Historic venue with Brontë connection reopens after £400k refurbishment
THE connection between Charlotte Brontë and the Derbyshire village of Hathersage is rather extensive, with the author having stayed there in the 19th century.
It provided characters and the village itself as the setting for Jane Eyre.
Now, one of the places she often visited has reopened its doors after a major refurbishment.
The George, which stands prominently in the centre of the village, has been transformed while at the same time offering nods to its compelling past.
The George was sold to the Eyre family, who also owned the beautiful
Moorseats Hall which overlooks the village, in 1839 (and then on to James Morton in 1841) and it is around this time that Charlotte Brontë was known to frequent The George.
Echos of that past can now be found in pieces of artwork that adorn the walls of The George as part of the £400,000 refurbishment.
The hotel, restaurant and bar is also creating about 50 jobs.
Rob Hattersley, managing director of Longbow Bars and Restaurants, which now owns The George, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be reopening The George to the public after our recent refurbishments.
“We have taken it through a £400,000 transformation, and the results are quite simply stunning.
“Our bar area is transformed, our restaurant is beautiful and airy. We are most proud of our wood-fired pizza oven.
“We are hugely excited to be putting this wonderful and historic venue rightfully back into the heart of the community. We also pride ourselves on our commitment to local suppliers, including beers and gins lovingly crafted in the surrounding villages. Our gastro-pub food offering uses ingredients solely sourced from local suppliers.
“We’ve gone as far as adding a new sound system for subtle yet atmospheric background music, along with a whole new colour palette, and expressive lighting to set a relaxed tone. To both visitors old and new, we are sure you will love what we have done with the place.
“We are a legendary local everyone can call home.”