Cross Butts Stable Restaurant with Courtyard Rooms - fine dining and accommodation in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

WHEN John Morley switched from milking udders to taking orders in his new farmyard restaurant he decided the new business would be open until the cows came home.

Now his tireless efforts have brought visitors flocking to his new hotel and restaurant at Cross Butts Farm in the Esk Valley, near Whitby.

He said yesterday: "The hotel and restaurant have been open for several months now, and we have been rushed off our feet.

"The level of interest shown in the hotel is far beyond what we expected. We're particularly delighted by the new restaurant, as it's popular with tourists and local diners alike."

Mr Morley has attributed some of the success to an approach which drew heavily on farming experience.

"We are open 9am to 9pm, seven days per week. For years I milked cows three times per day, working from 6am until midnight," he said.

"I didn't see any point in changing my philosophy. We're open all hours." Mr Morley and his wife Sue had their livestock culled four years ago during the foot and mouth outbreak.

While they were restocking they also looked at ways of raising alternative income from the farm on Guisborough Road.

Mrs Morley had built up a thriving bed and breakfast business, but it was too small to provide a real income.

So the family turned for advice to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which provided funding to help convert a cowshed and stables for the new business.

Using both their own savings and the rural enterprise grant, the Morleys created 12 luxury B&B apartments and a café restaurant.

The aim was to combine the traditional features of the farm buildings with the highest standards of comfort and technology, including broadband in all rooms.

Using local materials to preserve the look of the buildings, Cross Butts can now accommodate up to 30 guests, and cater for weddings or parties.

The new restaurant, Stables, has also proved so popular that tables are booked weeks ahead and 28 jobs have been created altogether.

Christine Clark, adviser for Defra's rural development service, said the expansion would not only benefit the Morleys but the Yorkshire tourist economy as well.

Rural neighbours and local producers were also winners as the Morleys bought much of their produce from nearby farms and Whitby fish market.

Ms Clark added: "The expansion means that Cross Butts Farm now has a high quality hotel in a beautiful rural location.

"It is a great example of how diversification can help farmers continue to work on the land and the new hotel will provide visitors with a valuable insight into how a working farm operates."

Mr Morley added that Defra's backing in producing a strong business meant his family would now be able to work the farm in the future.

mark.branagan@ypn.co.uk

Success on the menu for farmer
By Mark Branagan