Humpit, the hummus and pitta chain, is opening a pop-up in one of Harrogate’s independent restaurants this week.

Farmhouse restaurant, on Station Parade, will host Humpit’s newest pop-up takeaway bar. From Thursday, August 13, the stall will open Thursday to Saturday from 11.30am to 3pm to catch the lunchtime trade.

The two business owners struck up the partnership after realising over lockdown they were neighbours. The closing of restaurants for three months was difficult for both and this pop-up has come as an opportunity to rebuild their customer bases.

Jonathan Phillips, co-owner of Humpit, said:

“Businesses need to help each other in the current economy, and we’d always wanted to come to Harrogate. We’re two companies working together collaboratively to support each other which is super important right now. Currently we just have to keep going – if there is another lockdown, we just have to work through it.

“Its a real no-brainer for us. I was worried about us at some point, and at the beginning of lockdown it was nerve-wracking, but now we’re ready to move forward and projects like this are exciting.”

Humpit have six outlets on university campuses across the country, which have all had to remain closed.

Both food outlets cater for all, but focus on vegan dishes. Humpit is currently the largest vegan chain in the UK.

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Jordan Aspinall, owner of Farmhouse, hopes this venture alongside the popular Eat Out to Help Out scheme will cover the losses lockdown caused. He said:

“It just makes perfect sense. We have always been open to pop-ups like this and Jonathan just came along and it happened to work. I can’t see why it would be a problem unless my sales drastically decline but I’m happy for it to keep going for as long as it can.

“We were on the edge over lockdown, so I have absolutely nothing to lose having Humpit here – I actually think it could bring trade to us.”

Coronavirus may have delayed the plans but Masterchef Matt Healy will open his third healthy cafe in Harrogate next week.

Grön Kafé will open on Monday, June 15 at Cold Bath Clubhouse, 46 King’s Road with a pop up site to sell groceries.

The cafe will have a focus on “keeping it clean” by serving up vegan and allergy-friendly food and drinks as well as the regular favourites.

It will offer Buddha Bowls and ‘croissant-wiches’ along with coffee, freshly-baked pastries, and cakes.

The Grön Kafé will operate as takeaway only for the time being until the government lifts the restrictions on cafes and restaurants.

As well as the cafe, they will open up a pop-up greengrocer which they say was a huge hit at the Leeds site.

Some of the Grön Kafé Buddha Bowls.

The Grön Grocer will stock essentials like fruit and vegetable boxes, flour, milk, and bread.

Chef Patron Matt Healy and Masterchef finalist said he was looking forward to opening in Harrogate:

“We’ve been able to bring a little slice of normality with our Grön Grocer concept. Being able to grab a cracking flat white and a pastry has made people’s day, so we’re looking forward to bringing that to Harrogate. It’s been a tough but exciting journey adapting to the ‘new normal’. It’s been in the works for a long time, and whilst this isn’t how we expected to open, we can’t wait to get stuck in.”