Certain village pubs in the Harrogate district acquire a reputation over time as places worth visiting, whether it’s for the food and drink, the welcome or the ambience.

The Tiger Inn at Coneythorpe, near Knaresborough, fell into that category for many years. But the pub has endured a torrid four years.

A six-hour fire in November 2020 forced its closure for 11 months. Owners Ian and Barbara Gill donated £5,000 to the Firefighters Charity as a thank-you when it reopened.

Then in August 2023 another fire broke out. The pub remained closed until this weekend, when it reopened under new owners Mark and Clare Oglesby.

The Oglesbys are well known in the area, as they also own nearby Goldsborough Hall, and previously ran the Bay Tree Inn at Goldsborough.

The couple have transformed Goldsborough Hall over the last 20 years. Here they reflect on that journey, and look ahead to their latest pub venture.

1 When and why did you buy Goldsborough Hall?

We saw the hall advertised in 2003 in the local paper. On a whim we decided to view it and though it was in a derelict state, we fell in love with the place. The owners BUPA tried to sell it to someone else but when the deal fell through, we were able to purchase it in 2005. The hall was going to be chopped up into flats. With all its 400-year-old history, we just couldn't let that happen.

2 What did you set out to achieve and do you think you have succeeded?

To save it from developers we needed to give it a reason to exist. So we do weddings, accommodation, functions, lunch, dinners, afternoon tea, garden tours etc. We said that might take the rest of our lives, so we are about half-way there!

3 It didn’t seem to be as well-known as other nearby stately homes. Is this something you have tried to change?

To an extent. We want people to come and enjoy something special, but it's still our family home so there is always a balance to be had.

4 What are the main changes you have made?

Other than restoring the main house and grounds which has been a challenge of its own, we have added the orangery and afternoon tea terrace. We have also restored the kitchen garden and have built a huge glasshouse to grow organic fruit and veg.

5 How significant was the tree that was lost during Storm Éowyn?

The hall has some British champion trees and while the horse chestnut we lost in the recent storm was not one of these, it was still hugely significant and one of the most important trees in the collection. It is a very sad day, it was very old and in unstable condition, but we still hoped it would outlast us. It's like any sudden loss we are yet to come to terms with and it will not be until the spring and summer when we miss its majesty the most. We also have 34 trees in Lime Tree Walk, all planted by royalty in the 1920s when Princess Mary, the king's great aunt, lived here. Fortunately, none of these trees were affected in the storm.

6 How difficult is it to maintain such a magnificent but financially draining stately home? Whoever buys Ripley Castle will face the same challenges.

What can I say: 'it's killing us but what a way to die'. No one in their right mind takes on buildings like these, which is why it was down to us or developers. But with so much history to save and share, we hope it can have a future where it may be enjoyed by all. The sale of Ripley Castle is deeply sad, I do not know their reasons, but I am sure they are necessary and I suspect covid has played a part in that. 

7 What future plans do you have for the hall?

We are still recovering from the covid restrictions. There is still more to restore and more to maintain. We have plenty of crazy plans, but we will just have to see where this government takes us.

8 How long do you see yourselves living at the hall? Will you ever sell it?

Ripley is a prime example of never say never. It's certainly not in our plan, but then I suspect it was not in theirs either. If we can continue to give the house a reason to exist then we would hope to grow old here and maybe complete all of the projects still to do

9 How difficult was it to let go of the Bay Horse Inn and what are your plans for the Tiger Inn?

We never planned to own a pub let alone two. The Bay Horse had become very run down and was in desperate need of refurbishing. Weddings at the hall had supported it for over a decade. When it closed in 2019, it was a good fit for us to consider taking on the lease and restoring it. It was never going to make huge profits but it could once more be a great asset to the village.

So, with a busy 2020 on the books, we took on a five-year lease, investing heavily in the letting room and restoration of the gardens opening in November 2019. Four months later covid killed the business and the pub spent the rest of the five years recovering from that. When renewal came, we tried to negotiate a sensible rate but they had a new tenant who was prepared to pay full rate based on all the work we had done. We were obviously very sad to let the Bay Horse go, but with rising costs and a hike in rent, we had no choice.

During this time the neighbouring Tiger Inn had tragically burnt down twice, with the second time seeing it shut for good in August 2023. It was a lovely large village pub with a great reputation for proper food, proper beer at proper prices. It happened to come on the market at the time we were negotiating. Amazingly the damage was almost completely contained within the kitchen area, which has required a complete refit with the rest of the pub exactly as people will remember it. Chef Tom and front of house manager Heidi have returned so that the service and menu should also be as people remember. Hopefully it can become as busy and as popular as it used to be

10 How important is the pub for Coneythorpe and the surrounding area?

The Tiger Inn is a great pub with a huge historic reputation, loved by many so we hope it will soon be back to the thriving centre of the village that it used to be.