The Woolpack is a fictional public house on the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale. It has played host to many of the soap's storylines and is the focus of the programme. It is the second oldest TV soap pub, opening its doors in October 1972 and being preceded by The Rovers Return Inn which opened in December 1960 and succeeded by The Queen Victoria which opened in February 1985. The Woolpack is the only soap pub to have changed locations as part of a story-line. In 1976, the original Woolpack was found to be suffering from subsidence. Another building was bought by landlords Amos Brearly and Henry Wilks and made its debut as The Woolpack later the same year. This was to cover Emmerdale Farm's move from Arncliffe to Esholt for location filming.
The first Woolpack was the Falcon Inn in Arncliffe. When the outdoor scenes were moved to Esholt in 1976 the Commercial Inn was chosen as the new Woolpack. The present Woolpack is on the purpose-built Emmerdale village set on the Harewood estate which is based on Esholt.
The 1993 plane crash saw the Woolpack wine bar demolished trapping many people inside and paralysing Chris Tate from the waist down. It was also involved in the storm of 2003 where the roof was struck by lightning which caused the chimney to fall through the roof causing a window to collapse and fall on Tricia Dingle, which eventually resulted in her death.
For many years the Woolpack had a rival pub in the village called The Malt Shovel which was supposedly slightly downmarket compared to the Woolpack.
The Woolpack is also currently home to Chas, Charity, Aaron, Noah Dingle, Olivia Flaherty and Robert Sugden.
Current employees
| Job Role | Characters |
|---|---|
| Owners/Landladies | Charity Dingle Chas Dingle |
| Bartenders | Marlon Dingle |
| Chefs | Marlon Dingle Victoria Barton |
Key events
- 1973: Amos Brearly and Henry Wilks become Landlords of the Woolpack.
- 1976: The Woolpack is found to be suffering from subsidence. New premises are found in the village.
- 1978: Landlord Amos Brearly and Henry Wilks are held at gunpoint by armed robbers who steal the takings.
- 1980: Seth Armstrong, who first appeared in 1978, switches from the Malt Shovel to the Woolpack, becoming a regular bar-propper and a thorn in Amos's side.
- 1991: Amos retires, ending an 18 year partnership, Henry later dies, Alan Turner becomes Landlord.
- 1993: The wine bar is demolished by the plane crash, paralysing Chris Tate.
- 1998: The pub is burnt down after Tricia Stokes accidentally sets it on fire with sparklers.
- 1999: Diane and Bernice Blackstock become landladies.
- 2002: After her failed marriage to Ashley Thomas, Bernice sells her half to Louise Appleton and leaves Emmerdale.
- 2004: The Woolpack roof falls through after it is struck by lightning, crushing Tricia Dingle who later dies in hospital.
- 2006: Louise sells her half to Diane's sister Valerie Lambert.
- 2009: Val sells her share of the pub to Diane, making Diane the sole Landlady.
- 2010: Diane sells the pub to Nicola and Jimmy King.
- 2010: Jimmy and Nicola return the pub to Diane.
- 2011: Diane sells 50% of the pub to Chas Dingle.
- 2013: Cameron Murray holds many of the regulars hostage, before he is electrocuted.
- 2016: Diane sells her 50% share of the pub to Charity Dingle.