Our Story

Against a succession of failed short tenancies at The Alice, and more generally country pub closures across the nation, the pub looked vulnerable, and so, in October 2013, with no hospitality industry experience, Richard Harpin and Kate Harpin bought their local.

By December the same year, the operation was struggling, with the bill for staff needing to be paid in order to stay afloat, and importantly, open for Christmas. It was clear, very quickly that there was much to be done to secure the future of The Alice Hawthorn.

With the ambition of creating a cracking little country pub, Kate set to work on plans to ensure inviting, convivial spaces, with real fires in every room. The first phase was completed in January 2015: opening up the Fishermen’s Bar (so called after the Nidd fishermen who would buy their day tickets and breakfasts here). 2016 saw a new kitchen and loos, and The Barn was opened the following year.

And yet still, the business needed much financial support. After a lengthy planning process (Nun Monkton is a conservation village) and a series of community consultations, permission was given to create twelve bedrooms. There are four in the Grade II listed building, and eight in reimagined agricultural outbuildings, newly built from homegrown Douglas fir, larch and poplar.

With Richard offering business steer, and Kate developing the buildings, the missing ingredient was a talented operating team. John and Claire Topham became partners in the operation in 2017, delivering delicious food, great service and a proper Yorkshire welcome.

Of the project, Kate said “For me, it was a labour of love. We carefully unpicked layer upon layer of aged building works, respecting the soul of the old, whilst achieving calm, contemporary comfort.” Close to her heart is the art produced by village schoolchildren in a series of printmaking workshops held in The Barn: the icing on the cake. The project has won four RIBA awards, a Civic Trust Award, the Wood Award and has been widely featured in the design media.

The final word goes to Richard, who is most proud of not only saving the last remaining pub in Nun Monkton, but winning The Sunday Times Small Hotel of the Year in 2022, and becoming a 2023 Top 100 Gastropub. “It’s been quite a journey, but we aren’t resting on our laurels: I’m always looking for incremental improvement. The Alice Hawthorn is now a sustainable business - with great eco development credentials, thanks to the timber framed new rooms, and ground source heating.”