Licensees aim to offer a taste of the surrounding countryside

Graham Atkinson and his wife, Samantha, the new licensees of The Blue Bell in Kirby Hill, near Boroughbridge, have vowed to source all their ingredients within five miles of the kitchen.

The couple have returned to The Blue Bell, which they previously ran for four years before taking a break when Mrs Atkinson gave birth to their fourth child, Elliott, who is now four.

Mr and Mrs Atkinson will be sourcing all their ingredients locally in an effort to improve quality and reduce the carbon footprint of the business by cutting down the number of miles to transport produce.

Mr Atkinson, 49, said: "It feels great to be back. We left the pub when Samantha gave birth to our son, but we missed our regulars and the pub so much we have come back for more.

"We've really made an effort with our new menu and are sourcing all the ingredients locally, so we can now offer fresh home-cooked meals for all our customers.

"We are planning to operate the Blue Bell as a real community pub."

The Blue Bell's menu will offer a range of home-cooked, traditional meals.