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24
Sept
New landlord aims to restore Ripon pub's reputation
Robert Furmage is a man on a mission as he aims to turn around the fortunes of one of Ripon’s most prominent and troubled pubs.
A couple of Mondays ago, when he was in temporary charge of a hostelry in Skegness, he received a call from Heineken-owned leasing and property company Star Pubs asking if he would be interested in taking on a new pub with restaurant and food.
The pub in question is the newly-refurbished South Lodge on Harrogate Road, which reopened under new management on May 22 after a £360,000 internal and external makeover funded by Star Pubs.
The pub has been subject to frequent closures and changes of landlords in recent years.
Mr Furmage aims to restore South Lodge's reputation as a family-friendly pub.
Mr Furmage, who has worked in the licensed trade for more than 30 years told the Stray Ferret:
I can't comment on the people who were previously in charge and I don't know why they left after a short time here, but I can say that I was called on a Monday earlier this month and offered the opportunity to become landlord, so long as I was able to make the move by Wednesday of that week.
As I have previous experience of running pubs that sell food, I was delighted to take the offer, particularly as the South Lodge is in a great residential location, set in its own grounds and on a bus route with a regular service. It has bags of potential.
He added:
I'm aware that South Lodge has had a number of problems in recent years and it's my job to re-build its reputation as a welcoming family-friendly pub that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The food offer will be returning soon and we have plans for Sunday roasts and a smaller menu during the week - which will mean the appointment of kitchen staff.
We are also planning monthly live music evenings with professional performers and weekly open mic events for aspiring musicians.
The restaurant seating area was upgraded as part of the £360,00 refurbishment.
Previous experience
Among previous pubs run by Mr Furmage is The Chequers in the Buckinghamshire village of Fenny Stratford, which served food and specialised in selling real ales produced by local breweries.
In the wake of the covid pandemic and lock downs that heavily impacted the UK's hospitality sector, the small pub closed in 2023, but Mr Furmage pointed out:
I was there for five years and very proud of the fact that it was listed for three consecutive years in CAMRA's (Campaign for Real Ale) annual Good Beer Guide.
Troubled times
South Lodge has closed and reopened several times since Star Pubs advertised for a tenant in May 2023.
The venue closed abruptly in February 2024 after a police raid in which suspected drugs were found on the premises.
It subsequently reopened with new tenants only to close again for five months in which the refurbishment was carried out.
'Confident of success'
The appointment of Angela Shallcross as the pub's new landlady was announced in April and prior to its reopening in May, Dave Fittall, her co-tenant and partner, told the Stray Ferret he was confident the new management could make the venture a success.
On reopening day, a spokesperson for Star Pubs, said:
The refurbishment has exceeded all our expectations; the pub looks fantastic. We’ve had a very positive response from the local community.
The pub has been much missed and lots of people have been popping in to see the changes. People can’t believe the transformation and love the new look.
We’ve had a warm welcome from the community. We’re very grateful for their support, it has made us feel really at home.
The Stray Ferret approached Star Pubs yesterday to ask why the newly-installed management team left South Lodge less than four months after its reopening. No response had been received at the time of publication.
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