Crimp it up
Food lovers, shoppers and gardeners can now look forward to a new and exciting experience with the arrival of Crimple – a stunning multi-million pound retail destination on the outskirts of Harrogate.
Local residents and regular visitors to Harrogate will be no strangers to the successful family owned Crimple Garden Centre which has been run by husband and wife duo Graham and Tori Watson since 2013.
But if you haven’t passed recently, you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise following the launch of their incredible new premium lifestyle, dining and shopping destination which opend its doors in November.
In addition to the existing garden centre, shoppers can now lose themselves in a 20,000 sq ft food hall, a 160-seat contemporary restaurant as well as bespoke event space for weddings, parties and corporate meetings.
The arrival of Crimple comes after Graham and Tori briefed architects in 2019 to design “the biggest and best food hall in the UK” and, after an investment of over £4 million, we think they’ve achieved it.
Overlooking the Crimple Valley on the main route into Harrogate from Leeds, the location alone is a winner and with parking for over 150 cars, it is set to become a hugely popular destination for customers looking for a different retail and dining experience.
Crimple’s Operations Director Keren Shaw, who is overseeing the development and running of the restaurant, food hall and existing garden centre said: “Crimple is a definite destination for foodies looking for quality produce. The new food hall features over 50 specialist producers, many of them local. From gin, gourmet chocolate, pickles and oil, to fresh fruit and vegetables, cakes, condiments and baby food, our team have worked tirelessly to source new and interesting suppliers.”
The design of Crimple inside and out has been stylishly planned. A huge 12-metre-long butcher’s counter takes centre stage and will be run by the award-winning Thornton-based butchers Robertshaw’s who will be offering everything from Tomahawk steaks to prime lamb chops.
In addition, customers will be able to enjoy a juice bar, fresh fish counter, bakery, patisserie, deli and cheese counter. There’s a milk float, food-to-go, ready meals produced in-store, a horticulture shop, a grain store and not forgetting Crimple’s huge gift shop offering something for everyone, making it a one-stop shopping destination.
The 160-seat Crimple restaurant and event space is run by Zak Jones, who worked alongside Marco Pierre White as General Manager of his award winning, L’Escargot in London and he is delighted to be taking the reins at Crimple. He said: “Crimple is a stunning destination. We have already hosted a number of weddings and the restaurant with chef’s table works brilliantly for daytime dining, coffees and light bites, as well as evening drinks and meals.
“The space is striking yet welcoming and the views are beautiful, it has a real buzz about it and we are so excited to be starting on this next chapter for Crimple.”
On approaching Crimple, visitors can see the incredible design of the building which references agricultural buildings through a series of interconnected barn-like forms, and Graham and Tori have worked hard to implement a highly sustainable agenda that maximises efficiency across the site.
The restaurant and garden centre will open 8am to 5pm, and the bar until 7pm, with late night dining coming in 2022. The food hall is open 8am to 7pm on Monday to Saturday and 10am – 4pm on Sundays.
