Regulars are back propping up the bar in a pub which only weeks ago had faced demolition.

The Cross Roads Inn at Cross Roads, Keighley, has been rescued by Skipton-based brewery Copper Dragon after villagers supported a Save Our Local campaign.

Customers are so pleased they have been e-mailing brewery bosses to thank them for reviving the ancient pub, which is said to have been a haunt of Branwell Bronte, brother of the famous Bronte sister authors from nearby Haworth.

Chris Ellison, managing director of the Cross Roads-based OPM Group, said staff and clients had previously used the pub.

"The Cross Roads community is sorely missing a quality establishment such as the public houses you already own serving good beers and food," he said in his e-mail to brewery bosses.

New landlord Chris Marsden has banned the modern trappings of juke box and television and is hoping to cultivate an atmosphere to encourage conversation.

"I want people to be able to relax and chat at the bar and talk about things from pop to politics," he said.

"It is actually working and we've had a fantastic feedback from people sending e-mails, telephoning and from the people coming in.

"I think it says something when you can get my 19-year-old barman enjoying a conversation with a 60-year-old customer."

He has removed all the nationally known beers and spirits and replaced them with a range of new drinks to support the ales brewed by Copper Dragon, including Golden Pippin, Scots 1816, Black Gold, Challenger IPA and Best Bitter.

Copper Dragon clinched a deal to buy the building from Enterprise Inns after the previous landlady, Gail Kellett, launched a save-the-pub campaign.

Enterprise had put in a planning application for changing the use of the pub for development, until it was snapped up by Copper Dragon.

The new-look inn, which has been open for four weeks, is one of eight pubs tied to the brewery in the area.

Copper Dragon Managing Director Steve Taylor, who founded the brewery in 2002, said: "We plan to grow the estate to 32 establishments initially and we are well on the way to that target, emulating the original Skipton Brewery "The Cross Roads is a very well recognised inn that we considered to be too good for demolition. After considerable investment in refurbishment, the initial four weeks of trading has broken all records."

Copper Dragon, Skipton's first brewery for almost 100 years, supplies over 1,000 pubs across the north.

It is set for further expansion and is in the process of purchasing land for a new enlarged brewery in Skipton that will generate more jobs in the area.

e-mail: clive.white@bradford.newsquest.co.uk