The Bull at Broughton

The Bull at Broughton, near Skipton, North Yorkshre is one of those landmark pubs that we pass regularly but rarely enter - its quite close to home, on the doorstep of the impressive Broughton Hall Estate, and on the busy east to west A59 road between Yorkshire and Lancashire, but at a point where the traffic is normally travelling too fast just to stop on a whim.

However the 18th century alehouse has recently been taken over by the renowned small chain Ribble Valley Inns - their "Three Fishes" pub in Whalley, Lancs can proudly claim to have been voted "UK Pub of the Year" in Publican magazine within a year of opening in 2004. I have also personally experienced excellent food and service at The Highwayman near Kirkby Lonsdale (just a couple of miles from the infamous Fenwick Arms, scene of one of Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmares!). There is also a close link to the Michelin-starred Northcote, near Blackburn, Lancs, through their chef Nigel Haworth who is co-proprietor of RVI.

So the portents were promising for our first visit to The Bull since its refurbishment. It re-opened its doors in June 2009 revealing a much-needed lighter decor in the low-ceilinged building, and the trademark RVI 'local heroes' paraphenalia - portraits of the exclusively local suppliers who contribute to the menu - adorning the walls.

Whilst we were not disappointed, neither were we completely bowled over by the overall experience. The pub was quiet for a Sunday afternoon in August, with several waiting staff apparently twiddling their thumbs - although it has to be said still ready to provide excellent service where required. Our orders were taken quickly and the food arrived in fairly reasonable time, but I wouldn't wanted to have waited too much longer especially given how quiet the place was.

The menu takes some reading. The descriptions are elaborate to the point of being impenetrable, and surprisingly, for a Sunday afternoon, there was (as far as I could see!) no roast dinner option - not that I would have ordered it, but I'm sure many of their target customers would. There should be something for most palates and appetites, however - game options, nibbling platters and steaks abound, although we didn't set out to have a full blown dinner and struggled - well, failed! - to find anything on the menu light enough for our mood. Sandwiches for example, are not available on Sundays or in the evenings, so we ended up eating more than we really wanted to, which is clearly the intention, but is a little annoying.

My first choice would have been the Wild Rabbit Faggots, but unfortunately they were unavailable, so instead we ordered "Battered Deep Fried Scarborough Woof, Marrowfat Peas and Real Chips cooked in Dripping" and "100% Chargrilled Minced Hellifield Highland Beef Steak, English Muffin, Real Chips Cooked in Dripping, Tomato Relish and Pickles".

Yes - that's right - fish and chips and burger and chips.

And that I think sums up my overall impression of The Bull. I hesitate to compare a place that uses fresh local ingredients and obviously cares about service and quality to a nondescript national chain but I just can't get the phrase "Posh Harvester" out of my mind!

That's not really fair. It wasn't that bad, but the formulaic, insincerely scripted service, the far-too-elaborate menu descriptions, and the in-your-face emphasis on the local provenance of the ingredients that left me with the impression that they were just trying a little bit too hard, and that naturally makes me suspicious! But there was absolutely nothing wrong with the food, the service was excellent, and the beer (I chose the refreshingly drinkable Hetton Pale Ale from the nearby Dark Horse Brewery) superb.

So maybe - definitely - it deserves another try. There is certainly enough choice on the menu - not forgetting the regularly changing specials - to justify a further visit, and there's a very pleasant rear seating area which is sufficiently sheltered from the traffic. But most compelling of all, one of the most carniverous of my fellow Yorkshire bloggers has recommended the rabbit faggots, so that's good enough for me!