Meet the family and the team

Tim is Barkisland born & bred and has worked in hospitality from being 14 years old.

After leaving school Tim’s first full time job was as a trainee cost management accountant in the textile industry and after at the NHS.

Tim’s first full time job in hospitality was as bar/cellar manager at The Alpine Inn, near Wetherby. In 1984 he came to manage the ‘Bridge, eventually purchasing it with Lindsay from Lindsay’s family.

In Tim’s spare time he is a man of the moors, protecting and monitoring nesting birds of prey and other moorland species. He is the Vice President and trustee of Friendly Brass Band.

Lindsay is the arty one of the family having studied Art at Huddersfield before settling down to real work as chef at Over the Bridge restaurant, just over the river from the pub and owned by the family.

Upon her uncles retirement she was able to focus her culinary skills on the pub, winning many awards along the way.

Now largely retired from full time cooking duties she keeps her beady eye on the rest of the team and spends many hours making the grounds look beautiful.

Lindsay’s main hobby is walking, including major expeditions to Everest, Matchu Pitchu and more locally the Coast to Coast and the Dales Way, also Ryburn reservoir daily with Fred their dog.

Lindsay has joined the Overgate Hospice Choir and made many new friends while fundraising for the hospice, the family enjoy attending concerts she performs in.

Carly started working at the ‘Bridge in 1995 in the kitchen (after being made by her parents to work at another local pub as a first job before joining the family business).

Life took her to Middlesex University to study a BA (hons) in Law and Human Resource Management for 4 years before landing her dream role designing, negotiating and managing Santas Grottos in prime locations in central London.

After building the business to seven sites she missed rural life and family and eventually came home to settle down.

Carly and Paul and their three beautiful daughters can often be seen at the pub both working and enjoying time with the customers.

Carly brought back a wealth of experience in event management and her passion is to create a community spirit in the heart of the village with the ‘Bridge as the hub.

Carly loves weekend walks with her beloved dog, Nigel, music gigs, bike riding and coming up with big ideas! The rest of the team are kept on their toes with her currently at the helm.

Lindeboom and Flesburger aren’t the only ethically imported things at the Bridge, our bar manager Ruth was born and raised in Budapest before moving to Ripponden when she was eleven. 

Ruth spent her youth on the stage, being heavily involved in Halifax Young Singers, Yorkshire Youth Choir & Calderdale Theatre School. Ultimately deciding she should get some real-world experience, Ruth found herself at the ‘Bridge with a part time bar job. Five years later, she’s Bar Manager, helping organise events, running the social media and keeping things ticking along. 

When she’s not behind the bar, Ruth can usually be found with a book in her hand, listening to podcasts on a walk and spends the majority of her summers up at Stones Cricket Club with a gin & tonic. 

Sammi has been part of the Old Bridge Inn family for 9 years, working her way from pot washing and the bar to now helping to manage the busy kitchen. Her dedication and passion for what she does shines through in everything she creates, particularly the delicious puddings and bar bakes enjoyed by customers.

Alongside her role at the Bridge, Sammi has followed her love of baking and started her own business, Doughalicious by Sammi. Her baking skills can be seen throughout the pub, with many of her delicious creations making their way onto the menus.

Sammi works closely with Ellie and the kitchen team, bringing her creativity, experience and enthusiasm to everything she does. The team is incredibly proud of how far she has come and loves seeing her talents continue to grow both at the Bridge and through Doughalicious.

Click on the links below 👇 to see more of Sammi’s baking and place an order with Doughalicious by Sammi.

Ellie has been an important part of the Old Bridge Inn team for a number of years and is the brilliant Kitchen Manager. Her dedication to her role shines through in everything she does, from the dishes that leave the kitchen to the paperwork and organisation that keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Ellie runs the kitchen team with precision, making sure everyone is organised and the high standards are maintained. She is also full of ideas and loves creating new dishes, events and experiences for customers.

Ellie works closely with Sammi and the rest of the kitchen team, encouraging the chefs to have their own input and get involved in menu ideas and event planning. Her organisation, creativity and leadership make her a huge part of what makes the kitchen tick.