It’s all change in Appletreewick at the New Inn, which has also been seen as a mecca for cyclists over the years under endurance rider John Pitchers.
New owners Alexa and Chris Ives lived in the parish, knew the potential of the pub, and wanted to put it back on the map after a fallow period under the last owner
Alexa is no stranger to the hospitality business at a senior level, with eight years working front of house at The Box Tree, Ilkley.
Her not-so-silent investment partner and husband, Chris, brings beer and spirits expertise with impressive credentials. He founded Ilkley Brewery in 2009 and was a founding partner in Otterbeck Distillery.
After overhauling the interior of the New Inn and developing fresh branding they sought the final vital ingredient for the pub: a chef with vision. Serendipitously, that arrived in the form of Mikael Paylor, a Grassington lad who migrated to London at the age of 22, returning to Wharfedale as he approaches 40 to take up free rein on the kitchen.
In London, Mikael had learned his trade under celebrated chefs including Richard Corrigan and Brendan Fyldes in Mayfair and television personality Ronnie Murray. You can take the man out of Yorkshire, but you can’t take the Yorkshire out of the man: Mikael had a hankering to return to Wharfedale and the blank slate scope the Ives offered him for creative cooking at the New Inn was a perfect fit.
The level of skill he acquired in those years means Mikael is raising the bar back on home turf. It’s second nature for him to create everything from scratch and he is collaborating with interesting partners to host innovative foodie events and planning outdoor feasts to celebrate the seasons.