District Bar, Harrogate

Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road has been called “the Notting Hill of North Yorkshire.” With its idiosyncratic clothes shops, independent food and drinks outlets and traditional ironmonger, it’s a little different from your average local high street. The latest addition to this scene is District Bar, opening this Thursday (5th September) in the premises vacated by Fisk restaurant’s move into town.

I called in to chat with owners Dan and Andy the other day to find out how they see their venture.

The first thing you notice as you enter is the size of the bar. It’s very small, and Andy pointed out they intend to make a virtue of this. Their aim isn’t to be the latest trendy bar, full of music, but somewhere more intimate. There’s a snug at the back, terrace outside.

Dan explained they want to offer good quality and good value. They have clearly put a lot of thought and effort into the concept. Andy and Dan played like a tag team, explaining the research they had done to find the perfect coffee blend for daytime drinking, the interesting selection of beers and wines you won’t find easily elsewhere.

The name, they said, reflects their aim that the bar should be the one locals choose for a drink on their way into town, or on their way back.

While there was music playing, it wasn’t obtrusive in any way, meaning it’s somewhere you could use for an informal meeting.

Andy pointed out the plain walls: the owners hope it might be somewhere a local artist or photographer might want to display work. Again and again, they used the word local, pointing out that Cold Bath Road isn’t just an interesting retail quarter, but the centre of a significant residential area and a major route into town.

A number of local traders have already approached them, not just to make them welcome, but to see how they might work together to enhance what’s on offer. Andy said they are confident they’re already “getting it about 70% right.” The other 30% is to work with and develop as they get to know the people who use the bar. If they can achieve their vision, it’ll be well worth becoming one of those locals!

District Bar is at 61 Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, and opens on Thursday 5th September. You can find more information on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/districtbar61/?ref=br_rs or Instagram (districtbar61).