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North Yorkshire bistro toasts 5th birthday success

A popular, family-run Stokesley restaurant is celebrating its fifth anniversary as it continues to grow and buck the trend.

Howards, on College Square, has consistently grown in popularity since Graham Howard and his family took over the business in 2008.

Five years on, the restaurant now employs a team of 15 local people as well as Graham’s two sons becoming more involved in the business to cope with its growth. The company also works closely with Middlesbrough College to support staff’s on-going training and to create new opportunities for those wanting to enter the profession, at any age.

Keith and Richard Howard work with Graham and his managers to develop aspects such as menus and marketing with Graham attributing much of Howards’ growth to refining the menus and the business’s experienced team.

Graham said: “The last five years have been a struggle in most sectors- not least catering and hospitality. It’s sad to see pubs and restaurants closing but we must look at why and adapt accordingly. The team at Howards is exceptional- our success is down to them. They speak to customers every day, changing menus to meet their demands. As we celebrate five successful years we’re looking forward to a busy summer, hopefully with some good weather attracting people to our small market town at the foot of the North York Moors.”

Howards has notched up a number of accolades, such as being included in the Harden’s UK Restaurant Survey- one of the UK’s most influential food guides- for four consecutive years and continues to work with local producers and suppliers including the Stonehouse Bakery in Danby, Country Valley in Hurworth and local wine suppliers. In addition, a Stokesley-based lady now bakes all of Howards cakes and biscuits.

Howards’ kitchen team recently changed with Andrew Russell and Owen Brosan taking over the full-time running of the kitchen. Both chefs have been with Howards for around two years and gained a range of qualifications.

The restaurant is now hoping to recruit more staff for the busy summer period

http://www.howards-eatery.co.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison .