An Italian restaurant has opened in the former Lucia Harrogate site.
Divino opened at 3 Ripon Road last Friday, March 29. The restaurant “is a testament to the rich heritage and impeccable flavours of Italy”, according to its website.
The restaurant’s à la carte menu offers Italian classics with ‘a French twist’, including pasta, pizza and steak starting at around £14.
Lucia wine bar and grill closed on March 10 after trading at the site for 10 years. At the time Lucia operations manager, Darioush Shahidi said the restaurant wasn’t facing difficulties “it was a case of the right buyer with the right offer”.
Giuseppe Gentile, general manager of Divino, said:
“The main changes are that the restaurant has a completely new menu, authentic Italian style with a French twist and the restaurant has been rebranded.
“We decided to open here because we loved the building, loved the interior and loved the Harrogate area.”
Traditional pizza spinning in Divino kitchen
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Cosy Club Harrogate to close on Monday
Cosy Club in Harrogate will serve its last customers on Monday next week.
The Cambridge Street bar and restaurant will close its doors permanently at 5pm on April 1 after the site did not perform as well as expected.
The first Cosy Club opened in 2010 and the Harrogate venue only opened two years ago.
The Cosy Club brand is run by Loungers Ltd, which also operates the Claro Lounge in Ripon. The chain describes itself on its website as a place for “relaxed dining, drinking and lounging in a fabulous, welcoming setting”.
Cosy Club in Harrogate
Aaron Webb, manager of Cosy Club Harrogate said:
“Our last day will be April 1. The site is too large to make any money and head office told us we are closing. It was poor planning for the location and there are no plans to relocate in Harrogate. It is not ideal.”
The Cosy Club restaurants in York and Leeds will remain open.
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French brasserie Côte to close Harrogate restaurant
French brasserie Côte is set to close its Harrogate branch in the first week of April.
The restaurant is part of a chain specialising in all-day French bistro cuisine. The company has more than 80 restaurants in the United Kingdom and 2,500 employees.
Côte, which has operated on Albert Street for several years in the former Beales Department Stores unit, will close on April 6. It will result in approximately 20 job losses although staff have been offered placements at other Côte restaurants.
Neighbouring Côte restaurants, including one in York, will remain open.
A Côte spokesperson said:
“The restaurant will close on April 6. Just the Harrogate store is closing, we have reached the end of the tenancy contract and have not found anywhere else to relocate.
“We are trying to find a new location but it will take time, it is unpredictable and we are asking loyal customers to subscribe to our newsletter so we can keep them posted about a new location. We have no further updates at this time.”
Today’s email newsletter read:
“We regret to inform you that our Harrogate restaurant will be closing on the 6th of April. Whilst the site is a permanent closure, we love the city and we have been working hard to find a new location; however, this process takes time, and we want it to be in the right place for our future growth.
“We haven’t been able to find the right spot yet, but we hope to have more news on that in the coming months. We would love for you to remain on our mailing list so we can let you know when we’ve found the perfect place”
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Harrogate restaurant set to reopen tomorrow
A Harrogate restaurant is set to reopen after being closed for several months.
Saranda Bar and Grill has been on Station Bridge since 2018 and offers Greek, Albanian and Mediterranean meat, seafood and à la carte dishes.
The restaurant was forced to shut in October 2023 due to rising costs and issues with staffing.
Now, the bar and grill is set to reopen tomorrow (March 21) much to the excitement of its owner.
Leonardo Mersinllari, who owns Saranda Bar and Grill as well as Espresso House on Beulah Street, said:
“I am really excited to reopen tomorrow and welcome back our lovely customers after a long time away. We’ve not even opened yet but we already have a lot of reservations for the next couple of weeks, so it is great to be back.”
The restaurant won Restaurant Guru awards in 2021 and 2022 for ‘Best Atmosphere in Harrogate.’
Saranda’s website said:
“Saranada Bar and Grill is the perfect place for those seeking a casual, warm, relaxed atmosphere.
“We look forward to welcoming friends, new and old when we reopen on Thursday, March 21.”
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New South Indian restaurant opens in first for Harrogate
Harrogate’s diners now have a broader range of cuisines to choose from, following the opening yesterday of a new restaurant offering South Indian food.
Illam, on King’s Road, is a family-run establishment specialising in Keralan dishes, and customer manager Rahisa Kombath believes it’s a first for the district.
She said:
“You can find authentic South Indian food in Leeds and York, but not in Harrogate – until now. We’ve had a lot of Indian and English friends asking why we don’t open a restaurant here, so now we have.”
Illam, which employs six people, has 60 covers – 24 on the ground floor and 36 upstairs – and is currently offering an introductory discount of 20%, with no booking needed.
The restaurant is owned by Rahisa’s husband Sadiq Kattil, her father Abdul Majeed, and their business partner Sharaf Malayampadi. Sadiq is an experienced restaurant manager and head chef Abdul previously worked at award-winning Leeds restaurant Tharavadu.
Rahisa said:
“My dad has worked in restaurants for over 20 years as a chef, and it’s always been his dream to have a family business with our own stamp on it, so we’re all very much excited to open Illam.
“We love our authentic South Indian food and we always love to serve it to people who have never tried it before. I’m sure people in Harrogate will love it!”
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Polish shop in Harrogate moves to bigger premises as demand grows
A Polish deli in Harrogate will relaunch in new town centre premises at the weekend.
Cracovia, which used to occupy a small shop on King’s Road, will reopen on Saturday in a larger unit on Bower Street.
Owner Maciek Bujakowski told the Stray Ferret:
“Our little shop on King’s Road had become slightly too small, so we’re moving to a bigger shop where we’ll have more space. The uniqueness of our home-made products, such as pâtés, meatloaves and sausages, gives us a strength over other shops, so we’ve become quite popular.
“If you come along on Saturday between 9am and 6pm, you’ll be able to taste different kinds of Polish food and drink, and everybody’s welcome.”
The new shop on Bower Street in Harrogate.
Maciek and wife Kasia not only own the Harrogate shop, but also a restaurant in Chapel Allerton and shops in Armley in Leeds, Acomb in York and Hessle in Hull. In total, they employ 15 people, including four in the new Bower Street shop.
Originally from Krakow in southern Poland, Maciek began his career with a four-year catering degree and represented his country in international food competitions.
Kasia and Maciek Bujakowski.
He came to England in 2004, moving around the country for various chef positions, culminating in being made executive chef of the Kimberley Hotel in Harrogate. He opened his first shop, Magic Meat – a wordplay on his first name – on King’s Road in 2015 to cater to the town’s then-growing Polish community.
He said:
“When we opened our first shop eight years ago, about 80% of our customers were Eastern European and only 20% English, but now the balance is about 50/50.
“With Polish food it’s exactly the same as with other kinds of foreign food. People come here from other places, local people try our food and like it, and it becomes more popular. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 30 years’ time, you would see Polish restaurants like you see Indian and Chinese restaurants now. It’s just the evolution of knowledge of food, and it’s changing all the time.”
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Councillors delay decision on staff accommodation plan for Ripon Chinese restaurant
Councillors have deferred making a decision on a plan to create living accommodation for staff above a Chinese restaurant in Ripon.
North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton & Ripon planning committee met yesterday afternoon at Ripon Town Hall to consider an application from Mr Wang who took over The Dragon Inn in 2021.
The restaurant is part of a five-storey Grade II listed building that sits on the city’s market square.
According to planning documents, the first, second and attic levels are bedrooms for staff with a communal kitchen and bathrooms.
However, planning permission was never obtained to use the building as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) so the application was part-retrospective.
But councillors raised concerns about access to the building, the fire escape and bin collection with a request for more information before it’s brought back to committee.
Access to the residential upper floors is through the restaurant which led to fears that bins could potentially be dumped in the street.
There is also no public right of way to the rear of the building, which is on council-owned land, and the applicant has not yet received permission from North Yorkshire Council to use it.
HMO’s require a higher level of fire safety than a normal privately rented property and a condition was proposed so that a fire safety risk assessment of the building would take place but this still left councillors uneasy about fire safety in the building.
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Conservative and Independents Group councillor for Ripon Minster & Moorside, Andrew Williams, said he had reservations about the application.
He said:
“I think as elected members we should ensure applications are water-tight before we give approval. I can’t support the application today as it would not be appropriate when there are clearly significant issues to be addressed.”
However, Liberal Democrat councillor for Ripon Ure Bank & Spa Barbara Brodigan said she was in favour of the plan as it would help to reinvigorate the city.
Cllr Brodigan said:
“Look around Ripon market square and a lot of buildings are underused and we’re short of suitable affordable housing.
“If buildings are not in use they fall into decay. If we bring people into the city centre then it’s a vibrant place, they spend money and it’s a safer environment.”
Councillors voted by four to three to defer the application and asked for more information on access and refuse collection.
New bar and restaurant to open in Knaresborough todayA new bar and restaurant is due to officially open today in the centre of Knaresborough.
1858 is situated in the former NatWest bank, which closed in 2017, on the High Street. Councillors granted an alcohol licence to applicant Jaime Wilkinson last month.
The venue, which will launch at 5pm, provides lunch and evening meals and Sunday roasts as well as drinks.
It derives its name from the year in which the building was constructed.
The High Street site was formerly occupied by NatWest.
Kim Lancaster, who was manager of the town’s So Bar and Eats before working with Mr Wilkinson at the Drakes fish and chip shops that he owns, will run the venue.
Ms Lancaster told councillors the venue would feature “elegant fine dining” rather than be a “Wetherspoons quick in-and-out” type experience.
She added:
“We want people coming in not just for alcohol but for coffee and lunch. We’re trying to bring back something to Knaresborough that people can’t wait for. People are going to Harrogate [instead]. We’ve spent a lot of money and want to do it right with the right clientele.”
1858 is permitted to sell alcohol from 10am until midnight seven days a week.
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New play barn added to attractions at farm shop near Boroughbridge
A farm shop near Boroughbridge has added a children’s play barn to its attractions for families.
Yolk Farm, which offers a restaurant and shop as well as opportunities to meet and feed its animals, opened the new Yard@Yolk facility this week.
Emma Mosey, who has run the business near Minskip with husband Ben for the last six years, said she hoped it would add another reason for local families to visit.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“It all stems back from our mission and vision here which is educating kids and young families about farming, and being reconnected with food.
“A lot of the places that already exist are amazing, and can cost quite a lot to get in, particularly for a family with more than one child.
“Our aim is to make this a place people can come regularly and spend some time with their kids.”
Milkshakes will be among the treats on offer at the new facility
Interest in the project has been high since it was first announced on social media last month.
The building where the play space is housed has been completely transformed from its original use.
Emma said:
“It was originally the hen barn. Late last year, we were told if we were to get avian flu within the hens in that location, we would have to shut the whole site, including the restaurant.
“It was a huge risk, so when the flock came to an end, we decided to move the new flock into a field a bit further away.
“It meant we had this big barn, in the middle of the car park, which was vacant.”
The barn now offers role play areas and ride-on toys, all connected to the theme of farming and food.
Visitors can buy hot and cold drinks, as well as snacks, milkshakes and ice creams, drawing on the menu from the adjacent restaurant.
Yard@Yolk is open daily from 10am to 3pm and entry is £2.50 per child.
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American diner in Harrogate appoints liquidators
An American-themed 1950s diner in Harrogate has appointed liquidators and applied to be wound up.
The Hub Caffe Ltd, which trades as The Fabulous 50s Diner, opened two years ago on the site of the former Cafe Rita on Bower Road.
An announcement on official public record website The Gazette said Richard Hunt of SFP Restructuring Limited in London had been appointed liquidator on July 21.
The Gazette also reported a general meeting of the company on the same date resolved to voluntarily wind-up the business.
The announcement, dated July 27, is authorised by director Wagdy Mansour.
The diner, which is still trading, has images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley outside. Its menu includes milk shakes, ice-cream sundaes, waffles, burgers and hot dogs.
Mr Mansour and his wife Shirley ran Cafe Rita for eight years.
When the venue reopened as The Fabulous 50s Diner after covid, Mr Mansour told the Stray Ferret they had decided to go for something completely different. He said:
“We thought it was time for a change. So we thought about a theme and realised we didn’t have any American diners in Harrogate.”
The diner has not replied to the Stray Ferret’s requests for comment.
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