Bay Horse in Burythorpe reopens

TWO and a half years is a long time for a village to be without its only pub.

Just ask the people of Burythorpe.

Their local, The Bay Horse, closed in April 2014 and they spent much of the time thereafter exploring ways to get it reopened.

Villagers formed a campaign group, successfully lobbied for the pub to be listed as an asset of community value, looked into mounting a community bid, and simultaneously spoke to potential landlords who might see the merits in taking the pub on.

Now, their splendid perseverance has paid off.

The ACV status and the villagers' determination scuppered property developers' hopes of turning it into a house. 

Instead, two weeks ago, the pub opened its doors once again - and what an utterly tremendous place it is.

Vito and Abbie Logozzi have already worked wonders at The Goodmanham Arms near Market Weighton, turning it into arguably the finest pub anywhere in Yorkshire.

Now, they hope to emulate that success here in Burythorpe, a small and picturesque little village at the foot of the Wolds, a few miles south of Malton.

Franco Logozzi outside the pub

Vito’s brother Franco will be running the pub day to day, but for now it’s all hands to the pumps as they find their feet and welcome back locals.

It may ordinarily have seemed a little odd of the Logozzis to have chosen a pub off the beaten track, when The Goodmanham Arms and its in-house micro-brewery were doing so well for them. But Vito says he was impressed and persuaded by the locals.

“It is sad seeing a pub shut down, and the people in the village campaigned for three years to get it open for the community. So, I decided we could give it a go. It has been lovely. We have had people coming in from the village and from miles around to look at the pub.”

Last weekend, I joined the mini throngs, and was blown away by what a great job Vito, Abbie and Franco have done.

It’s a fine old building on the village main street, with a fair-sized car park to the rear, but walking in, it’s the smell that hits you first. A warming wood-fire aroma welcomes you in and instantly makes you want to stay.

The bar is straight ahead of you and instantly commands admiration, with eight ales on tap - all at only £2.50 a pint.

Options included Whitby Abbey from Black Dog Brewery, Yorkshire Sparkle from Treboom, Bucking Fastard from North Blyth, Stallion from Hambleton Ales, White Rat from Rat Brewery, and Theakston’s Best.

But I was drawn more to the three from All Hallows Brewery, the Logozzis’ own outlet at Goodmanham, and opted for No Notion, a brilliant, dark, intense porter, which tasted like the open fire smelt.

Vito says the building was a mess when they bought it in March and they have spent six months restoring it. They have made it feel like an authentic, timeless, marvellous pub.

In a week or two, they plan to start providing a range of little snacks, and then in the New Year they hope to begin offering more substantial meals.

Vito added a mini motorbike museum in a sideroom at Goodmanham, and says they are toying with adding something of a theme in one of the rooms here too - perhaps some Sherlock Holmes paraphernalia, he says.

Time will tell. But if this pub can become even half as good as The Goodmanham Arms, it will be one not to be missed. And if it can become even better? Well, you may just find yourself becoming a regular visitor to Burythorpe.

The villagers, certainly, seem happy. David Quick, part of the group that fought so well, says: "Our aim was to save the pub however it was going to happen. In the end, a landlord who we really like bought the pub at auction and it's amazing - we are so pleased."