Harrogate hero John Shackleton, 85, chops logs to fund 50th aid mission

It’s minus two degrees and 85-year-old John Shackleton is chopping logs in Starbeck.

John had a heart attack recently but neither that nor advancing years has stopped him doing what he has done for much of his life — helping others. He’s one of Harrogate’s most loved and admired citizens for his aid trips to desperate places. If ever anyone deserved an accolade, surely it’s John.

He’s now trying to raise about £20,000 for what will be his 50th trip driving an ambulance full of medical supplies. This time he will be heading to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to help Armenians displaced from their homes in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

John has talked about retiring more often than Elton John but here he is on a bitterly cold day toiling away outside some back street garages in sub-arctic Starbeck.

He says:

“I’m always saying ‘this will be my last one’. But it is so important. There are people living in tents with nothing. I really feel their pain. We are so privileged in Harrogate.”

Chopping wood in Starbeck.

John mainly uses a chainsaw these days but can still wield an axe when required. When we met this week, it was almost too cold to hold a pen, nevermind an axe, yet he and helpers Adam Rawson and Mick Stokes were working up a sweat. The chopped wood has to be loaded into ton-bags and delivered to customers. John says:

“It’s heavy work. There’s a lot to be done.

“Sometimes I have up to six lads chopping. They don’t receive any payment, besides the odd cup of tea. They are all here to help and I couldn’t do it without them.”

With Mick Stokes (left) and Adam Rawson (right) at the back of John’s ambulance.

Having a break with Alfie.

The logs are sourced from his daughter’s husband’s farm in Summerbridge. “We are desperately short this year,” he says.

So far he’s raised about £5,000 towards his latest target of £20,000. The main source of income for his trips is donations. Selling logs supplements it. John has also hit on a new way to raise money — doing trips to the tips in Harrogate for people who want to get rid of stuff. He says:

“If anyone wants anything sending to the tip give me a buzz. All contributions go to the poorest people on earth.”

John and many of his helpers are members of St Robert’s Church in Harrogate. They used to chop wood at a man called Pete the Pole’s place in Burn Bridge, until he died. Now they operate out of council garages in Starbeck. John is resigned to eventually losing them but he’s well connected and so well loved that he’s usually able to find someone willing to help.

The usual procedure is to buy an ambulance, usually from Amsterdam, then fill it with medical supplies and drive it to wherever it’s required before getting back to Harrogate however he can, usually with two co-drivers.

John has been doing this since his first mission in 1990 when he was moved by the plight of Romanians after the fall of Ceausescu.

‘I have to be busy’

Born in Gibraltar to a Harrogate-born father who fought in Spain during the Second World War, John moved to Harrogate with his family when he was 12. He served in the RAF and worked in bomb disposal before finding himself jobless with a young family. He says:

“I had no idea what to do. I had three girls so I had to put bread on the table. So I bought a greengrocers on Stonefall Avenue and ran that for seven years.”

He also opened a design studio and sold wall plaques, one of which his daughter presented to President Jimmy Carter when he visited Washington in Tyne and Wear in 1977.

Eventually he fancied a change and went to night school to learn some practical skills and used what he learned to convert a house on Victoria Avenue into four flats. He has been converting properties ever since.

His first wife died suddenly 48 years ago and his second passed away last year. He has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John was up a tree with a chainsaw when he suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, he looks fit and robust now.

Besides doing this, he also collects bikes for Harrogate charity Resurrection Bikes, which brings old cycles back to life. He says:

“I have to be busy. I’m very active. It’s something I have to do because it’s the right thing to do and I’m fortunate to be able to do it.”

You can donate to John’s mission here. For details about tip trips, contact John at johnshackleton@aidtoeasterneurope.co.uk or call him on 01423871255.

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Yemi’s Food Stories: My favourite winter warmers

Winter is the season for comforting, hearty meals that warm the body and nourish the soul.

If, like me, you need help with getting through the cold blast, here are some dishes you can make to help keep your tummies full and boost your immunity.

Spiced citrus tea

To start the day, brew some spiced citrus tea.

To make it, use two bags of black tea; two whole lemons; one orange; three star anises; seven cardamom pods; seven cloves; a pinch of fennel seeds; pinch of coriander seeds; one thumb size piece of fresh ginger and one cinnamon stick.

Allow to boil for thee – five minutes and take off heat.

Once it cools down for a few minutes, add two bags of green tea and steep for another three minutes.

Sieve and serve with slices of orange and sweeten with honey.

It’s a comforting tea packed full of antioxidants and vitamin C.

Cinnamon oats

For a nourishing and warming breakfast packed with vitamin C, add fresh berry compote, berries, honey, toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to your cinnamon spiced oats.

Yemi’s cinnamon oats with berry compote

Spiced parsnip soup

In the heart of winter, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a steaming bowl of soup.

One of my favourites is spiced parsnip soup with lemon.

To make it, sauté sliced onions and garlic in a light drizzle of oil, add sliced parsnips and one habanero or scotch bonnet pepper to taste.

Add some cumin seeds, turmeric and curry powder and fry for another two minutes before adding water or stock.

Season with salt and bring to boil. Allow to simmer until the parsnip is cooked through.

Blend and add fresh lemon juice from half or one whole lemon depending on the amount of soup.

Adjust seasoning and serve with some fresh bread.

Crisp and crunchy winter salad

I am not a fan of cold salads in winter, so I opt for salads with hot elements like flaked roasted salmon, roast chicken, warm roasted beetroot or spiced chickpeas.

For a salad that embraces the season, make a roasted Brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad.

Roasting the sprouts imparts a caramelised flavour, while the burst of pomegranate seeds adds a refreshing pop.

Toss in some toasted walnuts for an earthy crunch, and drizzle a vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a hint of Dijon mustard to bring it all together.

Serve with roast chicken thighs or pan-fried salmon.

Yemi’s roasted salmon with potatoes.

One pan dishes

Quick dishes like roasted tomato and garlic risotto topped with scallops and prawns makes a comforting and nourishing meal, that is quick and easy.

For a classic with a healthy twist, consider cooking fish en-papillote, which simply means cooking it in baking parchment paper which traps in the juices.

Simply top your fish with your choice of spices, seasoning, onions, lemon or orange slices, roasted tomatoes, sliced peppers and pepper flakes etc.

Serve with boiled or crushed potatoes and veggies, on a bed of couscous or pasta.

As we wait for warmer weather, I hope you try some of these easy and nourishing recipes with a focus on wholesome ingredients to tide you through the cold snap and boost your immunity.

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Editor’s Pick of the Week: reservoir charges and big news for Harrogate Convention Centre

Some people have long been calling for the somewhat run-down Harrogate Convention Centre to be sold to a private company.  But for the first time this week the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, which owns it, suggested it could happen.

The convention centre is undoubtedly at a crossroads and what happens next will have a considerable impact on Harrogate’s visitor economy.

Of equal significance to Ripon is the cathedral’s plans for a £6 million development on Minster Gardens. The cathedral announced this week it had paused its plans, which would involve felling trees, in a move that has been welcomed as a way of finding common ground.

We sought an update on Starbeck’s big planning issue — the redevelopment of the burned-out former Harper’s building. Our findings don’t suggest a swift resolution to this glacial-paced redevelopment.

This week’s big political story was the YouGov poll which suggested Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon is on course to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones in Harrogate and Knaresborough, but it’s a very tight call. Julian Smith is forecast to retain Skipton and Ripon.

Finally, don’t forget Yorkshire Water’s parking charges at Swinsty, Fewson and Thruscross reservoirs will be introduced on Monday.

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Starbeck’s female plumber who is breaking down barriers

Elisa Foyle is at a customer’s home in Pannal trying to find a leak in the bathroom while we chat on the phone.

She’s doing a day of small plumbing jobs and is so busy she asks if I mind her working while we talk. Since launching her business, PlumbMum, three years ago, she’s hasn’t advertised once and yet the phone never stops ringing. 

Elisa, from Starbeck, is among the tiny proportion of female plumbers in the UK.

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that in 2022 the number of women working in plumbing was 3,500, just 2.5 per cent of the industry’s workforce. Although up on 2021 figures of 2,700 (1.9 per cent), it’s still shockingly low.

Boob-related comments

It would be easy to think women are facing too many barriers in a traditionally male-orientated industry, but Elisa’s general experience has actually been very positive. She says: 

“I’ve been really well received by both customers and other tradespeople. I did a plumbing course at Leeds College of Building in a class full of 16-year-old lads and it was fine.

“I’ve had a couple of male customers and plumbers who have been very chauvinistic and made the odd inappropriate comment, generally boob-related, and one elderly lady asked me if she should get her male neighbour round to give me hand. But, to be honest, I thought there would be more than there have been.

“Physically, it’s not so much about strength but about the demands on your knees and back, which gets harder for everyone as they get older. And I don’t think I’ve ever felt uneasy or unsafe visiting a customer’s home. If I did, I would make an excuse and leave.”

Mid-life career change

In fact, the biggest barrier for Elisa was nothing to do with being a woman; it was the lack of practical on-the-job experience she was able to access after her college course.

A single mum to three boys, now aged 9, 17 and 18, she was 42 when she decided to switch careers after her work as a frontline healthcare professional began affecting her mental health and time with her family. She took on cleaning and caring work to pay the bills through her college course, but this would have been unsustainable had she moved on to an apprenticeship after her studies. She says: 

“My course taught me the fundamentals of plumbing such as safety and regulations, but the biggest barrier for me as an older person was accessing training and practical experience afterwards. There’s a massive gap in the industry to support people like myself, both women and men, who are changing careers. With a mortgage, kids and other financial commitments, you don’t have the luxury of doing an apprenticeship.” 

Elisa saw no other option than to just start doing the job and learn as she went along. Surprisingly, one of her biggest challenges was knowing the language used for all the tools and parts, especially when visiting trade suppliers.  

“A lot of the time I knew what I needed but I didn’t know what it was called. I found a great plumbing merchant, James Hargreaves in Harrogate, who really listened to me and helped me work out what I was looking for. I don’t think I’d be where I am without their support.” 

After her first customer left a glowing review on the Nextdoor app, her work snowballed. She now offers a variety of services including general plumbing, taps and drainage work, bathroom installation and repair, and emergency call-outs.

She works alongside a professional tiler, joiner and handyman as well as passing on gas-related boiler work to trusted engineers. She recently received a ‘Neighbourhood Fave’ award from Nextdoor for being one of the most popular businesses on the app. 

“The barriers shouldn’t stop you”

Although wary of gender stereotypes, Elisa has found that being a female plumber sometimes works to her advantage:  

“Customers seem to have more natural trust in you when you’re a woman in this job, especially if they’ve had a bad experience with a plumber before. Whether it’s being a woman, having a people-facing role previously, or it’s just in my nature, I also take time to talk to my customers and explain what the issue is and what I need to do to fix it. A lot of plumbers don’t do that and it helps to create trust. And if I can’t do something I won’t attempt it and will try to find someone who can. Customers really appreciate it, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable. 

“I also think women tend to look at things more holistically. I’ll check other things while I’m there and teach customers how to do simple things for themselves so they don’t have to call someone out or can turn the water off in an emergency. It goes down very well because it empowers people.” 

Elisa is now planning to use her experience to help others. She’s hoping to put aside a day a week to offer practical experience to someone, whatever their gender, in mid-life who is retraining as a plumber. She’d also like to set up a course teaching people basic plumbing skills, after spotting a need particularly among her female customers to feel confident and empowered in fixing small plumbing issues around the home. 

Now 47, Elisa laughs when I suggest she’s an inspiration, and not just for being a woman in a male-dominated industry. That in itself would be challenging enough. But doing it mid-life as a career change and also while a single mum to three boys? It’s not an easy thing to do. She replies:

“I think it’s never too late to change what you are doing and there will be barriers to it but they shouldn’t stop you. As much as you think that the world is against you or not prepared for you, there are always people on your team who will help and support you. You can do anything you want. You’d be surprised what you can do when you challenge yourself.”

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Environment secretary ‘impressed’ by River Nidd bathing water bid

Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones has briefed new environment secretary Steve Barclay MP on the bid to designate the River Nidd as a bathing water.

If the bid is successful, the Environment Agency will be obliged to work with Yorkshire Water, farmers, businesses and residents to put in place a five-year plan to improve water quality in the river.

The campaign, which Mr Jones has led, is focused on the Lido at Knaresborough because of the number of leisure users it attracts but the changes would be felt along a much wider stretch of the river.

The bid has been backed by local councils, wild swimmers, anglers and community groups who have submitted letters of support to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A decision is expected in spring.

After the meeting, Mr Jones said:

“Mr Barclay has taken up post since I submitted the bid and so I wanted to brief him personally.  While a decision is yet to be made, it was clear to me that he was impressed with the information gathered by local volunteers and the many letters of support.

“The Nidd is used by hundreds of people for recreation.  The bid is about helping them to do that in a consistently cleaner and healthier environment with water quality that shows sustained improvement.

“The main cause of pollution in the Nidd is run-off from farmland which contains chemicals from pesticides and animal waste.  The farming community upstream are key partners for our campaign for better water quality.”

Mr Jones added Yorkshire Water was investing £180 million over two years to reduce the operation of storm overflows, which stop sewage from backing up into homes. He added:

“There is also a legacy of mining along the Nidd.  When the abandoned mine workings flood iron, zinc, lead, cadmium, aluminium, manganese and copper leach into the river.

“So it is a complex issue needing the input of many different groups.  That is why it is important that we have an agreed plan backed by the Environment Agency.”

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Survey launched on Knaresborough cliff lift idea

A survey has been launched as part of a project to investigate installing a cliff lift in Knaresborough.

The Stray Ferret reported last year that the government’s shared prosperity fund had awarded £20,000 to conduct a feasibility study into the idea. A lift has long been seen as a way to connect the steep divide between Waterside and the castle and encourage people to stay in town longer.

Knaresborough and District Chamber, Renaissance Knaresborough and the Knaresborough Civic Society are behind the scheme. Professional tourism group Carey Tourism is supporting them.

A press release announcing the survey on behalf of the groups said a cliff lift “is one of our dreams to bring economic prosperity and build for the next generation of Knaresborians, both young and old”.

It included an image, shown here, which Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber, said was “an example to get a wow factor and signal our ambition” even though no design — or even a decision on whether to proceed with the idea — has been approved yet.

The release said:

“This is an exciting opportunity for residents young and old, as well as visitors to the town to help shape the future of our town making it fit for the next generation.”

The release urged people to complete the survey here or have their say on the Polis website here, in the hope that this will lead to a consensus about what matters most to people.

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Council to review locations of ‘reeking’ Harrogate district litter bins

North Yorkshire Council is to review its litter bin policy in the Harrogate district after complaints.

The council is spending £478,000 on replacing about 1,500 litter bins in the district with 775 new, larger bins.

The new bins are emptied less frequently and more likely to be located alongside main roads to make them easier for council staff to collect. It is hoped the new approach will save between £17,000 and £19,000 a year and free up staff for other duties like litter picking.

But the decision to get rid of many old bins in parks, where dogs are walked, and empty them less frequently has upset residents.

The Stray Ferret covered this issue widely last year, reporting on concerns in Knox and Jennyfields as well as submitting a freedom if information request to the council.

The larger new bins are emptied less frequently.

Numerous complaints — including stench — were raised at a meeting of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee on Friday.

Monika Slater, a Liberal Democrat who represents Bilton Grange and New Park, said the placement of bins was “something I have a bit of a problem with”.

Cllr Slater said some were overflowing and one in Charles Avenue in Bilton “did absolutely reek”. People, she added, were dropping poo bags where bins used to be.

Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he received more emails about poo bins than anything else. He added:

“If you are going to empty those once a fortnight they are going to smell. Lots of people are very concerned about it.”

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, said Knaresborough Town Council “received lots of emails about it not working” and asked when the promised additional street cleaning would begin.

Michael Leah assistant director for environmental services, told councillors:

“The founding principle from what I’ve seen is the bin needs to be in the right place and it needs to be collected with the right frequency.

“These are fairly straightforward things and when I’ve been out on the patch that isn’t the case. Some are in the wrong place, some are missing and thy are not being collected with the right frequency. We recognise that and will address that.”

Michael Leah (left) and Harry Briggs at the council meeting.

Mr Leah and Harry Briggs, the council’s newly appointed head of waste and streetscene services, said the new policy was a legacy project inherited from Harrogate Borough Council. which was abolished on April 1 last year.

Mr Briggs said the bins were located “as close to a road as humanly possible because staff have a large work programme for the day so they don’t have time to go into the park”.

But he acknowledged the system hadn’t worked smoothly:

“It’s right that we now pause to reflect to see if the locations could be improved upon or the number of bins that have been rationalised is too great.

“The new management team at North Yorkshire Council is looking at this again, that’s not to say that the project was delivered incorrectly but we want now as a new organisation to review that.”

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Tories and Lib Dems clash over River Nidd water quality

Conservative MP Andrew Jones has clashed with Liberal Democrat politicians over water quality in the River Nidd.

The state of the Nidd is likely to be one of the key election issues in Harrogate and Knaresborough in the year ahead, with both parties focusing heavily on it. The Stray Ferret has been following developments — you can read a recent summary here.

Mr Jones, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, was questioned on the subject when he appeared before a Liberal Democrat-controlled committee of local councillors on Friday.

Mr Jones has been leading a campaign to achieve bathing water status on the Nidd at Knaresborough Lido, which would oblige the Environment Agency to monitor water quality along the river.

Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire Council, asked Mr Jones when it would be safe to swim in the Nidd.

Mr Jones said the government was expected to adjudicate on the bathing water status application by late spring or early summer.

He added:

“It isn’t reasonable to say it’s not safe to swim in the River Nidd because the whole point about the bathing water status is it’s measuring people actually already swimming in the Nidd. People like swimming in the Nidd. This about helping them do that.

“So I think the question is slightly loaded and slightly wrong. The work to improve water quality is a complex piece of work which will require prolonged investment — some changes in agricultural practice as well.”

Cllr Gostlow replied by saying she asked the question because an Environment Agency report in December 2023 gave ‘poor’ water quality status to the only three rivers in England to hold a distinct classification for swimming,  meaning they were unfit for swimming.

Those waterways are the River Wharfe at Ilkley, Wolvercote Mill Stream in Oxfordshire, and the Deben estuary at Waldringfield —

After the meeting, Cllr Gostlow accused Mr Jones of failing to answer the question on when it will be safe to swim in the Nidd. She added:

“Every summer we have countless children and adults who get sick as a result of swimming in the Nidd. If it was already safe to do so then there wouldn’t be a need to concerted effort and a community campaign to improve water quality.”

Mr Jones (right) sitting alongside an aide at last week’s meeting.

Mr Jones told the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which advises North Yorkshire Council on local issues, the bathing water status application had been “a hugely successful piece of work”.

He said agricultural run off that is the largest cause of pollution in rivers and the Nidd’s mining past also caused issues.

He added:

“I look at the quality issue in a very positive way This is the first government ever to have tackled water quality with an action plan.

“A key thing is by the end of last year we had 100% of the storm overflows in our country monitored for the first time.

“And it was a big change because it was only in 2016 that it was 6% monitoring so we now can quantify the scale of the problem and we will be able therefore to direct where investment will be going to make the quickest biggest difference.”

He said monitoring “has changed the entire national debate” and would enable everyone shortly to be able to see live data on water quality.

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Stray Views: New Harrogate Starbucks will increase roadside litter

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

 Take a drive around Beckwithshaw and North Rigton and have a look at the grass verges.

From country lanes to main roads they are surrounded, almost exclusively, by crap from ‘drive-thru’ restaurants or coffee shops.

Once you’ve noticed it you really can’t un-see it.

It’s got way worse since Costa opened in Pannal with motorists happy to lob their latte out of their windows as they head to work.

It’s not just where I live either. Verges all over the Harrogate district are absolutely covered with rubbish from the same places.

I’m not lovin’ it.

Do our learned councillors ever consider litter when approving these places?

I dread Starbucks on Wetherby Road opening because it’s obviously going to make the litter epidemic much, much worse.

These corporations are poisoning our countryside and shame on the lazy ‘tossers’ who chuck rubbish out of windows.

Tex Crick, North Rigton

Crime commissioner ‘can’t rescue anyone’

Regarding the loss of firefighters at Harrogate, has police, fire and crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe noticed that Harrogate has a lot more houses than it did?

More opportunities for fires and, as the Ferret reported, fire personnel needed to rescue drunken drivers this week. What would have happened had there been a fire during the rescue?

Then, there is the new Maltkin settlement, which could house 8,000 people. Which fire service will cover that, should it be needed?

Let’s save the money we spend on her salary by disposing of the commissioner position.

She can’t rescue anyone.

Gill Knight, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

The new venue injecting energy into Knaresborough’s night life

Everyone loves Knaresborough. Independent shops, characterful pubs and historic views. But a night out? You have to go elsewhere for that.

That’s the traditional view — but things are changing. Several new venues have appeared lately, but none has had more impact than 1858 Bar and Restaurant. With its size, central location and live DJs it’s injecting some energy into Knaresborough night life.

Owners Jaime Wilkinson and Kim Lancaster, who are both from Knaresborough, opened 1858 almost six months ago in the former NatWest bank, which closed in 2017.

Being situated in a listed building, which it is believed was built in 1858, has brought its planning challenges but it’s difficult not to feel impressed when you walk in. It’s spacious, elegant and serves food throughout the day, seven days a week. Many of the old features have been retained, including the old heavy doored-bank vault, which has been turned into a dining area, with an imaginative penny design floor.

But it’s also transforming the town’s nighttime offering for younger people, especially the live DJ sets at weekends.

Kim Lancaster and Jaime Wilkinson

Mr Wilkinson says:

“The live DJ nights have been massively successful because again people don’t have to go to Harrogate. They also attract people from outlying villages.

“It’s giving people the option. If they want to come out and have a bit of a buzz they can stay in Knaresborough.”

Mr Wilkinson set out to create something different. He says:

“We saw there was a market for something like this. To have the opportunity to do something more ambitious was exciting.”

The old bank vault is now a dining area.

 

Mr Wilkinson and Ms Lancaster are well known in Knaresborough, having grown up in the area. She was area manager for Drake’s after previously working at the town’s So! Bar and Eats. His career has followed an unusual trajectory. He started off as a tree surgeon but his mum worked in a fish and chip shop and he got a job frying. For a while he combined the two jobs but then he got the chance to take on the Ripon franchise of Drake’s, and over time that expanded.

He now owns the franchise for seven Drake’s fish and chip shops, including the ones in the centres of Knaresborough and Ripon and the one on Knaresborough Road in Harrogate. Chances are you’ve sampled his fish and chips. He continues to operate these franchises and says he “still jumps on the pans” from time to time.

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Mr Wilkinson says although chip shops and bars are different, handling staff remains the main issue and “if you can work alongside people you can adapt”.

When it came to developing the bar, balancing their aspirations with the cost of living crisis and the impact of high inflation has been tricky.

Mr Wilkinson says:

“We knew we wanted to do nice food and a bar. To what level was the question. Do you go too high end? No.

“From the outside it’s one of the best looking buildings in town and we wanted to take that forward and make it one of the best looking ones on the inside as well.”

The bar

The restaurant

The restaurant can seat 40 people and the capacity can be extended into the bar. Main courses are generally in the £15 to £20 bracket. Ms Lancaster says:

“There’s a misconception that we are expensive. On a scale of 1 to 10 I’d say we were a seven-and-a-half.”

At a time when people go out less but spend more when they do, the venue is well suited for a leisurely stay.

It opens from 9.30am to 10pm weekdays and is licensed to stay open until midnight at weekends and 2am on bank holidays. Food is served from 9.30am to 8pm daily. Mr Wilkinson says:

“My ethos is if someone wants to eat here they know they can. They don’t have to worry about whether we are open or doing food.”

The owners talk about introducing “less energetic” acoustic sessions on Sundays and midweek to bring a different vibe. But the early signs are promising. Mr Wilkinson says:

“If you had said to me that in the first three months we would be doing the figures we are doing and getting the footfall we’re getting and the response we have had I would have said ‘thank you very much’.”