Provenance Inns buys three village pubs

PROVENANCE Inns, the new pub company co-founded by a member of the Morrison family, has acquired three pubs in North Yorkshire.

The business, which is run by food retailer and farm owner Chris Blundell and Michael Ibbotson, owner of the Durham Ox in Crayke, near Easingwold, has taken over pubs in the villages of Helperby, Brafferton and Felixkirk.

The new venture, which is a collection of "village inns, in villages you would like to live in", plans to open up to 10 pubs across North Yorkshire in the next four or five years and concentrate on locally-sourced Yorkshire produce. Each pub would employ between 35 and 50 staff.

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Mr Blundell, a non-executive director of the English Food and Farming Partnerships , will provide produce from his own farm and market garden. He said: "The number of pubs we open depends on finding the right sites. We have got a lot of different criteria. They need to be larger than half an acre and sufficient space on site for adequate car parking. We also want to include accommodation where possible."

It may seem a brave decision to launch a pub company at a time when the nation's licensed trade is suffering and many pubs are closing but it's a challenge the businessmen are prepared for.

Mr Blundell said: "In some ways it is a very challenging time because a lot of people are struggling financially but we feel that providing the quality of what we do works we can attract sufficient customers."

Mr Ibbotson added: "I am not going to be so brash as to pretend that we have the secret, but I am also not going to apologise for the hard work, high standards, training and commitment that have proven to be successful."

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The company said it is also striving to maintain the unique charm of each place no matter how many pubs are in the group.

Mr Blundell, the nephew of Sir Ken Morrison, said: "There is a danger of standards slipping when you start expanding. It's a danger we need to be aware of but we think we can overcome that. We both share the common view of what makes each place special."

He added: "There are also other benefits such as employment."

Mr Ibbotson started his career with formal training at the Westminster Hotel School.

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He then moved on to some of London's top restaurants, including The Capital Hotel, Knightsbridge, El Vino, and Chez Max, before returning home to North Yorkshire, and opening the Durham Ox 10 years ago.

He said: "We have always been passionate about the Durham Ox being a great pub or inn.

"We serve drink, we serve food and people can stay.

"It is a real reflection of what the British inn was, and is, all about.

"Inns can still have high standards of service and professional kitchens without losing their charm and integrity."

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