Rascills, the 20-cover family restaurant in Raskelf, near Easingwold, North Yorkshire, has closed.

The jaunty town restaurant was opened by Richard and Lindsey Johns in autumn 2016, and quickly became popular with locals. The husband and wife team had moved over from the Artisan in Hessle, which had enjoyed rave reviews from the likes of Jay Rayner.

Two years down the line, and Rascills proved a hit with diners extending way past its county boundaries.

Our 2019 guide talks of a small, high-ceilinged venture that was described as “a worthy addition to the area” thanks to its “grown-up and assured cuisine”.

But rising costs and the fact the village was a little off the classic tourist trail led to closure in January.

Richard told the Northern Echo: “Having taken a huge leap of faith to open in Raskelf, we hoped our past reputation and achievements would help in establishing a quality restaurant.

“Rascills became listed in the Michelin, Good Food and Harden’s major food guides, which is an achievement and testament within itself…

What’s next?

“Ultimately, we constantly battled with our location being in Raskelf, which led to our decision to finally close the business last summer, after fulfilling our lease obligations.”

Now, the husband and wife team has announced a new venture: The Hovingham Inn, which lies between Malton and Helmsley.

The pub, which is currently known as the Malt Shovel, is undergoing a full renovation programme.

The Johns said: “We hope to breathe new life and energy back into the pub.

“The Hovingham is the opportunity we have been waiting on for such a long time. Having battled with our previous location from start to finish, this time we hope to have got it right!”

The food will again focus on British classics, of course making use of the local Yorkshire produce. Lagers and ales will be primed on the bar, and Sunday roasts a feature. The Johns plan to open rooms down the line.