The Star Inn Harbottle has been named Pub of the Year at the North East 2026 Local Awards, recognising a beautifully refurbished country pub in the heart of the Northumberland National Park that has become a welcoming hub for locals, workers, holidaymakers and day trippers alike. Privately owned and run with the support of friendly local staff, The Star Inn offers much more than a traditional pub experience. Alongside great food and drinks, guests can enjoy hand-stretched wood-fired pizzas, lovely B&B accommodation, a useful village shop and a warm atmosphere that makes people feel at home, whether they are calling in for coffee and cake, beer and crisps, a family dinner or a night of live music and local conversation. Founded in July 2019, the business was inspired by the local area and community, with a clear vision to restore the historic coaching inn and create somewhere everyone could enjoy. Since then, The Star Inn Harbottle has faced major challenges, rebuilt its reputation, supported the community through difficult times and grown into a much-loved rural pub with heart, character and ambition.

A Refurbished Country Pub in Northumberland National Park

The Star Inn Harbottle is a refurbished country pub set in the stunning surroundings of the Northumberland National Park. For visitors, it offers the kind of warm, characterful stop that makes a trip memorable. For locals, it provides something even more important: a reliable, welcoming place to gather, eat, shop, socialise and feel connected. The pub has been carefully developed into a space that brings together traditional hospitality and modern comfort. The bar, restaurant, kitchen and B&B rooms have all been refurbished to an excellent standard, transforming what was once a tired and outdated pub into a lovely place to spend time. That transformation is one of the achievements the team is most proud of, and it is easy to see why. A rural pub is not just about bricks, beams and beer taps. It is about atmosphere, usefulness and belonging. Today, The Star Inn offers a broad experience under one roof. Guests can enjoy quality food and drinks, including hand-stretched wood-fired pizzas, stay in comfortable accommodation, pick up essentials from the village shop or join in with events and activities. It is a pub that understands the needs of its setting and serves them with care.

Restoring a Historic Coaching Inn for the Community

The business was founded at The Star Inn Harbottle in July 2019, inspired by the local area and the people who live there. The aim was to restore the historic coaching inn and create a place that could be enjoyed by the whole community as well as visitors exploring the surrounding countryside. Taking on a historic rural pub is a big commitment. It requires vision, investment and a willingness to preserve character while making the building work for modern customers. The Star Inn’s owners saw the potential not just for a successful business, but for a community asset that could bring life, activity and hospitality back into the village. That community-first thinking has shaped the pub from the beginning. The Star Inn was not rebuilt as a place for one type of customer. It was designed to welcome everyone: locals, walkers, families, workers, holidaymakers and day trippers. That broad appeal has become one of its greatest strengths. It feels like a pub with many roles, all connected by the same simple idea: people should feel welcome when they walk through the door.

More Than a Pub

What makes The Star Inn Harbottle different is the variety of what it offers. It is a pub with great food and drinks, but it is also a place to stay, a village shop, a meeting point, a community supporter and a base for people exploring the local area. This mix is especially valuable in a rural location. In places where services can be limited and distances can be long, a business that offers several things under one roof becomes incredibly important. The Star Inn understands this and has created something practical as well as enjoyable. Customers can visit for a meal, stay overnight, call in for essentials, enjoy a drink, meet friends or take part in activities. The pub’s privately owned status and local staff also give it a personal feel. It is not part of a faceless chain or run to a standard formula. It reflects the people who operate it and the community around it. That independence allows the team to respond to local needs, support local causes and create an atmosphere that feels genuine rather than manufactured.

Growth Built Through Hard Work

One of The Star Inn Harbottle’s biggest business milestones has been reaching a turnover of £500,000 within six years. When the owners bought the pub in 2019, it was turning over less than £100,000. That growth tells the story of significant investment, hard work and a successful transformation. Turning around a rural pub is not easy. It takes more than a refurbishment. It requires consistent service, good food, strong accommodation, community trust, local employment, supplier relationships and the ability to attract visitors while keeping local customers at the heart of the business. The Star Inn has managed to do all of that while navigating some of the most challenging years the hospitality sector has faced. The growth is also a sign that people value what the pub offers. Customers have returned, recommended it and supported it. Visitors have found a reason to stop, stay and come back. Locals have embraced it as a place that serves the village well. Reaching this milestone is therefore not just a financial achievement. It is proof that the business has become relevant, valued and progressive.

Facing COVID in the First Year

COVID arrived during The Star Inn Harbottle’s first year of operation, presenting a major challenge at a time when the business was still establishing itself. For many hospitality businesses, the pandemic created immediate uncertainty. For a newly revived rural pub, the pressure was enormous. Rather than step back, The Star Inn adapted. The pub was turned into a village shop with home deliveries, helping local people access food and essentials at a time when deliveries from major supermarkets were difficult in rural areas. The team also introduced a takeaway service for wood-fired pizzas, keeping the community fed and giving people a small comfort during an unsettling period. This response showed the true purpose of the business. The Star Inn was not only there to serve customers when times were easy. It became useful when people needed support most. By adapting quickly and practically, the team helped the village through a difficult period while strengthening the bond between the pub and the community it serves.

Responding to Storm Arwen

Storm Arwen brought another serious challenge in 2021, closing The Star Inn Harbottle for nearly a week and destroying many local walks in the surrounding area. In a rural destination where walking, countryside and outdoor tourism are so important, the storm had a major impact. The team worked with the National Park and Forestry Commission to help prioritise the clearing of the main walk from Harbottle, The Drake Stone. This response showed the pub’s wider commitment to the area. It was not just concerned with reopening its own doors; it understood that the local landscape, walking routes and visitor experience all matter to the wider community and economy. Challenges like Storm Arwen demonstrate how rural businesses often carry responsibilities beyond their own premises. When paths are blocked, power is disrupted or visitors are affected, local businesses become part of the response network. The Star Inn’s willingness to work with others and support recovery reflects the strong community spirit behind the pub.

A Refurbishment to Be Proud Of

The team is extremely proud of the refurbishment of The Star Inn Harbottle. The work has been completed to an excellent standard across the bar, restaurant, kitchen and B&B rooms, turning the pub into a warm, comfortable and attractive place to visit. Refurbishing a pub is about more than making it look better. It changes how people feel when they walk in. A tired space can make a business feel forgotten, while a well-cared-for pub gives customers confidence and pride. The Star Inn’s transformation has helped restore the building’s role as a centre of hospitality in the village. The result is a place that feels inviting whether someone is staying overnight, meeting friends for drinks, enjoying dinner or calling in after a walk. The refurbishment has respected the pub’s character while creating a better experience for customers. This balance between heritage and improvement is a major part of why The Star Inn has become so valued.

Supporting Local Causes and Young People

The Star Inn Harbottle gives back to the community in many ways. The pub is a main sponsor of Coquetdale Young Farmers and regularly holds charity quizzes for local causes, including Harbottle First School, the churches of Alwinton and Holystone and Northumberland Mountain Rescue. These events and sponsorships make a real difference in a rural area. They raise funds, bring people together and help local groups feel supported. A pub can be a powerful setting for community fundraising because it naturally gathers people in a relaxed and social environment. The Star Inn uses that role positively. The business also employs many young people, often giving them their first opportunity to work. First jobs matter. They teach confidence, responsibility, communication and teamwork. By providing employment and experience to young people, The Star Inn contributes not only to the local economy, but to the development of the next generation. The pub also uses local suppliers and produce as much as possible, keeping support within the region.

A Place for Wellbeing and Belonging

In a rural area, a welcoming pub plays an important role in wellbeing. The Star Inn Harbottle provides a place where people can join activities, meet others and feel part of community life. Quiz nights, live music, darts and dominoes all help bring people together. That social role should not be underestimated. Rural life can be beautiful, but it can also be isolating. Having somewhere to go for conversation, food, entertainment or simply a change of scenery matters. A pub like The Star Inn gives people a reason to gather and creates informal moments of connection that are good for community spirit. The pub’s relaxed attitude is part of its appeal. Coffee and cake, beer and crisps, a family dinner or a full evening out are all welcome. That flexibility makes the space accessible to different ages, budgets and occasions. It is not a pub that belongs to one group. It is a place for everyone.

A Flood Rescue That Shows True Community Spirit

One customer story that captures the spirit of The Star Inn Harbottle happened during serious flooding. A customer was unable to reach the pub and became stuck in water in the next village. She was terrified and could not get out of her car. One of the pub’s young staff members called his farmer friend, and together they went out in a tractor to rescue her. They waded through deep water and climbed through the boot to get her safely out of the car before towing her back to the pub. It was an extraordinary act of quick thinking, courage and care. On the same day, tractors were also used to escort guests to a local wedding venue that had been cut off by flood water. Two tractors travelled back and forth between the venue and the pub until everyone got to the wedding. Stories like this show that The Star Inn is not simply a business serving customers. It is part of a rural community where people step in, help each other and find a way through difficult moments together.

A Surprised and Delighted Reaction

When The Star Inn Harbottle found out it had won Pub of the Year, the reaction was surprise and absolute delight. For a business that has poured so much energy into rebuilding, adapting and serving its community, the recognition meant a huge amount. The win reflects years of dedication from the owners and team. Running a pub, especially in a rural area, is demanding work. It requires long hours, constant problem-solving and the ability to deliver good service consistently. The Star Inn has also taken on wider community responsibilities, from operating as a village shop during COVID to supporting local causes and helping during severe weather. To be recognised through this award gives the team a chance to pause and feel proud. It acknowledges not only the food, drink and accommodation, but also the resilience, creativity and care that have shaped the pub since 2019.

What Winning Pub of the Year Means

Winning Pub of the Year means a huge amount to The Star Inn Harbottle. The owner puts 100% into the business every day to ensure customers receive good service and that the business remains valid, useful and progressive. That level of commitment is visible in the way the pub has developed. From refurbishment to food, accommodation, community support and future plans, The Star Inn has continued moving forward. It has not stood still or relied only on its location. It has worked hard to become a pub that locals are proud of and visitors enjoy discovering. The award also recognises the whole team. Everyone works hard, and the business is clear that its staff deserve thanks and recognition. A pub is only as good as the people who create the welcome, cook the food, serve the drinks, clean the rooms, support events and respond when the unexpected happens. This award celebrates all of them.

Recognition From Lovely Customers

The Star Inn Harbottle has lovely customers, from locals who visit regularly to workers, day trippers and holidaymakers passing through the area. The fact that so many people voted for the pub is humbling for the team. Customer support is one of the most meaningful forms of recognition because it comes from real experiences. People voted because they had enjoyed the pub, valued the service, appreciated the atmosphere or felt connected to what The Star Inn does for the community. In hospitality, that loyalty matters enormously. The award reflects the pub’s wide appeal. It is loved by locals, useful to the village, welcoming to visitors and supportive of community life. That combination is not easy to achieve, but The Star Inn has worked hard to become a place that different people can enjoy for different reasons.

Completing the Next Stage of Development

Looking ahead, The Star Inn Harbottle has one remaining outbuilding to renovate. Planning permission is already in place for storage, laundry facilities and two more bedrooms, each sleeping up to four people, along with a bedroom for summer relief staff. This next stage will help the pub improve its accommodation and operational capacity. More rooms will allow more guests to stay, supporting tourism in the area and giving visitors a comfortable base for exploring Northumberland National Park. The additional staff accommodation will also support the business during busy seasonal periods. Once this work is complete, the courtyard can be resurfaced and the project development side will be finished. That will mark the completion of a major transformation journey, from a tired and underperforming pub into a thriving rural business with food, drink, accommodation, community use and long-term sustainability at its heart.

Thanking Staff, Suppliers, Customers and Family

The Star Inn Harbottle would like to thank its staff, suppliers and customers. The business would not be where it is without them. The team’s hard work, the support of local suppliers and the loyalty of customers have all played a vital role in the pub’s success. Thanks also go to the owner’s partner, Peter, and parents for their unwavering support. Behind every successful hospitality business is a support network that helps carry the weight of long days, hard decisions and constant responsibility. To everyone who voted, visited, supported, supplied, worked, stayed, ate, drank or helped The Star Inn Harbottle along the way: thank you very much. The team still cannot quite believe they have won, but as Pub of the Year, The Star Inn Harbottle is proud to continue welcoming locals and visitors to a restored country pub at the heart of its community.