Only a short stroll out of Barnsley town centre on Doncaster Rd, you will find the Dove Inn, this mainly stone built building has a bit of history. In 1887 the Reverend Tiverton Preedy, cleric at the church of St Peters, across the road, for no other reason other than he wanted to, formed a soccer team. The home matches for "the saints" were played in the grounds of the Dove Inn. The pub itself was used as changing rooms for these matches, and they continued to play here until the owner of the land at Oakwell gave in to requests of using his land saying," You can have
it so long as you behave yourselves." This field, grudgingly granted, was to become the Oakwell
Ground, home to Barnsley Football Club to this day.
Today a number of fans fill up the rooms of the pub before heading off to Oakwell.
Recently the Dove Inn has had a major refurbishment by its new owners Old Mill Brewery. The bar has been completely moved and looks very pleasing with pale wood and brass hand and foot rails. The staff are also very welcoming and willing to please. The real ales here are from the Old Mill Brewery, with Old Mill Bitter and Old Mill Bullion, the third pump will be offering Old Mill seasonal beers. In front of the bar is a popular stand around pedestal and a games bandit.
All the rooms have plenty of seating with matching wooden cushioned chairs and stools and wood and iron tables. The games room has a pool table and darts board as well as large screen TV for (non Sky) entertainment. The décor to the rooms is mainly pale wood panels and shelving with glazed dividers, for a more snuggish feel, as well as a plush red patterned carpet. The small back room which is in a
different style to the other areas of the pub with artex walls and rag rolled painted panels leads
into one of the best pub gardens in the area. The garden here has had some extensive work done to attract the summer drinkers, first floor decking area and town style planter garden with two covered areas will keep both the sun worshipers and the smokers happy. You have to see it as words here don’t give it justice.
In all the Dove Inn offers the customers a pleasing to the eye décor in a choice of areas all as comfortable as the other.
On chatting to the licensee and the staff, I found the pub was available for all sorts of functions
and full in-house catering can be provided, call in or phone 288351.
