Another makeover-takeover that has succeeded brilliantly and the effect has been to change the old proverbial boozer into something that falls more into the gentlemen's club category. The effect is dramatic, and as with the décor, so everything else falls nicely into place.

The à la carte opens with starters of Orkney sea scallops and Ireland's black pudding, or the delicious English artichoke soup with chantarelles. A roast Goosnargh chicken is served with mushroom and leek pie and buttered kale, or new season Lonk lamb with dauphinoise potatoes and parsley and clam sauce. Interestingly prepared vegetables are available with all main courses; witness braised white beans, baby leeks and potatoes.

Saturday brunch, that increasingly popular time of the week has all the right dishes, and Head chef Tim Payne, former executive chef for Marco Pierre White restaurants pays the same degree of attention to a plate of smoked salmon with scrambled eggs as he does to a pan-fried fillet of hake on the evening menu.