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David Statner and Charlie Hudson. Charlie Hudson, Sarah Whitelock, Kim and Ann. Whitelocks Restaurant.
Whitelocks Progress Report. WHITELOCKSs’ 15 year lease has been acquired by the longstanding family company Chennell & Armstrong Ltd of York.
The lease handover happened on the 29th of November 2006. Since this date we have taken on the challenge of getting Whitelocks to the standard that it should be trading at. As you are no doubt aware, this is a difficult process as it follows some years of neglect both to the business and to the building. However we feel that we have made a decent start over the Christmas period, which is traditionally the busiest time of the year for us. Indeed Whitelocks has been operating at a standard that previous managers have thought impossible.
However, through hard work, determination, TLC and a lot of elbow grease we have achieved goals that others have deemed to be unthinkable.
When I walked into Whitelocks for the first time in mid November I fell in love with the place, just the same as David Statner of Chennell and Armstrong had months before. I had as they say ‘been bitten by the Whitelocks bug’ as so many of you have.
Since the new company took over it has been all hands on deck, we have had builders, plumbers, painters and decorators, electricians and all sorts of other tradesman in everyday.
So just to put you out of your misery here is what we have achieved and some of what we are still working towards:
1. All new toilets and I mean all new toilets (apart from the bowls in the ladies of course)
2. All new red leather upholstery in luncheon bar.
3. All brasses in the pub have been professionally cleaned and restored along with woodwork (this is being done by the company that refurbished Whitelocks many moons ago).
4. Main bar has been cleaned and new glassware bought.
5. Cellar has undergone a major overhaul by our resident cellar fairy Sarai, which means our ales taste better than ever.
6. Ma Gamps bar (known to many as the Top Bar) is once again open to the public, hosting a range of bourbons, ales and pie and peas. Also every Friday we have live acoustic musicians.
7. Due to the retirement of our longstanding restaurant waitress Cathy, We have hired a waiter of great reputation Andy Squires, whose job it is to bring the sparkle and warmth back to our outstanding restaurant.
8. This along with our old fashioned NEW restaurant menu, which incorporates a few new dishes, but mainly old traditional Whitelocks favourites, should bring it back to where once was.
9. The luncheon bar, which has been redundant for many years, is on the mend, we are having it taken away and fixed at the local luncheon bar hospital, and along with the old favourites the bar menu is coming back (and yes beef dripping is here to stay).
10. All the old photos you all know and love are currently being reframed and restored and will be returning soon for proper display in the pub.
11. Also behind the scenes there has been a lot of rendering and structural work done to the ever so delicate shell we call Whitelocks, to ensure that it will be here for many years to come.
12. With regard to the outside of the pub, we have enlisted the help of a local firm Greencare to restore and look after our once blooming hanging baskets and pots. And I assure you they intend to win Leeds In Bloom once again. So watch this space for the spring.
In conclusion I hope you see the above as a hugely positive step forward in the right direction, we maintain our commitment to both the traditional aspects of the pub and to the business side of Whitelocks hoping to keep it here for years to come.
If you have any stories or photos you wish to share with us please do not hesitate to contact myself or Mr.Statner or if indeed you just want a friendly chat with your landlady.
Yours truly,
Charlie Hudson. Manager/Licensee Whitelocks.
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OPENING DAY AT WHITELOCKS On the 10th of March 2007 we had an offical Opening party. We had decided to do this to mark the wonderful works that have gone on in Whitelocks since changeover day, we also used this day to launch our new restaurant menu, our plans for the long awaited Luncheon bar and the re-opening of the Top Bar (Ma' Gamps). The day was amazing we had Sarah Whitelock, who is one of few Whitelocks left in the country today, to cut the ribbon, we also had all of the Freinds of Whitelocks and many customers old and new to celebrate the re-opening of Whitelocks. There was free menu samples going round and the ale was pouring fast. There was even face painting and balloon models. The day was fantastic and Whitelocks managment and team would like to thank everyone involved for making it so. | NEW EVENTS IN OUR CALENDER. DONT FORGET WE HAVE A LOVELY BIG BEER GARDEN. |
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