Foodie portfolio expands with restaurant takeover

One of Kirkby Lonsdale's top restaurants has been sold.
Country Harvest MD Mike Clark (right) with new Avanti manager Dawid Croukamp.Country Harvest MD Mike Clark (right) with new Avanti manager Dawid Croukamp.
Country Harvest MD Mike Clark (right) with new Avanti manager Dawid Croukamp.

Avanti will be officially taken over by Mike Clark, managing director of Country Harvest near Ingleton, this month.

Mike bought Avanti from Belinda and Andy Wilkinson who have run the business in Main Street for the past 15 years.

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He has already appointed Dawid Croukamp as the new manager. Dawid, originally from South Africa, has previously worked at Low Wood Bay, Ambleside.

Mike said: “Avanti has always been one of my favourite restaurants, I like everything about it, from the food to the staff and the fantastic atmosphere you always get there. It’s the place I go to for a special meal or even just a midweek dinner. I feel so privileged that Belinda and Andy have entrusted its future to me and I wish them both all the best for the future. I already feel as though I’m part of the Avanti family as my son-in-law Matthew Hooper is one of the chefs.”

Mike, who lives in Hutton Roof, bought Country Harvest, a combined coffee shop, food hall and gift shop with business partner Gay Penn in 2008 and six years later they added to their food portfolio with the acquisition of Oakroyd Bakery in Bentham which supplies bread and cakes to the food hall.