Lifestyle

Majority Rules – The Wicked Witch

Majority Rules – The Wicked Witch 1 2 3 4 5 6

‘We had to go to a lot of auctions and antique shops to get the things we wanted’ Sarah Bunce adds. ‘The standard white plastic items we were being offered were just totally wrong for the whole look we wanted to create.’

That look is the first thing that strikes a first-time visitor to The Wicked Witch. From the outside the old stone building that used to be The Millhouse pub looks like countless others in the area: quaint and attractive maybe, but not offering any clues as to what lies within. The only indicator of that is the name itself and the eye-catching sign depicting the black-and-white-striped legs of the Wicked Witch of the East (subtly appropriate, since Ryhall is in the extreme east of the county of Rutland).

But step through the front door and the low lighting, log fire, leather sofas, well-stocked wine racks, and attention to detail in every fixture and fitting, could easily fool you into thinking you’d just walked into one of the poshest restaurants in Covent Garden. It’s no mistake: the owners have been inspired by just such establishments and very much wanted to offer an alternative to the usual country pub experience. ‘There’s quite a few places where we go to eat in and around Stamford that we really like’ Nicola explains. ‘Like the Olive Branch and The George Hotel. The George has its own style and you always know what you’re going to get when you go there. I just thought there was a niche in the area for a place with a bit more style than the usual country pub – something a bit more quirky. And with the food we serve, I feel we can compete with any establishment in the area. The Wicked Witch is just somewhere a bit different to go; you know, we’ve not just painted the walls cream and just gone for the traditional country pub look like so many other places. I’d like to be able to establish ourselves as “That quirky pub outside Stamford that does amazing food.”’

Another source of inspiration for the Fergusons was the Crazy Bear group which operates several high-end restaurants in London and beyond. ‘We went to the Crazy Bear near Oxford and they had done a fantastic job in creating an atmospheric bar and restaurant that served really great food,’ Nicola says. ‘We just loved the style of the place and that became a source of inspiration for The Wicked Witch.’

Majority Rules – The Wicked Witch 1 2 3 4 5 6

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