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15
Sept
Operator pulls out of Harrogate bar but will take over another
The company behind a popular Harrogate bar is pulling out of its town-centre premises, after it was unable to reach a satisfactory commercial agreement with its landlord.
Harewood Group took over the running of the Four Leaf on John Street – formerly the Pitcher & Piano and then the Harlow – in March 2024, renting the premises from head tenant Marstons plc.
Since then, Harewood director Paul Kinsey says it has tripled sales, but a Facebook post from the company today said:
Despite our best efforts over recent months, [we] have been unable to reach a commercial agreement that would have not only helped us be commercially viable, but to continue to trade to the level we strive to.
So with that, the premises will cease to trade as the Four Leaf after Sunday, September 28.
It is incredibly upsetting, as the business is still trading really well and bucking industry trends, but due to the nature of our agreement with Marstons plc and the rigidity within the organisation, we have just hit stumbling blocks and Marstons plc will take over the venue from September 29.
Mr Kinsey, whose previous ventures include the Viper Rooms and Moko Lounge, told the Stray Ferret that he had tried in vain to get Marstons to amend the retail agreement. He said:
It’s one of the top-earning bars in the town centre, but I haven’t been able to make any money out of it for the last 12 months. It just didn’t stack up.
He said that Harewood Group owned the Four Leaf brand, so all branding, bric-a-brac and the stage would be removed from the bar, which will undergo a name change under Marstons management.
But he said there would be no redundancies – all jobs would be transferred to Marstons.
In a related development, Harewood Group has agreed heads of terms to take over another Marstons site, The Foundry Project on The Ginnel.
Mr Kinsey told us:
We’ll be making it much more entertainment-led, with a late bar offering, and we’ll be giving the outside area a nicer environment, with a canopy.
We’ll start with good quality DJs on a Thursday evening, and then carrying on that mentality into the weekend, so that there’ll be a proper party going on all the time you’re there, whether you arrive at 3pm or 10pm.
The Stray Ferret asked Marstons why the Four Leaf was undergoing a change of management, and how it would be different once it was run by the pub group.
A spokesperson told us:
The Harewood Group have done a fantastic job at the Four Leaf pub over the past 18 months and we’re pleased to be in the final stages of discussions with the team about taking on another great Marston’s pub in the local area.
The pub will be closed for just one day on September 29 for the handover and will reopen as usual on Tuesday, September 30 under new interim management.
The spokesperson added that details of the John Street premises, including its new name, format and menu, would be announced soon.
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