Many with a fondness for food dream of their own restaurant. Now, if you want one, you could consider purchasing On the Hill. It landed on the market on December 11th. Perhaps this is a poor investment right now but imagine how busy this might become if/when‡ we are able to eat out again. It'll set you back £285,000 and the seller's agent is not far off when he describes this as 'iconic', though it's what you do in the kitchen that counts and there can be no guarantees. The price includes 75 covers over two floors, and, apparently, the telephone number and web address.
What of the competition? During busy periods in Rhuthun/Ruthin, walk-ins usually found it hard to find anywhere in town. So, in theory at least, the purchase is safe (provided the food's good). On the other hand, unlike in larger towns, the market is really now confined to Fridays and Saturdays with, perhaps, some trade on Thursdays. Is this enough?
On the Hill owners seem to continue to promise that they'll be back with Small Plates, in the former Annie's. This would be a major competitor. The food's fantastic and the restaurateurs well known. Currently, Small Plates offers take-away chilled food and it has changed its came, from November 13th, to the Sorbus Tree. Since the placing on the market of On the Hill, they've taken to renting an empty unit opposite Small Plates.
In something of a surprise, yesterday, plans were submitted to convert the ground floor of No. 1 Prior Street from residential accommodation to a 925 sq ft, 36-cover restaurant. No. 1 is the oddly placed three storey affair with the new build Tŷ Hir next to it. It'll support one full- and three part-time jobs.
Tafarn y Ddriag has yet to establish itself but pre-level four lockdown was pushing itself hard—and will no doubt do so again, if/when‡ it gets the opportunity. The Myddelton Grill seems to come and go and come back again. Nice for carnivores; less appealing for plant lovers.
A little farther out is the Nant y Felin, a restaurant we can highly recommend, under the management of Ruthinite Vicky Dowell-Brown and her chef husband. We're never sure about the Manor House as to whether this extends beyond staying guests.
That's your lot. We're not counting Wetherspoon's, because its quality doesn't match up to the others and is really little more than an eat-in McDonald's in a fine building without the drive-thru. In recent years, we've lost the Anchor, the Wynnstay, the Morning Star bistro, Da Vinci's, The Picture House (though this is now an Indian), Que Paso, food at the Farmer's, the Olde Cross Keys, the Clwyd Gate, the Cerrigllwydion and my all-time favourite La Piazza (and the Indian it briefly became).
What this list suggests is that it ain't easy serving up quality food in Rhuthun.
We cannot see objections to this; if someone is bold enough to augment the restaurant offer when on paper there's a need, we say let it come to pass—but be weary that others have stumbled and yet others fallen.
‡ delete as appropriate
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