No trouble at t'Mill

Providing high-quality food while retaining a distinctive pub atmosphere has been key to the revival of the Shibden Mill Inn. Tony Halstead reports on this Yorkshire success story

It is worth the odd wrong turn and country lane detour to find the Shibden Mill Inn. This is because, when you finally do get your first glimpse of this secluded country dining retreat, your patience is well rewarded. The pub is almost hidden away in a tranquil wooded valley yet, amazingly, its rural charms lie only a mile or so from the bustle of Halifax town centre.

The 13th-century main building was once a corn mill and the former workers' cottages that adjoin it now form an amalgamation of dining areas and letting bedrooms. Today, the Shibden Mill stands proudly as a beacon for all that's best in the way of modern-day pub food and drink.

The business was taken over in 1998 by licensee Glen Pearson alongside a number of other partners at a time when the business had reached a low ebb. Like many other modern-day pub success stories, its rise back to the top is one of hard work, perseverance and substantial financial investment.

"When we arrived, we knew a lot of tender loving care was top of the agenda before we embarked on any major plans," recalls Pearson. His entrance to the pub trade came via catering college and a period working as a manager for contract caterer Gardner Merchant.

"The Shibden Mill had enjoyed a good reputation through the '70s and '80s, but had fallen on lean times," he explains. "But I was very familiar with the place and knew the vast potential which could be unlocked here."

Although Pearson and his backers were determined to retain the pub atmosphere at all costs, it was clear that food and accommodation were the key areas governing the future of their new business.

In the six years that followed, new bedrooms were built, the bar and seating areas refurbished, a brand new kitchen opened and a separate restaurant established on the first floor. Particular attention was given to the terraces and gardens to capitalise on the Shibden Mill's wedding business.

Whatever the bricks and mortar improvements to the Shibden Mill, however, food has been the main driver of the new-look business. The food operation is led by head chef Steve Evans, a former executive chef with Marriott Hotels and the popular Restaurant 19 in Bradford. Like many chefs today, Evans believes in a strict local-sourcing policy, which means almost all raw materials are supplied by local businesses and tradesmen.

Evans is proud that 98% of his menu is fresh and prepared in the pub's kitchens ­ even the bread is baked fresh on the premises alongside home-made chutneys and jams. He describes his menu as "British cooking with a twist" and says his aim is to "produce traditional dishes with style".

The menu does include more adventurous items in a bid by the kitchens to provide customers with a varied choice to suit all tastes and pockets. Essentially though, Evans believes in the "comfort factor", which explains why dishes such as Nidderdale lamb cutlets, English ribeye steak and local chicken breast are always popular.

Evans took over the Shibden Mill's kitchens from Neil Butterworth, whose skills earned the pub the prestige title of Yorkshire Dining Pub of the Year, an AA Rosette and entries in numerous guide books, including the Michelin Red Book, Les Routiers, the Good Food Guide and the Good Pub Guide.

Butterworth and his wife, Jane, have now left to run the Shibden's sister pub, the Bull at Broughton, near Skipton in North Yorkshire. Both the Shibden and the Bull were included in the new Michelin Guide To Eating Out In Pubs published this autumn.

The Shibden is currently turning out an average of 700 meals per week, helping the business realise a total sales turnover of £950,000. Food business accounts for 45% of overall sales, with income from the 12 letting rooms and wet trade bar business making up just over half of the total take.

Weddings have also become big business at the pub, which now has its own licence to conduct ceremonies.

"The magnificent surroundings are a big pull for couples and we have worked hard in our gardens to develop a setting which adds the perfect finishing touch to a wedding," says Pearson. "We do about 50 weddings per year, all on the smallish side because the restaurant only holds about 50 people comfortably."

Like many operators Pearson has been careful to retain the traditional pub side of the business. "We are not a stand-alone hotel or restaurant and have always been conscious of the fact that cask ale and a good bar still attracts lots of people. It's the perfect location for a lunchtime visit or a few pints on an early summer's evening, so we always offer four real ales," he stresses.

Sales of wine are also growing, with the Shibden offering a list of 80, including 12 by the glass and two house Champagnes. Glasses come in 125ml, 175ml and 250ml sizes, with 175ml being the most popular and with women being by far the biggest consumers. Consistency is achieved thanks to just one firm, Cellar 28 from Brighouse, near Leeds, supplying the pub.