 Nowadays, the village remains semi-rural and residential with a school, convenience store and a chip shop.The Minnie Pit was opened in 1881 and was part of the wider Podmore Hall Collieries, a large combine of pits in the Halmerend area that served the ironworks at nearby Apedale.The Minnie Pit was the Downcast Shaft for the Podmore Hall operations and was 360 yards deep, reaching five thick, profitable coal seams.