Embers of Haworth ~ Great setting, and quite nice food, but not much else

OK, as some of you may know (particularly if you have been keeping up with my other blog posts!) I am rather fond of the Yorkshire village of Haworth, and have been for many years. So to have I often enjoyed some of the eating establishments there, such as the traditional/modern Wharenui restaurant. However when my family recently gave more recently established Embers (which is just up the street from and shares the same owners/chefs as Wharenui) it was definitely a mixed bag which, for various reasons, tilted towards the negative.

Right, plus points first. For a setting, it is hard to get better (I'm not going to have another rant about the amazing wonder that is Haworth - for that see my previous post). It is highly attractive outside as well as it is attractive and stylish inside. It is cozy without being to stuffy, and spaciously modern enough to not feel too claustrophobic. My share of the food was quite good too. My Christmas menu starter of stuffed figs wrapped in Black Forest ham was unusual and  interesting, despite a rather funny taste of mixed flavors. Their take on a Christmas turkey dinner for main course was broadly very good; the turkey was moist, the sauce was a treat, my only complaints were it was far too heavy and they gave me sprouts - bah!

Now come the negatives - inattentiveness is a harsh word to describe the staff. I'm sure we all know inattentive staff and I don't think the Ember crew were there. I will say, however that they were definitely too nonchalant a lot of the time and quite up in the air. In a nutshell I say in terms of service: average.

Not bad right? More pluses then negatives so far? The staff of Embers dug themselves deeper, when they responded, or didn't as it turned out, to the tirade of comments laid out by customers. However I will say that we went on to find out that Embers waiting staff were also poor at responding to individual needs of customers, as well as having little finesse or charm with their service. As well as this, we got to meet the chef who, though being slightly apologetic when the time came, definitely struck me as the kind of chef who would not be told when he was wrong and didn't much like dealing with the people he apparently serves.

Hmmm...odd one this. On balance, I don't denounce Embers;  all in all it was a good, satisfactory restaurant experience, and as I say in a brilliant location. If that is what you are after, then have at it!

Haworth at Christmas ~ Fantastic Festive Feeling!

Generally, I rather love Haworth. It is a truly charming, picturesque, compelling, beguiling, and warming village in the heart of Yorkshire. Very northern, very Victorian-esque, very communal and wonderful to visit. Today was not my first trip to Howarth, nor hopefully shall it be my last. However, I have for some years wished to visit during the festive season as I was sure it would only get better and enthuse me with Christmas cheer. I was not wrong.

When we arrived during the day, Haworth was as charming as it ever was. There are the iconic and now quite legendary staples, such as the fabled Apothecary, various pubs (ranging from the traditional to the not quite so), staple shops such as the newly extended sweet shop, and several well-established secondhand book shops (which I love generally!) and again various eateries and watering holes. Despite these various main-stays of Howarth, there are always many new things to see. I fear even Haworth is not immune to the economical tides, and if you visit on numerous occasions you see that many facades and interiors of shops and buildings have changed. From the wonderfully unique that has been and gone, or is yet to come, to various alterations of the rare and unusual, or the down right odd, tatty and dull; there is something to suit every taste. As I say, the charm of the place, of course was in abandon. During the daylight, the atmosphere was enhanced into the festive. Numerous locals had got together in earnest to not only produce and sell all sorts of festive fair, but to also sing carols and play in bands. Not to mention the great outdoor decorations almost everywhere you looked. 

Yet when darkness fell...it got even better. The wonderful yet tasteful array of decorations already mentioned, adorning almost every building, came to life anew, making Haworth truly reminiscent of a classic Christmas card scene. Also at the coming of nightfall, began one of the reasons we came - the annual torchlight Christmas procession up Haworth's charming main street, and to the church for carols! Honestly...how charming and Christmasy can you get? Led by the town criers and morris dancers baring flaming torches, and occasionally heckled by a few choice members of the crowd (*cough* *my mother*) we paraded merrily, our candles aloft. And if that wasn't enough, we then made our way into Haworth's Bronte parsonage church (for those of you who don't know, Haworth was the home of legendary and timeless authors - Charlotte and Emily Bronte) which I had never been to before. It has been a long long time since I have attended a carol service (this year it was high on my Christmas to-do-list, as well as visiting Howarth). I loved it. The sense of community was re-energized, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the carols were fantastic and rousing, it was truly a lovely festive experience.

I realize all this may sound quite simple, and perhaps even corny, but I simply wish to impress (on my blog so I sort of think I'm entitled!) with these words and some quite amateur camera phone pictures,  the sheer wonder of Haworth. It amazes me every time that a rather small and demure Yorkshire village can seemingly without effort deliver so much for visitors, at Christmas or any other time of year. Again, a recommendation from me - Haworth is well worth a visit, particularly if you're looking for a good dose of traditional Christmas cheer. Thank you men and women of Haworth, and a Merry Christmas to you all!

Classic Comedy - OPEN ALL HOURS

Granville! Fetch yer cloth! Ah...now this truly is a comedy classic if ever there was one. Ronnie Barker, David Jason, and Lynda Baron. Names that were legendary then and names that have been cemented in such an iconic fashion that no amount of time will render them forgotten.

Written by the equally respected Roy Clarke, Open All Hours, as I'm sure many of us know, told the tale of Arkwright, played beautifully by Ronnie Barker, the miserly, old-fashioned, but totally lovable Yorkshire shopkeeper , and his downtrodden young errand boy Granville, played by the wonderful David Jason. This pairing would have been enough to keep us going with a great sitcom, but they were regularly aided by a whole host of highly individual supporting characters, led by Lynda Baron who played Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, Arkwright's casual and evasive love interest.

Today, and perhaps even then, the premise of a simple corner shop and what goes on inside it may have seemed like quite a lame premise, but this couldn't be further from the truth. It was charming, it was recognizable, it was intelligent, it was cheeky, it was hilarious. And all of the above can still be said today. Even when it came to often repeated comedic formula; it was all incredibly familiar but always so watchable. Almost every episode's comedy, or at least a good chunk of it, came from Arkwright mistreating and badgering his young "shopkeeper's assistant" Granville, or else from Arkwright's failed pursuit of nurse Gladys, or failing to shift his stock. You knew what was coming but you couldn't wait for it.  If you've never watched an episode than I really feel you should. Open All Hours truly gave out spades of ingenious scripts, remarkable characters, and wonderful actors behind them.

The only reason I haven't praised it absolutely and completely (i.e. 5 stars) is because they're bringing it back. On Boxing Day, Still Open All Hours will grace our screens once again. Without Ronnie Barker, who tragically died some years ago. My gut instinct to this is - fantastic! Mostly I'm really and truly glad we get to see another episode of this comedy, as often when they bring oldies back it is questionable if they deserve it. Open All Hours certainly does, the only niggling worry at the back of my mind is that it is trying to re-emerge without Ronnie Barker. Ronnie Barker, who was so charmingly integral to the show, as I'm sure fans will agree. Don't get me wrong,  I adore David Jason and all the other returning figures, I just worry whether or not they'll be able to pull it off without Barker's Arkwright. Nevertheless I wish them all the luck in the world, and whatever happens it shall not detract from the glory that was, and is, Open All Hours.