Keith's pub honours his champion boxer grandad Percy Vear

Now, a little over ten years on, Percy Vear’s Real Ale House - our Telegraph & Argus Pub of the Week - has become firmly rooted in the community in and around its corner of Keighley.

“We have a lot of regular customers, many who have been coming since we opened,” says Keith, “It’s a good local pub and many people who come in have met my dad, and one or two knew my grandad.”

Keith behind the bar

The pub in Aireworth Street, Keighley (Image: submitted)

The Aireworth Street pub was named after Keith’s grandfather, Crossflatts-born Hermann ‘Percy’ Vear in the 1920s and 30s. A colourful character, Percy boxed at flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight in 131 bouts during his five-year professional career.

Percy Vear, right, filled boxing halls wherever he appeared (Image: submitted)

Talented boxer Percy Vear

The boxer was one of three fighters under the management of Keighley boxing promoter Sam Scaife during the sport’s boom years and topped the bill at boxing halls across the country.

Keith bought the pub in 2012, then called the Friendly Inn, from Timothy Taylor’s Brewery. “It was one of the original pubs that Timothy Taylor himself had purchased on December 17, 1887.

“It had become run-down so I wanted to bring it back to life and I named it after my grandad.”

The inspirational 'persevere' sign

With his wife Tracey, Keith carried out a full refurbishment. “We began the minute we got the keys, it took about three months - there was a lot of Anaglypta to remove,” he says.

The revamp brought the pub into the 21st century, brightening its interior, which includes a wall devoted to memorabilia from Percy’s boxing heyday.

Andy, one of the pub's regulars, with Percy Vear memorabilia on the wall behind him

The main cask ale is Saltaire Brewery’s Blonde, along with another rotating guest hand-pulled beer.

It’s not only the pub that bears Percy’s name - it serves a drink named after him - Percy’s lager.

Quiz nights are held at the pub, along with darts and dominoes matches. “We have our own darts and dominoes teams. There’s a great atmosphere,” says Keith.

Sports fans can watch fixtures on Sky and BT. “Football and rugby league are very popular and horse racing during the day,” says Keith.

Percy Vear’s is family-run through and through, with Keith’s cousin’s daughter Karan managing the hostelry. It is one of three ‘Percy Vear’s’ pubs owned by Keith, along with the Old Cask in Longwood, Huddersfield and the Golden Fleece in Bradshaw near Halifax.

Pubs are in Keith’s blood - growing up his family ran The Granby in Bingley in the 1980’s, which later was demolished to make way for the Bingley bypass which opened in 2003.

A sign outside the pub

Running pubs is challenging, says Keith, but also immensely rewarding. “We must all persevere along,” he laughs. “I do a lot more admin nowadays than pulling pints, which I miss. Working in a pub you get to know so many people and hear everyone’s stories.”

So how would Percy, who died in 1983 aged 71, have reacted to seeing a Keighley pub bearing his name? “He would have been thrilled to bits,” says Keith.

*Percy Vear's Real Ale House, 2 Aireworth Street, Keighley BD2 1NS