‘Sneak peek’: Harrogate’s new Manhattan-style cocktail bar

Harrogate’s answer to a Manhattan cocktail bar will open it’s doors on Friday, with the launch of 63rd+1st.

Decked out in trendy dark blue and gold, and featuring lots of greenery, the restaurant, lounge and bar on Albert Street is aimed at customers who might just want a nibble and a drink after work or a meal out with friends.

The restaurant area.

The extensive selection of cocktails, priced at around £10, include the likes of a New York Hangover and a Fuhgeddaboudit, as well as a more traditional selection. There is also a good choice of low alcohol or alcohol-free options.

With plenty of other restaurants in the area, as well as bars on nearby John Street, the venue will need to stand out from the crowd.

And general manager Eva Souza, from Harrogate, who has been in the hospitality industry for 15 years, believes it will.

She said:

“The location is really great in the town centre. I believe we are the right cocktail bar and restaurant for this particular place.

“People love to go out here and enjoy nice surroundings and I believe this is the right place for Harrogate people.

“There are a lot of Italian restaurants in this area and this is something unique. I believe it is something new for the town.

“Our bartenders are really well-trained and the bar itself is beautiful. You can sit around it and watch them prepare the cocktails.

“It’s like a home away from home and we want to be a nice, cosy place for everyone. The place is very stylish and I hope guests will be very happy here.”

General manager Eva Souza enjoying a cocktail in the lounge area.

The new 3,380 sq ft venue, which was formerly Ask Italian, seats 101, as well as another 12 outside.

The menu is inspired by Manhattan street food and features small plates to enjoy with a cocktail, as well as larger dishes.

It includes a ‘signature burger’ steaks and seafood, as well as savoury donuts, a crayfish roll and a corndog. Small plates include arancini and calamari.

Head chef Nick Chappelow, who is also from Harrogate, said:

“I’m excited to cook all of it. The menu is great.

“I like the fact that there are sharing plates on the menu. It’s more relaxed and you get to just graze, so it’s somewhere in between tapas and a main meal starter size.

“The jammy chicken lollipops are insane.

“There’s a really good team here. I’ve been a head chef for 20 plus years, so I’ve seen a lot and it’s nice to go into this going forward.

“It’s fresh and funky and we are going to hit the ground running.”

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Brunch will be served from 9am on a Friday and over the weekend and there will also be a Sunday lunch option. Diners can also choose table service or they can order and pay using a tablet.

American-style booths in the restaurant area.

The venue, which will generate 30 part-time and full-time jobs, is being developed by Hostmore PLC, which also includes TGI Fridays as part of its portfolio. It is named after the street in New York that was home to the original TGI Fridays and where Tom Cruise filmed Cocktail.

Harrogate’s branch is the third to open in the UK behind Surrey in May and Glasgow in September.

Harrogate food hall to close after just six months

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.

Masham restaurant founders to sell business after 16 years

The owners of a fine dining restaurant in Masham have put the business up for sale after 16 years at the helm.

Jon and Laura Vennell opened Vennell’s Restaurant on Silver Street in 2005.

Since then the restaurant founders can boast 14 consecutive years in the Michelin Guide, the Good Food Guide and the AA Restaurant Guide.

Vennell’s is set in a large Grade II listed Georgian property, which has recently been refurbished. The restaurant is on the ground floor and there is accommodation on the first and second floors.

Inside the restaurant.

However, Mr and Ms Vennell have decided to move on and have listed the restaurant for sale at an undisclosed fee with Christie & Co. They said in a joint statement:

“Now in our 17th year as guardians of this amazing building, it is time to pursue our next adventure. The locals have always supported the restaurant on this site, which dates back to the 70s.

“The building, following an extensive renovation both inside and out this year is in exceptional condition, as is this business breaking all records in the last four months.

“The scope to run this restaurant more as a business than a lifestyle is massive.”

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David Cash, associate director in Christie & Co’s hospitality team, is handling the sale. He said Vennell’s was “a quality eatery and presents massive potential”. He added:

“Ordinarily town centre restaurants are held on a leasehold basis and rarely do freehold opportunities like this one present themselves.

“In addition, rarely do hospitality business premises come with such substantial living accommodation.

“Vennell’s presents an opportunity for an experienced chef to live and work in an immaculately presented property, which has seen a great deal of investment recently.

“Not only that, but they stand to benefit massively from the reputation that Jon and Laura have built over the past 16 years.

Steakhouse set to open at empty Harrogate restaurant

A steakhouse is set to open early next year on the site of a restaurant that became one of the earliest business victims of coronavirus in Harrogate.

Tomahawk Steakhouse currently has restaurants in London, York and Newcastle and the owner expects it to make its Harrogate debut in January.

The new eatery will take the place of Bistrot Pierre on Cheltenham Parade, which was directly above Sukhothai.

Co-founder Howard Eggleston has been planning to bring his steakhouse brand to Harrogate for four years and feels this location presents the ideal opportunity.

It will create 25 jobs.

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Mr Eggleston told the Stray Ferret:

“We are quite far down the line on this one. We have the furniture already and we are keen to get started.

“Harrogate is a nice place which I know well, I visit quite regularly. There’s some competition in town but we are bringing something different.

“We are all about the food, not the bells and whistles for decorations. We serve the finest Himalayan salt dry-aged steaks and a lot more.”

The Tomahawk Group has expanded significantly during covid and now has 18 sites, with a further seven, including Harrogate, opening soon.

Harrogate Pine Marten pub closes for month-long refurbishment

A well known Harrogate pub and restaurant has closed for a month-long refurbishment.

The Pine Marten, on Otley Road near RHS Harlow Carr, closed today and is planning to open again on Saturday, October 30.

When it reopens in October the pub has promised that it will have a “glamorous” new look and feel with its own personality and style.

It will also bring a new feature bar, which will be at the centre of the social space.

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As well as a new feel for the pub, the owners have also developed a new menu inspired by food trends from across the world, including a new range of small plates.

The pub dates back to the 1820s when it was the original home of Robert Wigglesworth, who created the world’s largest telescope at the time.

The Stray Ferret approached owners Mitchells & Butlers for comment. The company declined to comment but said it would share more information closer to the reopening date.

Sneak peek: Harrogate’s Lucia ready to reopen after £750,000 refurb

An Italian restaurant and cocktail bar is reopening in Harrogate after spending £750,000 on a major refurbishment during the third national lockdown.

Lucia Harrogate, based at 3 Ripon Road, will throw open its doors to guests again on Tuesday May 18 with a bright and refreshed look. So we went for a sneak peek.

The big investment, which comes after a difficult year for the hospitality industry, has also created 21 jobs.

Lucia Harrogate’s middle floor, on street level, is bright and airy

It already seems to be paying off. Tables in the restaurant and bar are fully reserved for the next three weeks and if people keep booking, there could be scope to create even more roles.

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Lucia, which has two more restaurants in Beverley and York, has been in Harrogate since 2014.

Its restaurant in the town is set over three floors. It now has a classic Italian, 1920s look, with a modern floral twist.

There is an almost prohibition-era feel to the basement, which is kitted out in dark and rich reds and ocean-inspired decorations.

The middle floor remains as the main restaurant space and bar. It also leads into the conservatory, which has an eye-catching floral display on the ceiling.

While the top floor is where you can find even more seating to grab food and drinks. The main toilets are also on the top floor.

Soothing blues enhance the top floor’s more relaxed atmosphere

Mike Turner, general manager at Lucia Wine Bar and Grill Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are looking forward to opening our doors and showcasing this beautiful restaurant. It’s had a good overhaul and we have created extra jobs.

“People cannot wait to head out, so that is great. We are fully booked for the next three weeks and people are already getting in touch about the fourth week.”

Rich red decor gives the basement an almost-prohibition-era feel

Chelsea Talbot, the restaurant’s guest experience manager, also said:

“The money for the refurbishment is Lucia money, it comes from the success and confidence in what we can offer.

“I spoke to a taxi driver about it who thought it was daft to spend so much money, but it’s not. It’s amazing.

“We know that this is what Harrogate wants. We are confident in hospitality. People can dine and drink with us and spend a full evening here.”

A statement floral ceiling dominates the conservatory

 

The basement’s bar is ready for staff to serve drinks

Harrogate entrepreneur sets up website to boost local hospitality

A 20-year-old woman from Harrogate has set up a business giving restaurants a platform to make a website and take bookings without paying commission.

Marina Prokoiosifi moved to Harrogate 4 years ago from Greece and has worked in hospitality since.

During her years in various restaurants Marina said she became aware of the huge amounts businesses would spend using commission-based platforms for bookings and takeaway orders.

After losing her job in December, Marina spent time working with a developer to set up the website Dinerly.

The platform allows restaurants to build their own website to use for orders and table bookings. They then pay a subscription fee each month, ranging for £25 to £65 a month. Marina says this makes it much cheaper than using other websites.

She already has two Harrogate restaurants signed up, Taverna and Doe Bakehouse.

Marina has dreams of having a 1,000 restaurants signed up in five year times.

She said:

“I thought why not make something that is easy and sleek to use. It also means restaurants have direct contact with their customers. I was always baffled why businesses had to use the big companies and pay lots of commission.”

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Since setting it up Marina said she has faced some hurdles. She said her lack of formal qualifications and young age has meant some businesses have “questioned” what she has proposed.

She added:

“People don’t always take me seriously. It’s been difficult at times but it’s been a learning curve.”

Marina now has a new job at a branding agency but will continue to work on the website as her “side hussle”. She said she is very passionate and will continue to build the platform and encourage other restaurants to sign up.

Graveley’s fish and chip restaurant to be renamed Catch Harrogate

One of Harrogate’s most famous brands, Graveley’s, is to be renamed Catch Harrogate.

The fish and chips restaurant on Cheltenham Parade is currently being refurbished. It is still open for takeaways.

The restaurant is expected to reopen in May under its new name.

Graveley’s was sold to Catch, which is based in Harrogate and has four other seafood restaurants in Yorkshire, in 2019.

A spokeswoman for Catch confirmed it would reopen as Catch Harrogate, bringing it into line with the ‘Catch’ name used at the company’s other seafood restaurants in Leeds, Holmfirth and Halifax. She added:

“Graveley’s is an institution in Harrogate so we appreciate it is going to be a big thing to change the name.”

She added the new building will have more fresh seafood on the menu, an oyster bar, a licensed bar and more modern decor.

For decades, people have made the pilgrimage to Graveley’s to enjoy fish and chips.

Chat show host Michael Parkinson once said his favourite restaurant was a toss-up between Bettys and Graveley’s in Harrogate.

He described his perfect day as watching Joe Root score a century in an Ashes Test at Headingley followed by a big plate of fish and chips at Graveley’s.

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Hospitality businesses hopeful of summer boom in Budget

Hospitality businesses across the Harrogate district say they are optimistic about their prospects over the coming months.

As Chancellor Rishi Sunak prepares to unveil the details of his Budget tomorrow, restaurant owners and business leaders say the summer could see a bounce back in their fortunes after months of uncertainty.

With restrictions set to ease, local businesses are anticipating high demand as case numbers fall and the vaccination programme brings renewed confidence.

Jo Straker, who runs William & Victoria restaurant in Harrogate with her husband David, said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” after a very difficult start to the year:

“We expect to be busy when we reopen and I think the local economy will be buoyant with people desperate to socialise, have some pampering, go shopping, enjoy sport, culture and freedom of going further afield. We will be more appreciative of the things we couldn’t have during lockdown and desperate to get out and enjoy living life again.

“The summer is looking promising with many choosing to holiday in Britain this year. Harrogate and North Yorkshire will be a big draw for domestic tourism so I am optimistic that the local economy will start to recover if everything goes to plan, we take the necessary precautions to keep each other safe and get the financial support to help us recover.”

Mrs Straker also said last summer’s Eat Out to Help Out had been positive for the restaurant, though it meant the beginning of the week was very busy before a drop-off in demand on Thursday. She said she hoped for a similar scheme including more days of the week, or perhaps a voucher scheme which would encourage people to spend locally over a period of time.

David and Jo Straker, owners of William and Victoria restaurant in Harrogate

There are also broader measures across all sectors which she said would help the business to survive the coming weeks and months.

“We are hoping, and expecting, the Budget to announce the continued VAT reduction at 5% and business rates holiday as well as an extension to flexible furlough.

“All these have been critical to the survival of the business. Takeaway keeps us ticking along but it’s not enough to cover all our fixed costs.

“We’re expecting Corporation Tax to go up. Although this is something we usually dread, it won’t have a huge impact on our business this year since we have only been able to open for five months of this financial year and that’s with considerable restrictions, so would be fortunate to break even.

“Despite all this, we are optimistic for the future and a full recovery over time with the correct financial help put in place and the continued support of our customers.”

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Across the Harrogate district, as well as businesses directly involved in hospitality, there are many which work with them and have been hit by their lack of trade in the last year. Paul Berwin, senior partner at Berwins solicitors, said it was not just the hotels, cafes and restaurants that needed help to get back on their feet.

“Those businesses which have been unable to operate, or only able to do so spasmodically, need proper funding so that reopening is sustained, and beneficial.

“With a local economy so heavily focussed on hospitality and tourism, which I think will recover, the businesses serving those sectors need to be helped.” 

The latest statistics show that the Harrogate district is bucking the national trend in terms of employment, with the number of people out of work sitting at 3.7% compared to a UK-wide figure of 6.2%.

For Teresa Bowe, owner of CCF Accountancy, this could help to support the hospitality industry as it tries to get back on its feet. She said:

“From what I have seen in my own clients’ situations, there are more people better off or the same, rather than worse off as a result of the covid situation.

“I think a lot of working practices that came in as a result of the lockdowns will stay, such as flexibility on working. I expect things to bounce back reasonably quickly.

“I think the prospects for the next 12 months are good, assuming that the virus is kept at bay.”

Knaresborough restaurant plans to ‘shake things up’ on the high street

An Italian restaurant in Knaresborough has put forward a planning application to move into prime high street premises.

Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria is currently based in Castle Courtyard but the growing restaurant has its sights set on a new space.

The restaurant has been open almost three years and proved to be a popular spot for locals. It is hopeful its new spot will “shake things up” for them.

The Ravasz brothers, Nandor and Szilard, opened the restaurant with their wives Vivien Kovacs and Eniko Szenasi in March 2018.

The team said the current unit will not be left empty, but instead they plan to turn it into a high-end bar.

The new space is said to be better suited to a restaurant and will give the owners more storage space. The owners said it will be “cosy and elegant, and still family friendly”.

69 High Street, Knaresborough

The owners hope plans will be approved to allow them to start works on the new site, 69 High Street, straight away.

Nandor said:

“It will be the same people and menu, just a new space. We needed a bigger space and being on the high street is ideal.”

If the planning application is approved by Harrogate Borough Council, work will start immediately on the new building.

Mr Ravasz said plans are constantly changing due to restrictions but if everything stays on track he hopes to have the new place open at the end of spring.

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Following last night’s lockdown announcement, the restaurant will continue to run as a takeaway. Mrs Ravasz added:

“We prefer the restaurant of course, but we are grateful to have an option B and the town is behind us. So many businesses haven’t got an option B so I can’t complain – we’re lucky to have business through the takeaway.”