A Lesson in Ageing Gracefully

The community of Little Houghton has had a pub for 405 years and has been treated as a veritable hub for congregation, relaxation, and recreation for all of that time. Although there aren’t many records and no one around to remember its original condition – many locals remember the more recent makeovers the location has undergone. The most drastic, in 2010, when what was ‘The Red Lion’, a traditional English pub revered for its burgundy carpet and its ale-centric stock, was bought over by four local couples, and became ‘The Four Pears’, a wine-bar gastropub.

The renovation and change in culture were met with positivity by locals, as the space found itself to curate open-mic nights, quiz nights, and local events thanks to the new layout. Armed with a full wine list, collection of classic lagers and ales, and a team of chefs ready to plate up upmarket pub grub, ‘The Four Pears’ stood strong.

Ten years later, things changed. To repeat a tune I fear will become a recurrence in these restaurant spotlights in the next few months – this local hotspot fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the four pairs of owners have stepped aside to make room for new management: the Kaca family.

On the face of it, not much has changed. The décor is the same, with the added help of well-needed subtle updates in places, and there is still an excellent selection of wines. Excitingly, however, the management change saw new tenants in the kitchen with ‘Burnt Lemon Chefs’. Together, the Kaca family and Burnt Lemon Chefs have brought a community hub back to life in a time that pushes these locations to stay quiet. With each iteration, and each year that passes ‘The Four Pears’ develops and improves.

Guests at the gastropub can now experience excellent service to accompany fantastic food. Highly recommended is the Japanese BBQ beef starter (rumoured to be a menu regular in 2021). It seems these chefs have strong knowledge of east Asian cuisine; therefore these meals are emphasised in the menu along with British pub classics.

By Manon Marrum-Sauvageot

Address: 28 Bedford Road, NN7 1AB Telephone: 01604 890900