Harrogate wine bar re-opens after six-figure renovation

A HARROGATE wine bar and restaurant has re-opened after an extensive six-figure refurbishment.

William & Victoria Wine Bar on Cold Bath Road is run by David and Johanna Straker, who have overseen the renovation of the establishment.

The new dining room has a capacity for 50 covers, in addition to 35 covers in the wine bar downstairs, and the Strakers are aiming to boost the business’ £1.3 million turnover by around 15-20% over the next year.

The work included upgrading the kitchens, bathrooms and downstairs wine bar, as well as completely overhauling the upstairs dining room, including a new staircase.

The business will also be looking to expand its workforce of 30 staff in the coming months.

Johanna Straker said: “The refurbishment of the premises has been a huge undertaking, but was well worth the effort and was necessary to enable us to accommodate the increasing demand from our customers.

“Due to the growing popularity of the wine bar downstairs, we’ve continued the same theme upstairs into the restaurant, including a large mural of the Laurent Perrier wine caves inspired by a recent trip to Champagne, and we will be offering new lunch and corporate packages in the private dining area.”

The Strakers approached Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking to finance the renovations, having received similar support previously to purchase the business’ current premises. The bank also assisted in helping the wine bar secure a five-figure Regional Growth Fund grant with help from Tenant Land & Partners Association.

David Straker said: “What our customers comment on the most is our expertise in wines and our ability to offer completely bespoke services for parties and events, which we’re looking to expand this year, and we were impressed that our relationship manager at Lloyds Bank was able to offer a similar level of service to us to support our growth plans.”

Lee Rycraft, relationship director for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “David and Jo Straker have done a superb job of creating a high profile establishment that is popular with locals and tourists alike. Their hard work and commitment have helped to make the business such a success.

“We work closely with all our commercial customers to ensure that we’re able to support their growth ambitions by providing support and guidance tailored to their individual needs. We also continue to approve eight out of 10 applications for loans and overdrafts.”