The Rum Fox is a stylish country pub and restaurant nestled in the rolling hills of the glorious Ribble Valley with chef-proprietor Bob Geldeard at the helm.
This is truly a heart-warming story as the vacant pub, which was previously called the Buck Inn, was put up for sale in 2019. Locals, who are members of the Grindleton Community Pub Group, had been campaigning as the village had lost both its pubs. Grindleton is a rural village situated across the River Ribble from Sawley, a couple of miles outside Clitheroe, which once relied heavily on weaving and spinning.
The good news is that in March 2023, the former Buck Inn was reopened as The Rum Fox, by Geldeard, who was also a former head chef at the other closed pub in the village, the Duke of York.
The seasonal menu boasts delicacies such as pig cheek, treacle glazed, crispy pork bits, champ potatoes, black pudding, apple caramel, and Doddington cheese soufflé, cheese sauce, onion chutney for starters.
On the mains menu there is Wild Morecambe sea bass, garlic roasted potatoes, smoked bacon and creamed cabbage, chicken truffle butter sauce and dry aged sirloin of beef, smoked bacon and potato gratin, trompette mushrooms, roscoff onion, bordelaise sauce.
There is also a 7-course surprise tasting menu and a Sunday lunch menu that offers traditional roasts along with innovative dishes such as Curried Eaves Hall Farm goat pie and partridge wellington.
As well as the main pub there is The Den, an intimate dining area for up to 10 people which has its own menu. The pub also runs some special events such as wine dinners.
In just over a year the pub has already won some accolades. The Rum Fox is one of only two restaurants in Lancashire to have been named in the Good Food Guide 2024 for the 100 best local restaurants as well as being named as One of Britain's Cosiest Pubs by the same guide.
