Harrogate’s first food hall is to close just six months after it opened in the former Jamie Oliver restaurant on Parliament Street.
Solita Food Hall Harrogate, which is set over two floors and a rooftop terrace, started serving customers in May.
It has six different stalls, all under the Shoot The Bull brand, and also welcomes other independent businesses on board. It created 30 jobs.
Founder Chris Harrison, chief executive of Shoot The Bull, told the Stray Ferret earlier in the year he hoped Harrogate would welcome the concept with open arms. However, Mr Harrison confirmed today that the Harrogate venue will close at the end of the year.
He added that staff would be offered employment at the next restaurant set to take on the building.
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Tomahawk Steakhouse, which had been planning to move into the empty Bistrot Pierre restaurant on Cheltenham Parade, is now planning to move into Solita Food Hall’s space.
The steakhouse had planned to open in January but with the change of location it is unclear at this stage when it will open for business.
A post on its Facebook page said:
“We’ve decided to go BIG and move into the former Jamie Oliver site on Parliament St! Expect an amazing roof garden that will be usable 52 weeks of the year!”
Co-founder Howard Eggleston has been planning to bring his steakhouse brand to Harrogate for four years.
Harrogate’s Damn Yankee restaurant closesThe Damn Yankee restaurant on Station Parade has closed, just six months after the popular American diner was revived in Harrogate.
The restaurant was a mainstay in Harrogate from 1972 until it closed in 2017. It then became Burgers and More @ Original Damn Yankee in 2019.
Thanos Xhallo and his family reopened the restaurant at its original location in May this year.
In recent months it had received good reviews online from customers but a post on its Facebook page yesterday said that due to “unforeseen circumstances” it had now closed.
The future of the Damn Yankee brand in Harrogate now appears uncertain but the post suggests it will be changing hands to new owners.
“Reopening The Damn Yankee has been an amazing adventure, and we’ve loved sharing this time with you and listening to all your stories of previous visits. We’ve worked as a family to welcome all of you into a restaurant that we have become very fond of and we hope we gave all of your families some great new memories to share for years to come.
“Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances we have no choice but to close and the restaurant will be changing hands. Today is our last day running the restaurant and will be open at 5pm! Will also call everyone that has reserved tables! Stay tuned for more information, we will keep you in the loop as much as possible and update you on the next chapter of this restaurant’s journey.”
The Stray Ferret approached the Damn Yankee for comment but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.
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The Damn Yankee was originally opened in 1972 by Denise Wiand and her American husband, Mike, who worked at Menwith Hill.
Ms Wiand told the Stray Ferret this year that the restaurant was a huge success when it first opened with queues of excited people down Station Parade looking forward to classic American fare and the lively atmosphere that it became famous for.
It was also owned from 2000 to 2017 by Nikki and Mick Triffit.