Tempest Arms Public House

The Tempest Arms is a historic public house in the village of Elslack, in North Yorkshire, England. Its origins as a building date to 1786, with an extension added in 1801. The premises form part of the traditional built environment of the Yorkshire Dales area and are constructed in local stone, with stone quoins, a stone-slate roof and a two-storey, seven-bay frontage. Architectural details include recessed mullioned windows, former and current door openings, dated stonework, and a plaque carrying heraldic and identifying features. The pub operates as a hospitality venue combining a bar, dining facilities and overnight accommodation. By the time of its 2023 refurbishment, it had 21 bedrooms in addition to its bar and dining room. This combination places it within the country-house-pub and destination-inn tradition: it serves local visitors and travelers seeking food, drinks and lodging rather than functioning solely as a neighborhood drinking establishment. The venue's offer is centered on pub hospitality, with the historic building serving as a major part of its identity and customer proposition. The Tempest Arms received Grade II listed status in 1988. This designation recognizes the building's special architectural or historic interest and places its fabric within the English listed-building system. The listing is significant to the venue's brand because the building itself is a core asset, shaping both its appearance and its positioning as a heritage pub. In 2011, the Good Pub Guide named the Tempest Arms its national pub of the year. The award provided national recognition for the venue's hospitality proposition and reinforced its reputation beyond the immediate Elslack and North Yorkshire market. In 2023, its owners, Robinsons Brewery, refurbished the property. The refurbishment retained the pub's role as a bar, dining venue and inn while updating the premises for contemporary hospitality use. Publicly available reference material does not identify the original founder, a separate corporate parent, financial results, or a detailed chronology of management changes.

The Tempest Arms is a historic public house in Elslack, a village in North Yorkshire, England. The building was erected in 1786 and enlarged in 1801, placing the premises within the long-established tradition of rural coaching, drinking and hospitality houses found across northern England. Its architecture is characteristic of a substantial vernacular stone building: it has two storeys, seven bays, stone quoins and a roof covered in stone slate. The frontage retains several historic features. These include recessed square mullioned windows, multi-light mullioned openings, shaped and dated stone details, and a plaque bearing a coat of arms, initials and a date. One former doorway has been blocked, while another entrance has a flat arch and keystone. These features contribute to the building's architectural interest and distinguish it from a modern purpose-built pub. The property was designated Grade II listed in 1988. Listing recognizes the building's special architectural or historic interest and means that its historic character is an important consideration in its maintenance and alteration. The designation also became part of the venue's public identity, supporting its presentation as a heritage pub rather than simply a commercial bar. The Tempest Arms later gained wider hospitality recognition when the Good Pub Guide named it national pub of the year in 2011. The award established a notable milestone in the pub's modern reputation and reflected its role as a destination venue serving customers from beyond the surrounding village. Its offer includes food and drink as well as accommodation, allowing it to operate as both a traditional public house and an inn. Robinsons Brewery is identified as the owner of the venue. In 2023, Robinsons refurbished the Tempest Arms. The property then comprised a bar, dining room and 21 bedrooms, indicating a substantial hospitality operation relative to a small rural settlement. The refurbishment represents the latest documented modernization of the premises while preserving its historic pub function and listed-building setting. Public reference material does not provide reliable details about the original proprietor, the date the pub first began trading under its current name, annual sales, or individual executives.

• 2023

  Robinsons refurbishment

  [1]Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org

  Robinsons Brewery refurbished the venue, which was described at the time as having 21 bedrooms, a bar and a dining room.

• 2011

  Good Pub Guide national pub of the year

  [1]Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The Good Pub Guide named the Tempest Arms its national pub of the year.

• 1988

  Grade II listing

  [1]Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The Tempest Arms building was designated a Grade II listed structure in recognition of its architectural and historic interest.

• 1801

  Building extended

  [1]Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org

  An extension was added to the building, forming part of its present historic architectural character.

• 1786

  Original building constructed

  [1]Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The building that houses the Tempest Arms was constructed in 1786.

Traditional English country pub and destination inn combining heritage architecture, food, drink and accommodation.

• Food service

  Pub and restaurant food

  The Tempest Arms operates a dining room as part of its pub and inn model. Available reference material identifies food service as a core part of the venue but does not provide a verified menu, signature dish list or specific cuisine description.

• Beverage service

  Bar drinks

  The venue includes a traditional pub bar serving drinks. The sources establish the presence of the bar but do not specify the complete beverage range, individual brands, or product volumes.

• Hospitality accommodation

  Guest accommodation

  The Tempest Arms provides overnight accommodation in connection with its pub and dining operation. After the 2023 refurbishment, the property was reported to contain 21 bedrooms, making lodging a significant part of its destination-inn proposition.

• 2023

  Refurbishment of the pub and innStrategy

  Background

  Robinsons Brewery undertook a refurbishment of the historic Tempest Arms venue.

  Action taken

  The property was refurbished while continuing to operate as a bar, dining room and accommodation venue. The post-refurbishment description included 21 bedrooms.

  Aftermath

  The refurbishment maintained the site's destination-pub and inn role, although publicly available reference material does not provide a detailed project budget, construction scope or performance results.

  Source

1. 1Tempest Armsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Tempest Arms websitetempestarms.co.uk