Griffin Inn
Bar and Restaurant

As tenant licensees we bought the business and moved in on 14 September 2006. We have considerable business experience, both of us having owned our own businesses and established and managed multi retail operations, including catering and the leisure industry; it is, however, our first pub. We are passionate about good food, love the Griffin and the beautiful village of Barkisland with its friendly residents, and we are striving to make this pub a venue that the village can be proud of.

Chris has been with the Griffin for nearly five years, having first 'served his time' at one of Lancashire's most prestigious restaurants in Rochdale. Jo has many years of experience working closely with qualified chefs in popular food pubs in Huddersfield and, immediately before she came to the Griffin, was an assistant manager with Merry England. Jo definitely produces a cup of cappuccino to die for! As our House Manager and second chef, Jo can also be found keeping everything running smoothly behind the bar and serving, rather than cooking, the meals. Chris and Jo are supported by three Commis Chefs, Andy, Chris and Josh and three kitchen assistants, Matt, Kelly and Mark. In the bar are Beverley and Becky. Becky often changes her waitress apron for a kitchen apron when food trade is heavy and she has proved to be a dab hand at making sauces. Sadly, we shall soon lose Becky when she goes to live abroad, and also Commis Chefs Chris and Andrew who will be going to university, and we shall need to recruit and train once more.

The Griffin had earned an excellent reputation for good food in the past but has suffered from many changes of brewery and business management in the last five or six years and, as a result, the building had been seriously neglected. We have invested a lot of money into a refurbishment plan to replace all catering equipment and to bring the interior into the 21st century without spoiling its lovely 17th century character. The internal refurbishment will be completed by early summer 2007 and will include some improvements to the rear beer garden.

At the outset we were determined to establish a food service that is predominately fresh and made to order - truly home-made meals mostly from local produce. We do not use bought in prepared meals and it is not possible to order and receive a meal in less than the time it takes to bake a pie. It allows us to be extremely flexible and if asked will create a meal that will cater for even the most difficult of dietary allergies. We believe good food is worth waiting for and should be a relaxing experience rather than a 'fill up and go' visit. So therefore we ask our customers to allow time, relax with a drink or two in the cosy ambience of this beautiful old Inn whilst we prepare your food.