Farm Raven Name Hill Farm
Bank Top Mart, Clifton Road, Darlington, Co Durham DL1 5DU Tel: 01325 464529 Fax: 01325 384282
AUCTIONEER, LIVESTOCK AGENTS AND VALUERS Wishing Lucy Savile at Raven Hill Farm continued success
------------ Weekly Sale of Prime Cattle and Sheep Every Thursday
Weekly Sales of Store Cattle and Sheep Every Monday------------ Agricultural, Tax and Compensation Claim Valuations Undertaken
Andrew J Armstrong:( Operations Director / Senior Auctioneer) |
07766914075 Email: andrew @ dfam. co. uk |
Scott Ferrie( Auctioneer): |
07557 260653 Email: scott @ dfam. co. uk |
Daniel Lynn( Trainee Auctioneer): |
07887 653442 Email: daniel @ dfam. co. uk |
Tracey Gilhespy( Field Officer): |
07867974688 Email: tracey @ dfam. co. uk |
Stephen Dodsworth( Field Officer): |
07778737431 |
Email: stephen @ dfam. co. uk |
Farming family revives village pub
Chris Berry talks to Lucy Savile at The Old Star in Kilham.
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RUNNING A PUB IS something farmer’ s wife Lucy Savile never imagined she would be doing but it is working well for her and the family farm beef enterprise is benefitting. Raven Hill Farm, situated just out of Kilham, supplies the Old Star pub in the centre of the village and trade is good.
‘ Kilham isn’ t a massive village,’ says Lucy.‘ Although we are very well supported by local people we have to reach from outside to make it right. We’ re not on the main Driffield to Bridlington road either so it is our reputation for good beer and good food that is very important.’
The Old Star, like its name, has history. It dates back 300 years and its interior has that typical old world charm of the village pub. Lucy has added character to it with all manner of artefacts either on the walls or embedded into the tables. There’ s an ancient turnip cutter, pith helmet, a ration book, a letter written by her granddad, the original deeds to the pub and her nanna’ s Red Cross certificates – and that’ s just a handful of the many that will keep visitors interested.
‘ We sell a lot of real ale. Theakston’ s Best Bitter is on all the time along with two guest beers. It’ s a good cask ale pub and I try to give all of the Yorkshire beers a fair run. We will have Wold Top, Great Newsome,
York Brewery, Rudgate, Old Mill and others on throughout the year.’
‘ Our food is quite traditional stuff with a mixture of roast dinners from beef, pork, lamb and turkey to a la carte choices including ribeye and fillet steaks, gammon, venison, partridge and ocean pie. We alter the menu every couple of days to make sure there is little if no wastage.’
‘ One of the things everybody comments on is how friendly we all are. I have a really dedicated team including quite a lot of young people and they’ re all locals too.
We aim for a split of around 50-50 on wet to dry sales. It’ s been quite a year since last April when the pub came over wholly into our family’ s hands. It’ s gone crazy, and by that I mean in a good way.’
Around three years ago when the pub had been shut for eight months three allies came together to get it back up and running. Ian Pick, a chartered surveyor, and agricultural contractor Anthony Smith were initially involved with John Savile, Lucy’ s husband. They purchased The Old Star from Enterprise Inns.
‘ Without the effort put in by everybody concerned we wouldn’ t have got the pub to where it is today. Anthony and Ian subsequently decided to come out of the pub investment-
60 Summer 2017 www. farmers-mart. co. uk