Very sensibly the car park entrance is now accessed via Mill Lane rather than directly from the through road to Darlington, there are plenty of parking bays which are comfortably spaced and the disabled parking bays are situated close to the entrance of the bar/restaurant which is important if you have mobility problems and is not always the case. We were met at the door by a member of staff who checked our reservation and again asked for any food allergies we had, then passed us to a member of the wait staff. The décor is a mixture of traditional, leaning towards a local accent, as well as stylish and contemporary, chairs and tables were well spaced with plenty of room to get in and out and the chairs were very comfortable. We were seated immediately given menus and a well rounded wine list, then left for about 10 minutes to discuss the menu and and make our decision. The staff were attentive without being intrusive, friendly and knowledgeable regarding the menu, questions regarding menu items were correctly answered immediately, without need to consult the kitchen for information. The food was above average, unpretentious and delicious, the menu while comprehensive is not limitless, I always regard never ending menus with suspicion anyway, and the food was well cooked and presented. Portions are very large, if you order the bread with Nori butter as a starter ,order it between two, it’s delicious but it covered the bread situation for the table, the potato skins were the best I have ever tasted and we have travelled extensively both in Europe and the US. The house wine was good and didn’t break the bank, and my husband enjoyed his pint. The bill was so reasonable, we thought the wine and beer hadn’t been added to the total, in fact they had but in these days of ever rising prices it’s a good surprise to get. Overall it was a great experience, and we will be visiting again and often.