Making the dream work

Teamwork between venues in Old Langho is key to creating fabulous short breaks in the Ribble Valley

- Martin Pilkington

If anything good has come out of the pandemic it’s that we’ve realised what holiday and relaxation riches sit on our collective doorstep. In Old Langho the beauty of the Ribble Valley and some great local facilities are drawing visitors local and national to have a meal, enjoy a break, and maybe soon arrange an event there.

The Black Bull Inn in the village is at the heart of all this. ‘The building was a coaching house as far back as 1555, so a welcome is pretty much built into the fabric,’ says Rebecca Govier, the inn’s co-owner with husband Jamie. They have overseen a major refurbishment to make the most of its historic character, and add contemporary comfort to both the pub and restaurant sections: there are now wood burning stoves for the chillier months; a stunning patio and beer garden for warmer times; luxurious furniture and clever lighting.

Along with such conventional fixtures and fittings the couple have adapted innovatively to the demands of the Covid-19 situation: ‘There’s a one-way system, and table-only service,’ says Rebecca. ‘And we were the first pub in the country to install a machine that scans your face to take your temperature as you enter, and provides hand-sanitisation. Guests tell us it’s reassuring.’

Adjacent to the pub is another element of the village’s hospitality infrastructure, Ribble Valley View Lodge Park, which opened 11 years ago and which Jamie and Rebecca work closely with.