I like a success story. In these days of doom and gloom it's heartening to hear of something that's gone right for a change.

The Stone House Inn, at Thruscross, two miles up the Pateley Bridge road from Blubberhouses, has been serving the local community for three centuries.

It was closed three years ago by the previous owners who claimed it was no longer viable as a pub and was due to be turned into houses.

The locals mobilised, opposing the plan and Harrogate Council finally rejected the redevelopment. The Rawson family from North Leeds bought the place and reopened it in February as a non-smoking pub.

I'd heard through the grapevine that vegetarians were well catered for and indeed the chef himself was of our persuasion.

We went early evening midweek, having the place almost to ourselves, although people soon started to trickle in. We sat in the dining room, but the bar looked equally pleasant.

I started with pan fried haloumi cheese with a good salad, which was very tasty and quite adventurous for me as I don't know what a haloumi is! Anyway it was £3.50.

My wife had the carrot and coriander soup, which was vegan and served with a warm roll. She said it was really good and reasonably priced at £2.95.

My main course was Tuscan bean crunch, served with homemade chips, costing £6.95 while my beloved had the £7.50 mushroom goulash with new potatoes. She did, however, have the option of rice or chips.

Both meals were accompanied by carrots, French beans and baby sweetcorn and were filling and well cooked.

Was there room for dessert? We picked jam roll and custard and champagne sorbet, both a sensible £2.95, and both excellent.

My only real criticism was having to go and wait at the bar to order our next course. I know that this happens in many eating places, but I don't like it.

When I mentioned this to the staff I was told that it was the arrangement during the week but it was different at weekends.

The Stone House combines the cosiness of a traditional country pub boasting a flag floor, beams, open fires and open views, with a modern restaurant and caf and indeed caters very well for us veggies as well as omnivores.

It is also an ideal centre for walking in the magnificent Washburn Valley area.

We'll be calling in again when we are in the area, to enjoy another meal and the fresh air, both inside and outside.

Reviewed by: Andy Hill