TV chef Ruth Hansom, known for appearances on Saturday Kitchen and The Great British Menu, was threatened with legal action by North Yorkshire Council after her husband offered free lifts to diners at her rural restaurant, Hansom, in Bedale. The 30-year-old chef said she was 'shocked' by the council's challenge to a goodwill gesture aimed at helping customers get home safely from the small market town, which lacks public transport and taxis.
Husband's Generous Offer
Mark Hansom, Ruth's husband, had been driving diners to nearby villages and the nearest railway station, 20 minutes away, in his electric Lotus. This allowed customers to enjoy wine without worrying about their journey home. However, licensing officials at North Yorkshire Council claimed Mark was operating an unlicensed taxi service. In a letter headed 'Allegation - Using Own Vehicle as a Private Hire Vehicle', enforcement officer Chris Doyle warned that the service required costly licences and could lead to legal action.
Ruth, a finalist on Great British Menu in 2020, responded: 'He's my husband. He is unpaid. We do not charge.' The notice followed an anonymous complaint last year. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ruth explained: 'We're lucky to get people from all over the country... we just wanted to make sure they can get home safely. They don't necessarily know the situation with taxis... we were getting a lot of people stuck with us.'
Council's Stance
Mark offered lifts within a 12-mile radius to diners enjoying the £144 tasting menu and wine pairing. The council deemed the free rides a 'commercial benefit' to the restaurant, which opened less than three years ago. The letter warned: 'If you continue to offer this service without the appropriate licences, the Licensing Authority may take legal action against you.' Ruth said the lift service has been suspended: 'Honestly, I thought we were doing everything right... We made sure we had proper business car insurance... So it was quite a shock to know that we weren't.'
Outrage from Giles Coren
Food critic Giles Coren railed against the council in his Times column, calling the warning letter a move by a 'joyless council flunky'. He wrote: 'There is nothing so beautiful and good in this world that a local council officer cannot destroy it... Chef Ruth Hansom does all the kitchen prep herself... and her husband, Mark, gives up his evenings to chauffeur some guests... It is the most romantic thing I have seen in 25 years.'
Hansom is based in a 16th-century coach house in Bedale, a town of 3,000 people, with the nearest mainline station 20 minutes away. Ruth previously worked at The Ritz and won Young National Chef of the Year at 25. The 28-cover restaurant offers a five-course tasting menu for £85, with dishes like Whitby Coronation Crab and Swaledale Lamb Loin. A drinks pairing costs an additional £59.
North Yorkshire Council stated: 'We are always willing to work with businesses. While offering customers lifts may seem like a helpful gesture, transporting members of the public without proper licences creates serious risks... Following a complaint last year, we advised the restaurant owner on the legal requirements... The restaurant owner cooperated fully.'
