This week I will continue the tale of the Lancaster Live festival which we attended on a brutally cold day in October 2023. After gathering the band back together at the Marketgate arcade a splinter group then formed consisting of Gill, Marcus, Anita and I and off in search of venues we popped. But prior to all of that we grabbed some much needed hot snacks from one of the plentiful stalls around Market Square.
A small eight tabled restaurant was initially opened above the Palatine in Morecambe before the relocation of the Lancaster Secret Bistro to Sun Street in the town. They took ownership of the building that had previously housed the Sun Café, the tagline described their cuisine as ‘Northern fine dining without the pomp and the faff’. They had a separate area called the Humbug Room, so named because of the ‘Everton Mint’ black and white striped interior.
Lancaster Secret Bistro. Image Credit tripadvisor.co.uk
They opened there in October 2021 and quickly garnered some fine reviews before tragedy struck the following year when the chef and restaurant owner Gavin Riley passed away at the tender young age of 44. The staff vowed to carry on his legacy which they did until its subsequent closure at the end of 2023. The site reopened in May 2024 as a cocktail bar and grill under the moniker Marula Monkey, a Marula I have since discovered is a South African fruit-bearing tree.
It was a slightly odd choice as a venue because when we entered the act was playing in the corner of a working restaurant room with diners in the middle of enjoying their meal. The lass singing was called Amy Rae and she lived locally and had a strong gospel type voice. Due to the layout and resultant viewing restrictions, we didn’t tarry long before moving on the next venue on the list.
We walked down past one of my favourite pubs in Lancaster, the Sun Inn where they stock the mighty fine Lancaster Brewery beers. Thus, we then arrived out onto Church Street and directly across the road was Lancaster Cappuvino Bar and Restaurant.
The Cappuvino opened its doors in 2019 and is cited as a restaurant and wine bar and the food has received such stellar references, they ended up being winners of a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award in 2021. We landed there about 17.00 hours, and the main room was absolutely jam packed, and Anita endeavoured to purchase a beverage at the bar. In a space in the corner a solo artist called James Candlin was playing.
Lancaster Cappuvino, Anita may still be at the bar! Image Credit cappuvino.co.uk
At this point and to feed my ongoing gig venue addiction I shuffled out of the pub door and headed further down the street to Lancaster Crafty Scholar. Originally in that very spot was the Litten Tree which changed into Yates Wine lodge in 2010 before morphing into the current establishment in 2015.
The emporium is owned by the Stonegate Pub company who originally formed in 2010 with 333 pubs but that portfolio has now risen exponentially to around 4500. They also own the Penny Bank and Pendle Witch pubs in town and additionally the Popworld 1980’s retro themed bars.
Lancaster Crafty Scholar. Image Credit opentable.co.uk
The Scholar has an inviting layout in the vein of the Hogshead hostelries. Located near to the main door there was an acoustic musician called Barrett Tones performing. I watched a couple of tunes and then scampered back to the Cappuvino.
Now, as if time had stood still reminiscent of a sci-fi movie script, Anita remained perched at the bar having still not being served. In response to the question I was posed as to where I had been, I replied that I had just been ticking another gig and venue off. For some inexplicable reason, no discernible surprise was expressed after my response to their query!
