Former tea room to be transformed into bar

The upper floors of a former tearoom in York are to be converted into a bar, four years after the closure of the cafe previously located there.

The Little Ale House has been granted permission to transform the Grade II* listed property on Stonegate, which was once home to the Little Betty's Cafe.

The Harrogate-based craft ale house will join Harrogate Tipple in the building, which already has a shop on the ground floor.

The oldest parts of the building date to about 1600 and it also features 19th and 20th Century additions.

The Little Ale House, started by husband and wife team Richard and Danielle Park, began in Harrogate in 2016 with the aim of creating a traditional pub atmosphere.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the application stated that the firm aimed to create cosy environments for people to meet and socialise without the distraction of TVs or background music.

The front rooms of the first and second floors of 46, 48 and 50 Stonegate would house the bar area and seating, with service areas in the rear, planning documents stated.

Betty's previously added modern service areas as part of previous renovations.

Approval of the plans comes almost four years after Betty's announced it was closing the cafe on the first floor of the building in spring 2021.

It was followed by the closure of its ground floor shop in the autumn of the same year.

At the time, Simon Eyles, the tea room's managing director, said the closure decision had been difficult and the firm was grateful for the loyalty and kindness of its customers.

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