“We had a great turnout and guests were very generous, contributing an average of £25 per head." Chef Michael Lowcock, The Farmers Arms, Scorton To celebrate the re-opening of the Farmers Arms in Scorton, following a joint £90k investment with owners Punch Taverns, the pub raised over £100 for charity after inviting customers to ‘tell us what you think’ of the new menu. Licensees Steve and Laura Wykes asked customers to sample a three course meal, showcasing new dishes and wines and to pay what they think it deserved, with 15% going to the St James Children’s Hospital in Leeds.   Chef Michael Lowcock, who is also Steve and Laura’s business partner, was delighted with how the evening went. Michael said: “We had a great turnout and guests were very generous, contributing an average of £25 per head. The menu included seared scallops with chorizo and cauliflower puree, Venison Wellington and salted caramel and chocolate tart. We choose to donate 15% of the earnings to the St James Children’s Hospital as many of our regulars watched the Children In Need appeal with us and thought it was a worthy cause. “We also received positive comments from customers who noticed a big change with the restaurant, which was the focal point of the refurbishment. Before the revamp, the restaurant was hidden so it was somewhat lacking in atmosphere. By widening the passage way, we’ve opened up the view and access to the restaurant and included a fireplace to create a cosier atmosphere, even though it’s more spacious. The restaurant can now be seen from the bar area and customers are asking to specifically eat there so it’s made a big difference. We hope that we have created a pub that is still very much a village local but also offers an improved and more comfortable environment for our customers to enjoy.” Punch business relationship manager, Rob Summers, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Steve, Laura and Michael on the revamp of the Farmers Arms and it has significantly increased trade to the restaurant. The ‘tell us what you think’ idea is a great way of promoting the new restaurant whilst getting customer feedback. They have some great plans lined up to deliver a fantastic customer experience and they have our full support.”