Crow’s Nest at The Farmers Arms

Despite becoming a landlord for the first time in one of the most difficult periods for the pub industry, Dave Wakefield is loving life and is incredibly proud after the Crow’s Nest at The Farmers Arms was nominated for a host of awards in 2026.

From Builder to Pub Landlord

Dave was a builder and lorry driver before nearly losing his leg after a knee operation in 2019 ended in contracting sepsis on the operating table. With his knee never the same again, he needed a career re-think.

The epitome of a people person, Dave decided to move into hospitality, taught himself how to run a kitchen and set up the Crow’s Nest community café at the church hall in Moulton in Cheshire. “I always loved to cook and wanted to do something for the community, so the Crow’s Nest gave me a way in,” says Dave. “We offered the classic breakfasts, sandwiches, soups and snacks, plus hot and cold drinks. At the beginning, our customers were predominantly older locals and various groups linked to the church but by the end of the four years, we were the café of choice for everyone in the community, with the local tradesmen and builders even becoming regulars each morning.”

Building a Community Café from Scratch

With the business booming, Dave decided it was time to expand and scoped out the local area for space for a bigger café. Having no joy, he stumbled across a local pub that was giving nothing to the community and decided to turn it around.

A café by day and a pub by night, the Crow’s Nest at The Farmers Arms opened in 2024 and in a short time, Dave has put it on the must-visit map, while making it a hub for the local community and visitors. In a similar vein to the original Crow’s Nest, the café concentrates on British classics with bountiful breakfasts and pub grub that is inclusive to all.

Celebrating Community, Hospitality and Success

Recognised in a host of awards in 2026, the pub is a BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) quarter finalist and a Punch Community Pub of the Year finalist. It has also been nominated for the Great British Pub Awards and Pub Aid Best Community Pub Awards, with the winners to be announced later this year.

When Dave isn’t bottling up, changing kegs, cleaning, cooking, pulling pints or doing the numerous other jobs required in a day, he’s passionate about supporting local people, initiatives, groups and charities. In the last two and a half years, the pub has raised over £12,000 for charity with this year’s focus on the Cheshire Search and Rescue.

While many landlords are giving it all up due to market pressures, Dave isn’t. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s as tough as it has been for pubs with increases to employer’s NI, the minimum wage, business rates and now the conflict in Iran, all taking their toll on businesses, but I will never do anything else. I have found my place and it’s the best job in the world.”