by Tony Halstead
The owners of Michelin-starred Northcote Manor, who recently opened a Lancashire gastro pub, are planning more sites.
Partners Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft opened the Three Fishes at Mitton near Whalley, Lancashire, in September and now want to roll out up to six new venues that will flag up the best in regionally-sourced produce.
The duo launched the Three Fishes after a substantial renovation scheme at the rural inn, which had been closed for some time.
The pair aim to open two or three new pubs in 2005 with a long-term plan of running six houses using produce sourced from northern counties such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire and Cheshire. Meat, vegetables and dairy produce featured on the Three Fishes' menu, which has been devised by Haworth, are all sourced from local suppliers, a policy which was instrumental in the blueprint for the food offering at the pub.
Local sourcing is flagged wherever possible, with the rear of the menu featuring a local map pinpointing the location of farmers and traders who supply goods to the pub.
Diners are encouraged to take away copies of the menu to boost business for the local producers and within the first three months of opening the pub went through 5,000 copies.
David Edwards, the pub's head chef, said: "We've had a tremendous opening few months.
"We try very hard to source as much produce as possible locally, not just meat and vegetables, but as many [as possible] of the smaller items used in making up our dishes," he said.
"The Three Fishes is a place where our local producers are the real stars of the show," he added.
Dishes on the menu included Three Fishes Pie Fleetwood fish baked with mashed potato and sprinkled with Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese (£8.50); battered deep-fried haddock, marrowfat peas, real chips, tartare sauce (£9); "Hindle Wakes" breast of Goosnargh chicken, bacon, plum and basil stuffing, pearl barley and button mushroom broth (£9.50); and heather-reared Bowland lamb Lancashire hotpot with pickled red cabbage (£9.50).