Otterburn Tower Hotel receives national recognition

Nov 18 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

A HISTORIC North East hotel has received national recognition for its locally produced food.

The Otterburn Tower Hotel in Northumberland has been awarded two rosettes by the AA in its latest hotel guide fine food section.

The hotel – in premises built by William the Conquerors’ cousin almost 1,000 years ago – joins Matfen Hall as one of an elite band in the region to have been given two rosettes. The accolade is given in recognition of the hotel’s “excellent” use of local food and ingredients in its a la carte menu.

The fine dining restaurant takes beef, lamb and game from hotel owner John Goodfellow’s Longwitton farm. It also uses eggs from his friend’s farm. The head chef is John Calton, who has worked in Michelin-starred hotels.

Mr Goodfellow found out his hotel had picked up two rosettes following an anonymous inspection by the AA last Tuesday. He said: “They come every second year. It is really heartstopping when (at the end of their visit) they hand over their AA inspector’s card. We are absolutely thrilled and delighted. We have worked so long at it and suddenly it has happened. It is an accolade for ourselves and the chef, for the whole team.”

The 18-bedroom hotel employs 25 staff, including five in the kitchen. Mr Calton is in his second spell at Otterburn, having left after a three-year stint to work at other restaurants. He returned in June 2008.

Mr Goodfellow said: “He has come back to work with us and raise the standards and this is his reward.”

Mr Calton is joined by three other chefs and a kitchen porter. Mr Goodfellow bought the hotel 11 years ago and has carried out extensive renovations since then.

Recently he created a lake in its grounds and built a new bistro and gastro pub.

The hotel building was built by Richard De Umfraville in 1086.