A FAMOUS North Yorkshire pub has started a monthly friendship lunch to help combat loneliness in rural areas.
The renowned Black Bull at Moulton, near Richmond, held its first friendship lunch this month and invited Richmond MP Rishi Sunak to launch it.
The friendship meal was the idea of Sasha Ibbotson, of the Durham Ox, at Crayke, near Thirsk, who thought it would be a good idea to bring people in isolated rural communities together.
The first friendship lunch was held at the Ox and the idea has been taken up by five other rural pubs in the Provenance Inns group – run by Mrs Ibbotson’s husband Michael – and now also the Black Bull.
Mrs Ibbotson said: “We had more than 30 people at the Black Bull from the surrounding villages to enjoy some good food and company.
“People in rural areas, particularly the elderly, can become isolated and these lunches definitely fulfill a need.”
The lunches cost substantially less than the normal set meal price and will be held monthly from now on. The next one is on Friday, July 15.
Mr Sunak said: “Loneliness can be a real problem in rural areas, particularly among the elderly, and I think these lunches are a very good idea. I applaud the Ibbotsons for their initiative.”
The other Provenance Inns with monthly friendship lunches are the Carpenters Arms, at Felixkirk, near Thirsk; the Crown and Cushion, at Welburn, near Malton; the Oak Tree Inn, at Helperby, near Boroughbridge, the Punch Bowl Inn, at Marton cum Grafton, near Harrogate and the West Park Hotel, Harrogate.