By Tracy Little
The owners of a five bedroom guest house on the outskirts of Reeth are not only celebrating the fourth anniversary of their opening but also a clutch of awards and nominations which have rewarded the hard work and commitment which they have since put into the business.
Both Yorkshire born and bred, Robert and Sheila Mitchell have returned after living elsewhere for over 30 years, pursuing careers in industry and education.
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They moved to the dales to take over Cambridge House in 2013, and since then have been awarded Visit England’s 5 star Gold Standard status, twice reached the finals of the White Rose Tourist awards for ‘Guest Accommodation of the Year’ and won ‘Best Yorkshire Breakfast’ in the 2016 Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards.
This year they are delighted to have reached the finals of the White Rose Awards for a third time and also to be the only Upper Swaledale finalists in the Taste Awards, once again for the excellence of their breakfasts.
With striking views southwards over the dale, Cambridge House began life as a family home in the early 20th century and passed through several hands before becoming a bed and breakfast about 12 years ago.
In the 1940s it was one of several local houses used as bases by the Reconnaissance Corps and was home to the Commanding Officer Major John Parry who famously brought a pack of sixteen beagles from Kent to Reeth on public transport and kennelled them at the house.
In recent years a number of relatives of former owners have returned as guests and the Mitchells are always interested to learn more about the history of their home from those who knew it in the past. At the moment however they are looking to the future with the prospect of two glitzy awards ceremonies in a few weeks time.
