LLM EXCLUSIVE MARCH 2025 / Northcote Hotel, Blackburn in Lancashire / Editing By Baldwin Ho / Publisher LLM Reporters

Hotel

The hotel might be situated on the verdant pastures of the Ribble Valley, but it is only a short drive to the nearby cities of Blackburn and Preston.

You can get from London to Preston by train in just over two hours, though most guests tend to drive to the hotel, as you get scenic views of the Forest of Bowland from a distance.

The main building of the hotel has a very countryside manor house feel, whilst the garden lodge is slightly more contemporary in style, and they have all the suites there.

There is a noticeable warmth with their staff as soon as you step through the door. Having only 26 rooms means you get attentive and personable service throughout the hotel. They often have special events running at the hotel, the highlight being the Obsession food festival held every year from late January until the beginning of February.

Guests get to experience gourmet evenings with the most renowned chefs from across the globe; for the 25th anniversary this year, they had three Michelin-starred chefs like Yannick Alléno and Hélène Darroze in attendance.

Room

The room categories are relatively simple to comprehend and range from the classic rooms to the master suite.

The latter is particularly eye-catching with an expansive amount of space at 82sqm. Every aspect of the suite is commodious from their independent lounge with a living flame fire to an en-suite bathroom that not only offers double vanities, but also a double shower.

There’s a sumptuous L-shaped sofa, perfect for a cosy night by the fireplace, as well as a separate entrance for guests and a guest toilet.

Expect only the finest at Northcote: the DAB Bluetooth radio is from Ruark, and the toiletries are from Temple Spa. It is a particularly personable touch to find a Northcote chef teddy bear on your super king bed, who you also have the option to ‘adopt’.

Their countryside credentials are enhanced when you realise that, at the garden lodge, they have a boot room along with a gun cabinet.

Food and drink

The jewel in the crown is their restaurant, which is ably led by celebrity chef, Lisa Goodwin-Allen.

The dinner service starts at their bar, where you can leisurely peruse the menu and sip on an apéritif. There are numerous signature cocktails not to be missed, such as the Northcote classic Champagne. It has a touch of class and complexity thanks to cognac, Cointreau, bitters, Champagne and orange zest.

A five-course tasting menu focuses strongly on UK produce with the likes of North Sea cod and Scottish venison. Whilst on the wine-pairing side, you will be traversing the globe with the likes of a Zinfandel from Sonoma County in California and a Director’s Reserve, Tokara from Stellenbosch in South Africa. The staff take great pride in explaining the ingredients to you when the dishes are brought out.

The secret of the restaurant’s success is about sourcing the highest quality produce, but also cooking it to just the right degree, which is most definitely the case for their cod. There is the textural variety with the addition of hazelnuts, citrus notes from the kalamansi and an additional umami kick from the taramasalata. They have a vegetarian seasonal gourmet menu as well.

To do

If you visit early in the year, the Obsession food festival is unmissable, otherwise, most guests prefer to soak up the scenic beauty of the Ribble Valley.

The Trough of Bowland is a hidden gem worth discovering for its picturesque, unspoilt beauty, and the whole Forest of Bowland is a sheer paradise for hikers and cyclists.

The hotel website has a handy page filled with walking, cycling and driving guides with helpful directions. Venturing outdoors to the countryside is the perfect way to balance the indulgence from their superb tasting menus.

Factbox

Northcote offers bed and breakfast from £245 per night.

Address: Northcote Rd, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8BE
Phone: +44 1254 240555
Email: reception@northcote.com
Website: northcote.com