YE OLDE PUNCH BOWL INN at MARTON CUM GRAFTON........A  LUNCHTIME VISIT

My wife and I had booked (along with four friends) a barn in Seahouses Northumberland. We were due to go on Thursday afternoon which just happened to coincide with the earliest snowfall for 20 years! We decided to leave it until Friday but news that more snow was expected and closure of the A1 meant a decision was made to abandon the Northumberland adventure.

We decided instead to go for a long walk and then call in for a bite to eat at Ye Olde Punch Bowl at Marton Cum Grafton. This old inn was made famous recently when Neil Morrissey from Men Behaving Badly bought the lease with a Harrogate restauranteur Richard Fox.

It was featured in an ITV documentary "Risky Business" which featured the two "lads" swearing their way through the reopening of the pub.

Anyway, it did prove to be a very risky business as the venture didn't work and the inn closed apparently owing money to lots of local suppliers. The villagers were reportedly not impressed by the celebrity owners.

When I suggested we try the pub one of my friends was convinced it was still closed so perhaps it needs a little more publicity!

The new owners are Luci and Alex Matthews who previously owned The Ship at Strensall and seem to have made the pub cosy and welcoming once again. A roaring fire greeted us and us boys had  delicious pints of Tim Taylors bitter before we were offered a bowl of home made fat chips whilst we were waiting for our table.

The lunch time menu was very tempting and three of our party went for the fish and chips  the others plumping for steak sandwiches. The steak had stilton cheese melted inside and was served with salad and more delicious chips.

Luci popped over to say hello and made sure we were all happy. Friday afternoon with a pint of Taylors, a steak sarney, chips, a roaring fire and great company. Yes ....we were happy!!

Ye Olde Punch Bowl Inn has thankfully got back to being a great olde worlde English country pub with great food  and stopped trying to be something it wasn't. We were so impressed we have booked Christmas Day Lunch there!  Well done to the new landlords and good luck for the future.

Picture by Gary Longbottom