played on "the biggest stage for Ultimate Pool" in a national semifinal tournament, and the pub also celebrated Darren Smithies and Kevin Hodgkinson reaching the finals in a Proper Pubs pool championship the year before.

Darren was even crowned the winner at the final showdown in Preston.

However, it's not just a love of pool which makes The Bear on the Hill unique.

Customers are greeted by a friendly team and a great selection of drinks (Image: Bear on the Hill)

Tony said the building is steeped in history, first opening as an alehouse and stables in 1838 under the name The Conquered Bear.

The pub kept this name for more than 140 years until Sam Smiths took over in 1982 and renamed it Funnies.

It was then reverted back to The Conquered Bear between1990 to 2007 when it was then known as The Last Orders.

Finally, when Tony took over, he gave the pub a new identity while bringing its "history back", settling on the name Bear on the Hill in reference to its original name - and the fact the pub sits on a hill.

The landlord attributed the pub's success to his 'absolutely fantastic' team and customers (Image: Bear on the Hill)

Tony also spruced up the 183-year-old building with a £99,400 investment from Proper Pubs, giving it a whole new lease of life with a complete makeover, from repainting inside and out, new signs, windows, lighting, carpets and flooring.

The upgrades also involved new music systems, advertising screens and seven TVs.

Now, the pub is thriving as Tony says it offers something different "every day", from its popular pub quiz, which readers of The Oldham Times voted as one of the best quizzes in the borough, to its screening of horse races, football and most other sports.

The schedule usually kicks off with a 'fun smart quiz' on Monday, which runs on the TVs and on mobile phones which Tony said "always has people laughing".

The pub recently fundraised and installed a defibrillator to benefit the community (Image: Bear on the Hill)

Tuesdays and Wednesdays then typically see its pool teams playing and practising while there is free pool for all customers on Thursday evenings.

Customers also love The Bear's hefty line-up of live entertainment every weekend, with an "amazing DJ", Gary Kemp, playing all the hits from the 60s to the modern day on Fridays, plus a karaoke night, while Saturdays and Sundays usually involve live acts with different singers.

Tony added: "Darts has also really taken off recently in the Bear. We've had to add two more dart boards and all three get used."

As for the pub's best pints, Tony said the two most popular drinks amongst regulars are Carling and John Smiths, priced at just £2.85.

It also serves up a wide range of other drinks, including Birra Moretti to AU Vodka. 

However, Tony teased a new cocktail menu is currently in the works.

When asked about his favourite memory at the pub so far, Tony said it was "hard to pick" just one.

Tony is proud to have picked up two Proper Pubs awards (Image: Bear on the Hill)

He added: "I am living my dream doing my job and I have an absolutely fantastic team who work with me.

"But some proud moments include raising £1,500 to get our own defibrillator, which is outside the pub, and The Bear winning the national pool championship last year.

"I am also proud of the two awards I have won from the brewery."

His awards include Proper Pubs' Retail Standards Award which was given to Tony for "always" putting in "a lot of care" in the pub and for its "painting, refreshing [and] betterment for customers".

The award adds: "Tony loves his pub and looks after it."

The pub has also installed more dartboards to meet the demand (Image: Bear on the Hill)

He was also crowned the winner of Proper Pubs' Community Hero Awards in October 2021 for his "superhuman effort on the charity cycle ride".

The landlord said his biggest challenges come down to "trying to keep up with the times", particularly as the pub was "quite dated" when he first took over.

However, the new TVs, refurbishment and new dart boards have breathed new life into the pub, he added.

The pub is a popular place for pool pros far and wide (Image: Bear on the Hill)

Its popularity has even seen famous faces pop by for a visit, including the former world pool champion and Mosconi cup MVP, Chris Melling, not once but twice, and other regular Ultimate Pool winners, such as Aaron Davies and Chloe Smithies, and snookers pro, Ryan Davies.

Tony added: "The absolute best thing about The Bear is the absolutely amazing customers.

"We have such an amazing community of locals who join us daily."

Which should be our next Pub of the Week? Email me olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk with your recommendations.