Drake's, Knaresborough: The Yorkshire restaurant famous for its fish and chips often attracts out of town visitors who travel especially to eat there and queue outside to get in

The popular business in Knaresborough has been around for more than 35 years and has established itself as a tourist landmark.

Knaresborough didn’t have many restaurants or eateries around the time when Drake’s opened and while there are many more now, fish and chip shops are not as common.

Over the years, visitors from all over the country have travelled to Knaresborough especially to eat at Drake’s after hearing about it through word of mouth.

Karen Rankine, who runs the restaurant at Drake’s, said: “Going back years ago, there weren't many places to eat in Knaresborough, whereas now there are more food establishments but there are no fish and chip shops in the centre of town.

“We do get a lot of tourist trading in Knaresborough because obviously you’ve got your Mother Shipton’s Cave, your castle, your river and it does bring a lot of people to the area.

“It’s a very popular place. We’ve got a 95-seat restaurant as well and especially on market day we get a lot of seniors in, so it does attract a lot of people.

“We get a lot of customers from Leeds, Bradford, Newcastle and again a lot of people say ‘I’ve heard about you, we’ve come to visit, have a day at the castle and come to you after’. [People come specifically to visit Drake’s].”

The restaurant and shop are so popular there are often long queues during summer months, school holidays and bank holidays.

“It’s a very popular place,” Ms Rankine said.

“We’ve got a 95-seat restaurant as well and especially on market day we get a lot of seniors in, so it does attract a lot of people.

“Sometimes over summer, school holidays, bank holidays people will be queuing outside to get in. But it’s a quick turnover here because we have so many seats, they are in and out pretty quickly, so people don’t have to wait long.

“With it being National Fish and Chip Day it will be busier and Saturday it will be extremely busy with it being the Bed Race Day.”

This year, National Fish and Chip Day coincides with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and to celebrate, there will be various activities and events taking place in Knaresborough today (June 6).

At 8am there was the The D-Day Proclamation which was read by the Town Crier at the Market Cross in the town centre.

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The Commemoration Event will take place at 7pm at the Castle Grounds where there will be a fish and chip supper picnic and Knaresborough Silver Band will play music from the 1940s. The Ceremonial Element of the Evening will take place at 8pm in the Castle Keep area of the grounds.

The Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force and Air Training Corps will parade with a VIP inspection, and a march to the War Memorial. The Service of Remembrance will start at 8.45pm and at 9.15pm is The International Tribute and Lighting of the Beacon at the War Memorial.

“We are doing fish and chips and mushy peas to take away for £8 [only today],” Ms Rankine said.

“The celebrations are tied with the D-Day [anniversary] with a band and there are a lot of things happening in the Castle Yard.

“Starting [today] in the restaurant, I’m doing a two-course offer; it will be fish and chips, a starter or a main and that’s for £15 [includes tea and coffee].

“That’s going to be on for [today], Friday and Sunday.”

There are many reasons why Drake’s is popular with visitors.

“The product would be number one: I’ve been here for 30 years and nothing has changed over that time, it has stayed pretty constant,” Ms Rankine.

“It’s the name, because it’s been here a long time, a lot of people know about it especially through social media.

“It’s a traditional meal, it’s quite homely as well I’d say, it’s something that people know. People have grown up with fish and chips and Fish and Chip Friday carries on still.”