Never go back, they say, as you will never recapture your former glories … But then, it kind of depends on how you do it.
Chef Claude Bosi made his name in Ludlow with his two-Michelin-star restaurant, Hibiscus, before relocating to London. Therefore, his recent return to Ludlow, to take over The Townhouse, a nine-bedroom property, has sent ripples of excitement through this foodie market town, not to mention the wider hospitality industry.
The reality, however, is that Bosi is pretty hands-off this time around. He visits Ludlow regularly and is overseeing the project, but his brother Cedric – who has run several pubs with Claude – is in charge. Do not expect breakfast à la Claude Bosi; instead, guests eat at Carvell’s (loose-leaf tea and crumpets, for me), a neighbouring vintage tea room.
Fans may be disappointed, but The Townhouse is still impressive. Remarkably, there are over 500 listed buildings in Ludlow and The Townhouse interior is very much of a piece with all that exterior history.
There is Wi-Fi, a minibar (note: champagne, but no beer), a Nespresso machine and Algotherm toiletries, but this cosy bolthole – radiators belting out heat; roll-top bath cast in a warm, amber glow from the sensitive lighting – is traditional in its decor (think low ceilings, ancient beams and dark wood).
If, when looking out across Market Square to Ludlow Castle, this all feels a bit unreal, well … I have been coming here for years and it still feels like another planet. For a start, city-dwellers, you will never have seen so many people wearing non-ironic tweed, or such a concentration of ruddy gents in red trousers. Pinging between hop-strewn real ale pubs (the Church, the Unicorn), or exploring Ludlow’s unique network of independent food shops (DW Wall butchers, Price’s bakery, the Mousetrap cheese shop), you half expect Richard Curtis to jump out and yell “Cut!”
And walk a few minutes out from the centre and you can be yomping over Whitcliffe Common, or, in season, watching salmon leaping over Dinham Weir. Me? I strolled down Broad Street – a Georgian stunner: “one of the most memorable streets in England”, according to architectural historian Pevsner – to another Bosi establishment, the Charlton Arms, a sprawling, riverside pub-restaurant run by Cedric since January. In its close detail, the cooking (three courses around £26) still needs tweaking. Undercooked haricot and mushy baby parsnips suggest that the energy going into fussy presentation (decorative pea shoots, theatrical use of wooden boards), might be better applied to sharpening the basics. That said, the meal’s backbone was sturdy. A sausage roll was stellar, while Elwy valley lamb and an accompanying cassoulet-style stew boasted terrific depth of flavour. The curried Hollandaise that dressed a so-so fish cake was deft; as was an elegant dark chocolate and toffee “tart” – even if it was inexplicably paired with mint chocolate ice-cream.
After another pint of Ludlow Brewery’s fresh, sparky Stairway (pint from £2.80), I headed back to The Townhouse. My room overlooked a junction, but the passing traffic noise was soon light-to-nonexistent. Locals insist Ludlow is really busy these days. But, seriously, they haven’t a clue.
• Accommodation was provided by The Townhouse, Valentine Walk, 01584 877143, townhouseludlow.co.uk. Doubles from £100 B&B. Travel between Manchester and Ludlow was provided by Arriva Trains Wales
Ask a local
Beth Heath, operations director at Ludlow Food Festival
• Eat
The food at the tiny French Pantry is mind-blowing – try the grilled mackerel with apple compote and grain mustard sauce. I also love the Green Cafe, where the head chef, Clive Davis, sources amazing local ingredients and creates very simple and unfussy but hugely tasty dishes. It’s great value, too.
• Walk
It’s not that long, maybe 30 minutes, but the “bread walk” (apparently, the men who built it were paid in bread), between Ludford and Ludlow, along the River Teme, takes in some stunning woodland scenery and finishes below Ludlow Castle.
• Shop
Harp Lane Deli is a newish, higgledy-piggledy shop overlooking Market Square. It offers the best range of deli goods and cheeses, and does brilliant coffee.
• Drink
My favourite pub is The Queens, which does great homemade pub grub using local ingredients. Try anything off the pudding menu and its local beers, some of which are brewed just staggering distance away at Ludlow Brewing Company.
