Thyme team turn their attention to Druid Inn

The owners of the three-AA-rosette Thyme restaurant in Crosspool, Sheffield, have taken on the leasehold of the 240-year-old Druid Inn in Birchover, Derbyshire.

Richard and Victoria Smith and business partner Adrian Cooling, a shareholder in Sheffield's Thyme Caf‚ in Broomhill, have acquired the lease on the 18th-century property. Also involved is Thyme Caf‚ head chef Michael Thompson, who is chef-director of the new venture.

The Druid Inn is expected to serve a combination of dishes from the two Sheffield properties as well as a range of local Peak District delicacies. The bar and snug area seats 35 in total, while two restaurants added in the 1980s seat 36 and 24 respectively. An outside terrace seats a further 30.

The property is undergoing a £150,000 refurbishment at present and is expected to reopen on Valentine's Day.