Knaresborough’s first food and drink week will begin on Monday.
Twenty-four businesses are involved in the venture, which runs from March 18 to Sunday, March 24.
It is one of many events being organised this year by Knaresborough Business Collective.
The collective, which was set up by independent traders Natalie Horner and Annie Wilkinson-Gill in 2021, created the food and drink to showcase Knaresborough’s culinary offer.
Similar to the Harrogate and York restaurant week events, it will give people cut-price deals throughout the week.
The deals include butchers meat bundle deals, 2 for 1 deals on cocktails and meals, early bird menus and a full afternoon tea for two for £32.
The collective said in a statement:
“We wanted to allow for both day and evening eateries to participate so decided not to limit it to restaurants only.
“We have 24 businesses including cafes, restaurants, pubs and some are offering more than one deal. There is such a huge range, there are butchers, restaurants, bars, cafes, delis.
“There are so many amazing businesses in Knaresborough it is just a case of showcasing what we have to offer and drawing people in.”
The collective has also revealed plans to run two more events, a health and beauty week and a retail week in the run-up to the Knaresborough Business Awards in summer.
The health and beauty week, which will take place next month, will offer salons a chance to showcase what they have to offer, and the retail event will occur in May.
Ms Horner said:
“We had businesses approach us after Harrogate restaurant week and realised there are so many to celebrate.
“We have launched to event to show what is on offer in Knaresborough, sometimes people get stuck in a routine and need to be shown what options they have. Sometimes people don’t realise these places even exist so it helps to put them on the map.
“All the businesses are so different they have lots to offer and we had to make sure there was a mutual benefit. We have recieved really positive feedback. We had no idea what to expect but it is getting lots of interest, we are seeing how it goes and if it goes well it might become an annual event.”
Besides advertising their events on the collective’s Facebook page, participating businesses will also put posters in their window stating their offers.
The businesses involved are:
- Carriages in Knaresborough
- Castle Creamery
- Dil Raj Restaurant
- Drakes Fisheries Knaresborough
- Honey Bee’s at Hannah’s
- Huttons Butchers
- J B Wilkinson & Sons Quality Butchers
- Lawai Spice
- No Place Like Home
- Number Thirteen
- So Bar and Eats Knaresborough
- Subway Knaresborough
- The Black Mulberry
- The Farm Dairy
- The Hungry Caterpillar kids café
- The Orange Grove
- The Park Pantry
- The Secret Bakery
- The Watermill
- The Wine Shop and Next Door, Knaresborough
- Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria
- Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co
- Zolsha Knaresborough
- 1858 Bar Restaurant
Deals will be updated daily this week and shared to the Knaresborough Business Collective Facebook page.
Collective plans
Last year there were talks of the business collective disbanding after the founders struggled to balance their businesses, personal lives and the collective.
Ms Horner said:
“We had a lot of hassle last year, it wasn’t great. It is hard when you are volunteers but we have been offered more help this year and have focused on smaller events.”
But she told the Stray Ferret there would be no spring festival this year, as the collective plans to organise multiple smaller events instead.
She added it was expected to return in April next year and was never planned to be an annual event, despite running for the past two years.
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