Ashford Arms: 400-year-old pub to rival Sheffield's Rafters in Peak District village after £1.6m revamp

 A 400-year-old Peak District pub that closed in the pandemic is set to reopen after a £1.6m revamp.

The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water, near Bakewell is coming back to life as a premium pub with restaurant and nine hotel rooms.

Set to launch on March 4, it will go up against the nearby Rafters Riverside House Hotel which was taken over and refurbished by Alistair Myers and Tom Lawson, owners of the famous Rafters restaurant in Sheffield.

The Ashford Arms will cater for 107 diners with Raymond Blanc-trained executive chef, Adrian Gagea, designing the menu and multi-award-winning chef, Chris Parker, stepping up as head chef.

The venue is owned by Rob Hattersley, of Longbow Bars & Restaurants, which also runs two other Peak District hotels with restaurants, The Maynard in Grindleford and The George in Hathersage.

He said: “Everything we have planned for The Ashford Arms is about providing our guests with a premium pub experience. It’s about warmth, joy, cosiness, seasonal dishes that feel special but aren’t at all fussy or over complicated. It’s about feeling welcomed and at home as soon as you step in the door. It’s everything that we would ever want in a pub ourselves, and we can’t wait to share it.”

The refurbishment is in collaboration with Heineken.