New-look William & Vic restaurant reopens

By Graham Chalmers
William & Victoria.William & Victoria.
William & Victoria.

Quintessentially Harrogate, quintessentially British, Williams & Victoria has reopened after being closed for more than a month for a sprightly refurbishment.

Downstairs at the town’s most famous restaurant and wine bar reopened more than a week ago - and has already had customers tweeting about how successful the new look is.

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Meanwhile, owners Johanna and David Straker were busily working last week in a final push to ensure the upstairs area was open for the weekend, too.

Located at Cold Bath Road in the heart of Harrogate close to the Montpellier Quarter, one diner tweeted the following: “Gorgeous lunch @Will_and_Vics as always. Nice to see the character has remained through the changes ;)”

Renowned for working closely with local suppliers to source local seasonal produce, one innovation brought in with the freshen-up is likely to prove popular - for the first time ever William & Victoria will be open on Easter Monday.

Speaking personally, from what I’ve seen, it’s a sympathetic refurbishment, welcoming in a little light of the modern world while retaining all the warm welcome and charm of the traditional style which helped make W&V such a Harrogate institution in the first place.

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Originally opened in the 1970s as the town’s very first wine bar, William & Victoria has been owned and run with huge success by the Straker family for more than 20 years.

Even a new a staircase leading to the more spacious bar and restaurant upstairs doesn’t seem to have disturbed its traditional equilibrium.

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