In the true spirit of Victorian philanthropy, Sir William Worsley, the local Squire at Hovingham, decided to repackage the hitherto quiet, Yorkshire village as a Spa. On the face of it a good idea, insufficient thought had been given to access, with the result that the project quickly crumbled. The Hotel, however, did not and remains to this day as a monument to Sir William's good intentions. If the good old English tradition of Sunday lunch has a spiritual home it could perhaps be said to be in Yorkshire, so let's look at the Worsley Arms from the point of view of that splendid meal.

Start with a ham hock terrine or a confit of local duck with pickled red cabbage and port wine dressing before moving on to the main event, a roast sirloin of a Yorkshire beef, only slightly overshadowed by the presence of roast local turkey, both very much complete with all the trimmings peculiar to their traditions, and well rounded off with raspberry and elderflower crème brulee and homemade shortbread, as only a Yorkshire housewife can make it.

As to the wine list they are currently working on an arrangement where customers will be invited to descend to the cellars and select their wine straight from the rack, a truly novel and clever piece of presentation somewhat akin to those French chateaux where on a day trip to France you enjoy a bibulous lunch, afterwards touring the cellars with your cheque book prior to returning to Blighty, to be confronted by the stony faces of the Customs and Excise.