Stray Foodie is a bi-monthly food review written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Grantham Arms, Milby, Boroughbridge YO51 9BW

Frances’ Meal: Starter: Garlic Prawns with Samphire £9.95 Main Course: Steak Pie £14.95  Glass of Picpoul: £4.30

The Grantham Arms is a grey painted building that stands on a roundabout as you enter Boroughbridge. I suspect it was once a charming coaching inn but now at the side of a very busy road – not the most salubrious positions. Its fake grass and fairy lights make a statement.

The welcome I received from the young man behind the bar, Sam, was exemplary. It was a busy bar with guests of all ages.

I was with a friend who is the head of a hospitality department at a university. A young lady called Jess showed us to our table and looked after our experience for the duration of the evening. There were brown leather chairs, square tables, candles and bric-a-brac throughout. I imagine in the evening it would be very atmospheric.

The front room of Grantham Arms.

Jess was warm, friendly, with an extensive knowledge of the menu, which catered for all tastes.

To start with we shared Garlic Prawns with Samphire. The Samphire would have welcomed a little less heat.

She advised us that the Pies were a speciality and the thing to have. So, I had the steak pie which was well-made with good pastry and generously presented. I am not sure if the blue cheese in the gravy worked with such good ingredients; it might suit someone with a more robust palate. The cooking of the vegetables was excellent which is a rare achievement.

Would you like Frances to review your restaurant or cafe? 

From pop-up to fine dining, Frances would like to hear from you. If you’d like her to write a review on your food, send her an email to: foodie@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The Chicken Supreme, which my friend ordered, was of grand proportions with a well-made sauce. I was assured it tasted good. However, I would have liked to have seen it looking more comfortable in the sauce with thinly sliced mushrooms, chopped chives and sliced to add a little elegance.

The choice of wines were very limited and they would have benefited from a wider selection of grape variety to balance with the dishes on offer.

The Dessert Menu looked tempting but unfortunately, we were too full. It looked interesting and was the sort of menu that meant no waste for the kitchen. Perhaps a seasonal weekly dessert might be a thought. A Syrup & Apple Sponge or similar nursery pudding for the winter the months might be a popular idea for their regulars.

The atmosphere was young and vibrant and made by the service staff. Such courtesy is always a pleasure to receive.

The outside seating area.

The kitchen, given suitable direction, has the makings of a successful brigade, although, I was disappointed to find the Head Chef was not on duty at the time of my visit, nor was any form of senior management.

If you are hungry the pricing is of very good value and you won’t be disappointed. I am sure it will increase in popularity as a neighbourhood restaurant. In these difficult times, it is a place to be valued.

To find out more about Grantham Arms click here. To read more about Frances’ fantastic career click here.

Read More: 

• Stray Foodie:  Frances visits the Bistro at How Stean Gorge, Nidderdale
• Italian bar and restaurant closes in Harrogate

Linden Homes will cut the number of four- and five-bedroom homes at its Riverside Mills development as a response to “market conditions”.

This week, Harrogate Borough Council approved a planning application from the developer to alter the already-agreed 95 homes on the site, where work has already begun.

Linden will replace nine 3-bedroom, sixteen 4-bedroom and seven 5-bedroom homes with four 4-bedroom, 34 three-bedroom and eight 2-bedroom homes. This will increase the total number of homes in the development by 14, and the total number of bedrooms by eight.

The application to make the changes was first submitted in October 2019.

The Stray Ferret asked Linden Homes to comment but the company had not responded by the time of publication. A document submitted to HBC by Pegasus Group on behalf of Linden Homes said:

“The proposed scheme seeks [to] maintain the existing infrastructure layout of the site, whilst introducing a number of smaller units to reflect market conditions in Boroughbridge.”

Read more:

• Council could spend £4.5m on 52 homes in Harrogate
• Barratt Homes pulls out of 390-home Ripon scheme

There have been signs locally that, since lockdown, housebuilders are being more cautious with developments. In July, the UK’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Homes, pulled out of a 390-home development in Littlethorpe, Ripon.

In August, Harrogate Borough Council agreed to buy 52 homes for £4.5m at Stonebridge Homes’ Castle Hill Farm development on Whinney Lane.

Despite some caution from housebuilders, estate agents in the district have reported a “manic” period since June.

Alex Atkinson, sales manager at Linley & Simpson, told the Stray Ferret that 2020 will end strongly thanks to the government’s Stamp Duty holiday, which ends in March 2021.

He said:

“Since lockdown we’ve seen a massive shift in our village and rural properties. Anything with land or outdoor space is selling like hotcakes at the moment.”

A plaque to commemorate the UCI World Championships under 23s riding through Boroughbridge was unveiled yesterday.

One year ago the town was preparing for the cyclists to arrive. The streets were decorated with bunting and plywood bike sculptures were placed at various locations.

The team that organised the day’s event thought a blue plaque would create a legacy for the day. It was fitted in the centre of town near the new cycle racks at Havenhands The Bakers shop.

Susan Jagger, a member of the legacy organising team, said:

“We’d never had the big cycling events come through the town before. We spent six months preparing how to welcome the cyclists properly.

“Boroughbridge is a very popular cycling centre and it is fitting to have a reminder that our town was a part of this prestigious International event.”

Last year the local shops took part in the celebrations by decorating their windows.

Read more:

• A blue plaque to commemorate Harrogate’s efforts to support the Spitfire campaign during World War Two is now in place. 
• Boroughbridge Community Care are in need of more volunteers as people’s needs continue. 

The team planned to unveil the plaque in April alongside the mayor and Team GB cyclists but, due to the pandemic, it had to be postponed.

The unveiling yesterday was carried out by last year’s mayor, Cllr Geoff Haldenby, who helped with the UCI celebrations last year.

Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, begins today – but events are thin on the ground in the Harrogate area.

Most events have been cancelled due to coronavirus although an additional virtual programme has been added to the schedule, allowing people to go behind the scenes at cultural sites across England.

The only physical event scheduled for Harrogate is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission walk and talk at Stonefall Cemetery, which is limited to six tours of five people over two days and is currently fully booked.

Nearly 1,000 airmen who died in the Second World War are buried at the cemetery. More than two-thirds are Canadian.

Read more:

• Church wall repair planned after six-month road closure
• Organisations come together for community jigsaw project

The neo-Norman church of St Mary’s in Roecliffe, which has a Jacobean pulpit, is opening its doors to visitors on all 10 days of the open days, which end on September 20.

St Martin’s Church in Knaresborough is also welcoming visitors, as is the church of Christ the Consoler at Skelton-cum-Newby at Newby Hall, near Ripon.

Heritage Open Days, which is being held for the 25th year, has adopted a hidden nature theme in 2020. It is coordinated by the National Trust.

To search for events, click here.

A Boroughbridge hotel has said its summer trading “exceeded expectations” after lockdown.

The Crown Hotel reopened, alongside other hospitality businesses, on July 4. Since then the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme has boosted dining while overseas travel restrictions have led to more holiday-makers in the area.

Tracey Campbell, general manager at the hotel, said:

“We had a very good July and August and it has been picking up momentum since then.

“We normally take the overflow from bigger events and weddings but recently it’s been people coming for the weekend. This has made a big impact, it’s made up for the loss of event trade.

The summer exceeded our expectations because we didn’t have any idea how it would be. We can’t forecast for the next 6-12 months but if business remains the same I’ll be a happy manager.”

Boroughbridge businesses bounced back in late summer after months of lockdown created uncertainty.

Boroughbridge is a staycation hotspot featuring several caravan parks. It is also close to several tourist locations and popular with walkers.

Read more:

• New owners say Roecliffe pub will be restored to its former “glory days”.
• Nightingale contract extensions to have “huge impact” on Harrogate’s hospitality sector. 

The tourist information centre is currently closed. Calls are being forwarded to Boroughbridge Town Council.

A council representative said:

“The money left in the honesty box in our car park has definitely increased. The amount is close to what we expect at this time of year. I think it has picked up but it’s difficult to judge. We’ve had more people ringing saying they want to come. It is staycations for most people – those unable to go abroad have come here.”

The Crown Inn at Roecliffe has reopened with new owners and managers in the hope of restoring the pub to its former “glory days”.

The inn, in the village near Boroughbridge, went into voluntary liquidation last year under its former owners. It has been bought by the Coastal and Country Inns group, which owns three other inns in the UK.

Despite its owners saying the midst of a pandemic “could be the worst time to open,” they have spoken of their gratitude for the warm welcome from local residents.

Chris Hannon, managing director of Coastal & Country, said:

“We’ve been looking at it for over a year and we were excited to finally get it. This could be the worst time to open: we are either stupid or very brave, but the world has to keep turning and good pubs will always survive. We don’t want to mess around with it too much – we want to keep the traditional pub charm.

“We’ve had a fantastic welcome from the locals and we want to be a central point. It’s really important to keep it going. It’s nice to buck the trend and open a pub when so many are closing.”

The pub has reopened and hopes to continue to be a central hub for the village.

Read more:

• Some restaurants across the district have extended the Eat Out to Help Out scheme at their own expense.
• Its small size and community feel makes people feel “more than safe” in Boroughbridge as lockdown eases and hospitality opens again.

Its new managers, Lukas and Veronicka Alman, have previously worked at another of the group’s inns in the Peak District.

The pub has been refurbished and is offering food and drink, accommodation and events space.

North Yorkshire Police is urging for vigilance following an increase in burglaries on new home development sites across the district.

During the past 24 hours, two incidents have been reported. One at a new site one in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, and the second in Penny Pot Gardens in Harrogate.

Boilers are the main item to be stolen. The perpetrators are cutting the gas and water pipes before removing the boilers, meaning some of the homes are left flooded.

Other targeted locations in the district include Knaresborough and Ripon. Furnishings valued at £70,000 were stolen from two show houses at a site in Knaresborough. In Ripon, a dumper truck was stolen from a site in the nearby village of Markington.

Read more:

• A police operation to combat drink driving in the district encouraged over 20 arrests on local roads in one weekend.
• A routine traffic stop in Pannal resulted in three arrests connected to modern slavery. 

The police are asking local residents to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity.

It has also asked if any CCTV overlooking any of the targeted sites is checked for activity such as large vans driving around the sites.

Information can be reported using the 101 number, dial 1 and pass the information onto the Force Control Room.

The fate of the General Tarleton is unclear as it shows no sign of reopening after being closed for five months. 

Award-winning chef John Topham and his wife Claire have shared full ownership of the hotel and eatery in Ferrensby since 2005, according to information on the Companies House website.

Over the past 15 years the couple have built a reputation for serving quality food.  

Read more:

• Eat Out To Help Out scheme extended
• Harrogate Christmas Market cancelled

In 2016, the couple also gained a stake in the Alice Hawthorn, a country inn in Nun Monkton.  

The Alice Hawthorn is managed by the Tophams and in 2017 it was named the Yorkshire Life Dining Pub of the Year. 

The Alice Hawthorn has reopened since the coronavirus lockdown but the General Tarleton remains closed.

The Stray Ferret contacted the Alice Hawthorn yesterday to inquire about the future of the business but it declined to comment.  

As the Eat Out To Help Out scheme comes to an end today, its success has led some local restaurants to extend it at their own expense.

The scheme has allowed restaurants and cafes to boost their profits after being forced to close during lockdown.

Restaurants in the district extending the scheme include:

• Bambudda Oriental Cuisine, Kirkgate, Ripon – £5 off ‘All you can eat’ buffet Monday and Wednesday.
• Blue Bell Inn at Kirby Hill, Boroughbridge – Two-course meal £10 and three-course meal for £15 on Wednesday and Thursday.
• The Pine Marten, Otley Road, Harrogate – 50% off mains, Monday-Wednesday until mid-September, when subscribed to mailing list
• Graveley’s of Harrogate – 50% off up to £10 on mains and soft drinks until Wednesday, September 2
• Gino d’Acampo My Restaurant, Harrogate – 50% off up to £10 on mains and soft drinks until Wednesday, September 2
• La Feria, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate – 50% off up to £10 on mains and soft drinks until Wednesday, September 2
• Lucia Wine Bar and Grill, Ripon Road, Harrogate – 50% off up to £10 on mains and soft drinks, Monday-Wednesday, until the end of September
• Starbeck Tandoori, Starbeck – 50% off food up to £10 Monday – Thursday, until the end of September.
• The Empress on the Stray, Church Square, Harrogate –  25% off food Monday – Wednesday until the end of September.
• The Grantham Arms, Boroughbridge – 50% off up to £5 per person, Monday – Wednesday, until the end of September.
• West Park Hotel, Harrogate – 50% off food up to £10 until Wednesday, September 2.

Customers should contact the restaurant regarding the offer prior to booking.

Simon Wade, owner of The Grantham Arms in Boroughbridge, said:

“It’s been phenomenal – it’s been like having a six-day weekend. We’ve had to bring in new suppliers as many just didn’t realise it would be this busy.

“In terms of money, we lost £250,000 of turnover during lockdown. The scheme has drastically increased our turnover but we have had to employ more staff.

“We are introducing our own scheme – I just think we can’t not piggy back on the back of something so successful. We know everyone loves a bargain and I am pleased to offer it.”

Both restaurants are extending the scheme in order to capitalise the surge in bookings it has encouraged.

The owner of The Empress on the Stray, Sharon Colgan, said:

“Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August have been a real success changing people’s perspective on early-week dining. We are hopeful it will continue through September and we will look at possibly extending until the end of the year if it continues to be a success.”

Read more:

• WATCH as restaurants in the district are busy following government discount scheme. 
• Harrogate’s restaurants say they are fully booked for the final week of Eat Out To Help Out.

The West Park Hotel is extending the scheme in celebration of its owner Provenance’s 10th anniversary.

Anthony Blundell, assistant general manager, said:

“It has gone incredibly well – it’s been like having Saturdays at the beginning of the week. Lunch and dinners have been much busier, we’ve had to take on more staff to cover demand.

“We’ve had a lot of people who may not have come before the scheme. We saw a high increase in sales, 120 at night and 60 to 80 diners for lunch, whereas before it was around 20. We lost three months of sales and had renovations so it’s good to start paying that back.

“Extending the discount is a great thing and it gives people who missed out the chance to give it a go.”

A Boroughbridge man has been jailed for taking indecent photographs of a three-year-old girl and three other offences involving indecent images of children.

Geoffrey Crowther, 72, a self-employed heavy goods driver, was sentenced to 12 months in jail at York Crown Court today (August 26) and was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Mr Crowther previously pleaded guilty to four charges of:

• making four indecent images of children in the most serious Category A, between 14 June 2017 and 14 November 2018
• making three indecent images of children in Category B during the same period
• making 10 indecent images of children in Category C during the same period
• taking indecent images of a child in Category C between 30 April 2017 and 14 November 2018 – these relate to first generation images which Crowther took secretly of a three-year-old girl on two different smart phones

North Yorkshire Police’s Online Abuse and Exploitation Team arrested Mr Crowther on November 12, 2018, and carried out a search warrant of his home following intelligence of suspicious website activity linked to him.

Read more:

• Man dead after incident near Harrogate town centre
• Police reassurance over ‘tragic and isolated’ Harcourt Drive incident

Numerous telephones and other devices were seized for examination by the force’s Digital Forensics Unit.

Mr Crowther was then charged on April 1, 2020, and later pleaded guilty at York Crown Court on July 9.

Safeguarding measures have been put in place regarding the youngster whose photograph was taken by Crowther. Police are satisfied there have been no contact offences against the girl.

DC Fiona Saunderson, of the Online Abuse & Exploitation Team, said: 

“Geoffrey Crowther did something unthinkable by taking indecent images of a young child. His despicable actions were a grotesque breach of trust which has devastated lives.”

DC Saunderson added:

“Crowther claimed he did not have a sexual interest in children. But when presented with the evidence he admitted to taking indecent photographs of a three-year-old girl.

“Again, he stated he got no sexual gratification from them and that he had deleted the photos immediately.

“Despite his continued denials that he has a sexual interest in children, all the evidence, including his very specific online search history, suggests otherwise.

“Crowther still hasn’t properly explained why he has been taking and making and indecent images of children.”