Successful relaunch for couple who took on North Yorkshire pub with unusual name
Nik and Marta, plus daughter Athena (Image: Pic supplied)
A pub with a quirky name and a fresh new look is making its mark on the community.
The Odddfellows Arms in Carlton, near Selby, has been brought back to life by Nik and Marta, a couple with a combined 40 years of hospitality experience, after it had been closed since late last year.
The pub, built in 1750, is noted for its odd, or should that be oddd name, which it received when a signwriter made a mistake in the 1980s and the locals wanted it kept that way.
It also faced threats of demolition earlier this century, but the pub was sold by its former owners Punch Taverns, saving the venue, though it has suffered several periods of closure since then.
Since reopening the pub in July, they have transformed the venue into a vibrant hub offering food, drinks, live entertainment, quizzes, and events.
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Marta said: "Between the two of us, Nik and I have around 40 years of experience in hospitality.
Some of the food at the Odddfellow Arms (Image: Pic supplied)
"We both started in the industry as teenagers and although our backgrounds are quite different, we've both worked front and back of house over the years."
Marta’s career began in Poland and took her through a variety of venues across the UK, including Impossible in York.
The pub exterior as it is today (Image: Pic supplied)
She also worked as an opening manager, supporting new venues across the country.
Nik’s background is rooted in pubs and hotels, and he ran a pub years earlier.
The couple decided to take on the Odddfellows Arms after hearing about it from a friend of Nik’s, who is now their neighbour.
They quickly recognised the pub’s potential and felt an immediate connection during their first viewing.
Marta said: "It's a stunning pub and, in our eyes, it didn't need changing into something completely different.
The pub exterior as it was in the 1980s (Image: Pic supplied)
"It just needed some love, attention and a little bit of good taste to bring it back to life.
"We wanted to respect what was already here while putting our own personality into it."
The beer garden of the Odddfellow Arms (Image: Pic supplied)
The pub now offers fresh, locally sourced food, regular specials, afternoon teas and bar snacks.
It also hosts themed events.
Marta said: "We run bottomless brunches – our last one had an Ibiza theme and the next one is Halloween – and we have live music every Friday, Oktoberfest currently.
Some of the food at the Odddfellow Arms (Image: Facebook)
"We're open on Christmas Day, our festive menu will be available from November 24, and we're planning something for New Year's Eve too.
"From January, we're hoping to introduce more themed nights and continue building our calendar of events."
The pub mascot (Image: Pic supplied)
Their efforts have already earned them recognition, with a Pub of the Year nomination in the YorkMix Choice Awards, as well as a five star rating on Google.
Marta said: "We were absolutely delighted and incredibly proud.
"For us, the nomination felt like a little sign that what we're doing is heading in the right direction and, most importantly, that people are enjoying what we're trying to create here."
Have you just taken on a pub? Especially one that has just re-opened after a period of closure? We love a good pub story. Please email Darren.Greenwood@newsquest.co.uk