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07
Jan
Country pub announces closure
The Staveley Arms has announced it will not be reopening its doors to customers.
The pub at North Stainley, between Ripon and Masham, was taken over by Steve Mortimer and Fay Howell in late 2023.
In a post on social media, it said its “best efforts and major financial investment” had been “unsuccessful in overcoming the challenges in the current environment to create a business capable of delivering the experience we want for customers balanced with a sustainable financial position”.
It added:
With further major business impacts imminent from the recent disastrous budget in the form of increased employment costs and national insurance, before even allowing for the inevitable price rises on supplies as all businesses try to combat these factors, we have concluded it is not possible to make the business sustainably viable and have made the very difficult decision to not continue.
In the coming days and weeks we will be attending to matters in an orderly manner, getting in contact with all bookings and those who have purchased vouchers recently to arrange reimbursement. All staff and suppliers will be paid. Please bear with us during this time.
The estate is reviewing its options where the future of the pub is concerned and will update you when there is something to share.
Steve Mortimer and Fay Howell, who took over The Staveley Arms in 2023.
The post — signed Steve, Fay, Oliver and Kellie — thanked “the committed members of our team for their efforts, especially through the busy Christmas period” as well as customers who have supported them over the last 15 months.
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