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18
Feb 2024
The pub entrepreneur putting Boroughbridge on the map
Standing in one of his Boroughbridge pubs after the first covid lockdown had been announced, Simon Wade had a fleeting moment of negativity.
He recalls thinking, ‘What’s going to happen now?’, before he rallied and told himself to change his mindset.
It wasn’t easy but he managed to retain the courage of his convictions. With three decades of experience in North Yorkshire restaurants, pubs and hotels, Simon had spotted Boroughbridge’s potential when he moved to Langthorpe with his family nine years ago. He said:
The interior of The Fox and Hounds in Boroughbridge.
He has been focused on breathing new life into the town’s pub scene since 2018. At that time he was running The Grantham Arms, a 13-bedroom hotel with dining room, bar and outdoor heated terraces, which he bought in 2022. He put substantial investment into refurbishing the pub and two further venues, The Fox & Hounds in Langthorpe, a quintessential village pub purchased in 2020, and the Tap on the Tutt in Boroughbridge, formerly the Three Horse Shoes, which he bought it in July last year.
The latter, a grade two listed building which Simon describes as a ‘sleeping giant’, has been given an extensive refurbishment. The interior has been completely overhauled to enhance the original ornate features, stained glass and wood panelling.
Name change
Although the name change provoked ‘quite a lot of public opinion’, Simon said the renovations had been well received, with the combination of traditional pub food, hand-pulled beers, TV screens showing sport, pool table, darts board and a separate quiet area proving popular. He said:
Simon hopes that between the three pubs, there is variety and something for everyone. He has a fantastic, close-knit team of around 60 full and part-time staff who all, except one, live in the town. Simon’s partner, Susie Winder, who grew up in Boroughbridge, is behind the style, design and refurbishment of the pubs. Simon credits her vision and natural talent for creating venues that appeal to customers.
The traditional interior design of the Tap on the Tutt.
While the pubs were shut during covid, Simon and Susie developed the outdoor areas to create beer gardens and more space. They also made sure they stayed visible to customers, holding online pub quizzes and offering a food delivery service. The approach paid off and Simon said the pubs came out of the pandemic stronger than before. They now hold regular events such as a recent Burns Night and Valentine’s to keep customers excited and interested. He said:
He now has plans for another substantial investment — a microbrewery. The Tap on the Tutt has a large selection of drafts ales and world beers and is Simon’s attempt to get Boroughbridge noticed for having a real ale house. He’s aiming for the Cask Marque accreditation and wants to produce beer in-house.
With other investments taking place in the town, most notably at The Crown Hotel, which was bought two years ago by the Coaching Inn Group, Simon said Boroughbridge offers so much for residents to enjoy – and for businesses looking for a new opportunity. He said:
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Read more:
- Plans submitted to build 258 homes at Boroughbridge
- Thomas the Baker set to open new store in Boroughbridge
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