The people behind a York pub success story are leaving after ten years.
Paul Rodgers, Mark Taylor and Ian Carter first took over at the Black Horse on Monkgate in July 2014.
They brought back its original name (it had been rechristened the Tap & Spile) and pledged to give it “a fresh start and a new direction”.
They turned it into a very popular pub, with live music, quiz nights and a real sense of community drawing people in from the Groves and further afield.
Ian later left the Black Horse (York) Ltd, but Paul and Mark continued to run it successfully.
However, they are to move on later this year after failing to negotiate a new lease with owners the Stonegate Group.
In a post on the pub’s Facebook page, they said: “As many of you may know our tenancy at the Black Horse runs out at the end of July and for some months now we’ve been involved in negotiations to secure a new agreement that worked for both us and the building’s owner, Stonegate.
“Sadly, this has not been attainable and a compromise that would work for both parties whilst offering the current business financial security, couldn’t be achieved.
“So, with heavy heart we must announce that from the end of July, our period as tenants at the Black Horse will come to an end and a new captain will be steering the helm of this wonderful pub.
“We’d just like to say a huge thank you to all of our staff and customers from the last ten years. It’s been an absolute blast.”
Regulars concerned that this would mean big changes at the pub were heartened to learn that the pub’s popular manager Richard Glenn is keen to take over.
After eight years in the manager’s role, he is hoping to negotiate the tenancy with Stonegate when the existing deal ends.
Richard told YorkMix: “It’s not for a good few months that the current lease expires, so nothing’s happening at the moment.
“Potentially myself, the current manager, will be taking on the lease. So come August, if all goes to plan, nothing will change at all.”
The earliest mention of the Black Horse was in 1822. It was rebuilt in 1897 by the former York brewery JJ Hunt who had become its owner two years earlier.
Paul and Mark also run the Phoenix Arms, on George Street.