A Harrogate hotel and restaurant is under new ownership.
The Studley Hotel and The Orchid Restaurant, on Swan Road, have been acquired by local restauranteurs — but their names have not been revealed.
A spokesperson for the Orchid said the new owners, who wished to remain anonymous, have “extensive refurbishment” plans for both venues and want “to make the interiors of the restaurant as good as the food”.
Both sites will remain open during the refurbishments, the spokesperson added.
They also said the restaurant, which serves Asian food, will remain “unchanged” to ensure it keeps its loyal customer base.
Neil Mendoza, the general manager of the Orchid who has been involved with the restaurant since he was 13, said:
“This is a very exciting time for the Orchid.
“I am thrilled that it has been purchased by a family with over four decades of experience as restauranteurs, who share a passion and deep respect for Far-Eastern cuisine.
“Having been a part of the Orchid since my early teenage years, I have built lasting relationships with our valued guests. In the new year, we will commence our refurbishment, redesigning the interiors to celebrate the essence of Far-Eastern and Pan-Asian cuisine, complementing the standard of our exceptional dishes.”
The four-star Studley Hotel will also undergo a makeover, with work expected to finish in spring 2024.
The family behind the acquisition added:
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have acquired this fabulous restaurant and hotel.
“While there are countless Chinese, Thai, and Asian restaurants, the Orchid stands out due to our brigade of chefs, lead by Head Chef, Jim, who has been with the Orchid for 10 years.
“Each of our chefs specialise in different cuisines from diverse regions of the Far East. This is a genuine Pan-Asian culinary adventure prepared by true specialists.”
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Harrogate’s Crimple bought by Weetons food hall owner
The Stray Ferret understands that the owner of Harrogate firm Weetons has bought Crimple, the garden centre, food hall and gift shop in Pannal.
Crimple underwent a £6 million refurbishment and rebranding in 2021.
It’s not known how much the TGH Property Group, which is owned by Tim Whitworth, has paid to acquire Crimple.
Weetons on West Park
TGH, which is based at Bramham, near Wetherby, also owns Weetons, whose flagship Harrogate food hall on West Park opened 20 years ago.
Last year it also began operating in Leeds.
We will bring further details of this story when available.
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Fink grocery store in Boroughbridge sold
Fink grocery store in Boroughbridge has new owners.
Co-owner Hugh Fink announced at the weekend he and Sharon Longcroft, who took over the business when it was the Fruit Basket in November 2013, had sold to London retailers Vikas Patel and Miraz Mehta.
The new owners will take over the shop on Boroughbridge High Street on October 2.
Mr Fink said he will continue to support Mr Patel in the months ahead while Ms Longcroft will focus on her picture framing business.
The Fruit Basket was owned by Chris Thompson for 21 years before it was acquired by Mr Fink and Ms Longcroft a decade ago.
It rebranded as Fink in 2016 and two years later was named local shop/village store of the year at the national Farm Shop and Deli Show in 2018.
Mr Fink said:
“It has been a pleasure to have served the people of Boroughbridge and beyond and we are delighted to have found a buyer with such a strong understanding of the market we serve.
“With his vast retail experience and energy, we look forward to seeing him develop Fink to the next level.”
Mr Patel, who until recently managed a general store in Chelsea, added:
“When my wife Miraz and I came to Boroughbridge, met some of the people and saw the shop, we immediately knew this would be a great place to settle and bring up our son Aarish.
“Having moved from London we know there is a lot to learn but we look forward to meeting new people and learning to speak Yorkshire!”
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London investment firm buys Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery
A London investment firm has bought troubled Black Sheep Brewery in Masham.
Black Sheep announced early this month it intended to appoint administrators after being hit hard by covid and rising costs.
Breal Capital was reported to be leading the race to acquire the company.
Today the news was confirmed in a short statement which did not reveal how much had been paid for the business.
However, the news saved about 50 jobs in Masham and more in the supply chain.
The new owners said it had “a proven track record of successfully transforming and growing the businesses it acquires”.
A spokesperson for the new Black Sheep Brewing Company said:
“We are pleased to announce that Black Sheep Brewery has been acquired by the Breal Group and has become Black Sheep Brewing Company Limited, trading as Black Sheep Brewery.
“This marks the next chapter in the history of Black Sheep as we look to grow the business in a sustainable way.
“Our team will continue to produce great beers from our landmark brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire and we look forward to welcoming bank holiday customers and tourists to all our retail sites this weekend.
“Breal has a proven track record of successfully transforming and growing the businesses it acquires through the private capital, operational resources, and strategic expertise it brings and we look forward to working closely with the team.”
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- Talks to buy Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery reported to be underway
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Knaresborough’s Riverside Cafe owners bid farewell after 13 years
The owners of Knaresborough’s Riverside Cafe have sold the business after 13 years.
The independent cafe, situated under cliffs alongside the River Nidd on Waterside, is a favourite haunt for numerous tourists and cyclists, as well as local people.
Partners Phil Smith and Tim O’Hara will serve their last coffee and cake as owners tomorrow before Michael and Louise Bland, who own Vivido Bar and Restaurant on Cheltenham Crescent in Harrogate, take over.
The cafe is expected to close for a week before reopening, with the previous owners helping out for a short period.
Mr Smith said it felt like the right time to go, adding:
“We had no experience in catering when we took over but we have worked hard and learned by our mistakes to make it a successful business.
“It’s a beautiful place to work, overlooking the viaduct, and we have made lifelong friends.
“But it’s grown and grown and has become a bit of a monster.”
Mr Smith said regular customers from Wakefield, York and Lincoln were due to visit today to bid farewell and he expected tomorrow to be emotional.
But he said Mr and Mrs Bland would “breathe new life” into the business and he and Mr O’Hara would support them before taking life easier. The six staff will stay on under the new owners.
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Ms Bland, who lives in Leeds, said she and her husband had been friends with Mr Smith and Mr O’Hara for years and they “fell in love with the place” when they visited and later jokingly said they would like first refusal if the cafe ever came up for sale.
Vivido celebrated its fourth anniversary last week and Ms Bland, who lives in Leeds, said the Italian and Mediterranean venue was now running well and she and her husband were excited by the prospect of operating daytime and nighttime businesses.
She said she hoped to reopen the cafe next week but no date has yet been finalised. Ms Bland said:
Knaresborough pub sold with planning for homes“It’s a successful business so the plan is not to change too much. We need to have a little time to see how things work and we will only change things if we feel it can be improved.”
One of the oldest inns in Knaresborough has been sold with planning permission to convert it to a pub and six homes.
The Board Inn, which is situated in a prime town centre location next to the bus station, was sold by Harrogate estate agents FSS Property after eight months on the market.
The property fetched “very close” to the guide price of £325,000, according to the estate agents.
It was sold under auction conditions at the end of last month with planning permission for a public house, two flats and four houses.
The buyer’s details have not been revealed but the town’s easy access to the A1 make it an enticing option for developers looking for residential opportunities.
The pub has been sold at a time when Knaresborough’s high street has seen several new shops.
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- The growth of housing in Knaresborough has encouraged the county council to discuss opening a new primary school.
- Knaresborough’s former Natwest bank building is planned to be converted into a home.
Recently, the town of Knaresborough has been showing positive signs of regeneration. Several new shops have opened on the high street in recent months.