By Olivia Dobson
PRESTIGIOUS restaurant group the Ivy Collection is opening eateries in Harrogate and York – the first to come to the north of England.
The Ivy Harrogate is set to open on November 15. Inside the new restaurant there will be over 135 seats and outside on the garden terrace there will be 48 seats.
The restaurant will replace the previous Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop on Parliament Street which is very close to Betty’s tearooms and the Royal Pump Room.
The York restaurant is also opening next month in St Helen’s Square and will have space for 120 guests, as well as 10 at the brasserie’s bar, and an additional 26 on the terrace.
It is hoped 225 new jobs will be created at the two restaurants.
Dean Wade, head chef of The Ivy Harrogate Brasserie, said: “We’re delighted to be opening the very first Ivy Collection restaurant in Yorkshire right here in Harrogate, the town already offers a wonderful dining scene and diverse array of restaurants, so I’m excited for us to be part of this.
“While our London namesake is known for its exclusivity, a proportion of our tables will always be available for walk-ins, so local residents and those working in the area can drop in whenever they choose.”
The Ivy Collection is chain of 15 restaurants and cafes spun out of the prestigious London celebrity haunt the Ivy – currently celebrating its 100th anniversary.
However, the Collection does not include the original restaurant, which is controlled by a separate company, Caprice Holdings. But both are controlled by the former BHS shareholder Richard Caring.
Harrogate resident, Kirsten Stitt, 22, said: “I’m really excited about visiting the restaurant as it is the first one to be in the north of England.”
Harriet Green, 19, added: “It has been a long wait for the restaurant to open in Harrogate so I’m looking forward to eating there when it opens.”