Shropshire Star

Goodbye to 'Mr & Mrs Underhill's' as Ludlow culinary couple set to bow out

It's been their life for almost 35 years. Husband-and-wife team Chris and Judy Bradley have been among Britain's best and most successful restaurateurs during a glittering career.

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Mr Underhill's, Ludlow

Their achievements have been remarkable: they have run Shropshire's most successful restaurant of all time, they hold the county's only Michelin star and their restaurant was named Britain's best by an influential guide just a few years ago, beating the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Michel Roux Jr and Raymond Blanc, among others.

But on December 20 the couple will hang up their apron strings when they close Mr Underhill's for the last time. They've decided to call it a day and want to go out at the top of their game.

Judy says: "We shall serve our final dinne and Mr Underhill's in its current format will cease to be. It will be a very sad day after almost 35 years but we want to go out on a high. There are still new dishes to be served as well as some old, old favourites if Chris can remember the recipes.

"We hope we shall be able to fit in most of our regulars who would like to come for a final visit as we have kept some tables back for most evenings."

The Bradleys' restaurant, on the banks of the River Teme was integral to the gastronomic boom that made Ludlow the gourmet capital of rural Britain back in 2000.

And while three other Michelin star-holders came and went, Chris and Judy stuck at it. They redeveloped their restaurant, building new guest rooms, spending a fortune on a new kitchen and redesigning their dining room.

It wasn't all plain sailing: on one unfortunate occasion they were flooded when the banks of the adjacent River Teme overflowed, sending a stream of muddy water into the restaurant.

But they soon recovered and in 2010 their restaurant was named the best in the land. It won the inaugural Harden's Award for Britain's Best Restaurant, leaving Chris and Judy "gobsmacked".

At the time of the award, Judy said: "We're astonished and delighted. We're low profile. Chris never does television, he just stays in the kitchen and cooks. And I do front of house.

"We're here all the time and maybe it's proof that if you stick at it, you get it right.

"We have a lot of regulars and they seem to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere."

Since then, Mr Underhill's has maintained consistently high ratings, out-gunning larger venues that have a higher media profile. But after so many years, why are they stepping away?

Judy adds: "We are taking a break for six months for some repairs and research. The years have taken their toll so on this occasion the repairs will be to ourselves."

But will they be able to stay away from the kitchen? With no plans to sell up, is it possible that they might be tempted to return at a later date?

Judy accepts it's possible, though if Mr Underhill's does come back it won't be in its present location or format. Their cards are being kept close to their chest, though they admit any new restaurant would be "somewhere in Ludlow".

Judy adds: "The research will be into a new-style operation for us. We need a project to keep us out of mischief for a few more years."

The couple started their careers as restaurateurs in 1981. Chris was self-taught and had never worked in anybody's kitchen but his own. They created a restaurant in Suffolk, naming it after their cat, Mr Underhill.

Judy says: "When we started Mr Underhill's back in 1981 we were ahead of our time. Our original inspiration in 1980 came from France and the great three-star chefs.

"We had no money to visit France but Macmillan press were just publishing English translations of their books without any pictures. Chris was able to cobble up his own variations from them."

The couple had been working in London and took cues from fashionable restaurants such as Habitat and Conran. They then refashioned an old timber-framed house in Suffolk into a restaurant. It had previously been a pub and then a bakery. Mr Underhill's became an instant hit.

"We were a bit bewildered by the critical acclaim our little country restaurant received but recessions meant we had to wait a very long time for any financial reward.

Inside Mr Underhill's

"These were the days before celebrity chefs and too many TV programmes, so the guidebooks were a vital part of our success as we had no money for PR. Michelin, the Good Food Guide and the old Egon Ronay all supported us."

The couple moved to Ludlow in 1997 after unexpectedly discovering a perfectly-located venue by the riverside while on a visit to the town.

It was a eureka moment and they managed to buy it, converting it into Mr Underhill's. Their restaurant-with-rooms created a new trend and the plaudits soon followed.

Judy adds: "When we moved to Ludlow in 1997 the Good Hotel Guide also took us on board, then along came the Sunday Times, Harden's Guide and the local press to give us our final leg up."

The rest, as they say, is history. In 2000 Mr Underhill's and two other Ludlow restaurants received Michelin stars while a fourth received a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Suddenly, Ludlow was the most fashionable dining town in the UK and guests from around the world flocked to it.

The town's food festival, artisan producers and local independent shops made it a haven for foodies. Chris and Judy continued to push back the boundaries, delivering food that they describe as being "cutting-edge comfort food".

They maintained exceptional ratings with all of the UK's major guide books and critics. Their restaurant was described as being "a Great British success story in a town synonymous with great food".

The couple hope to return with their batteries recharged after a six-month break. They've formulated ideas, though will be keeping them under wraps until a later date. However, it seems a daytime lunch offering may be on the cards later in 2016.

Judy says: "We would like to do something else that is new and different but which allows us to be less hands-on than we have been; we have only ever missed one service each.

"We feel we have become too much of a special occasion destination and would like to be more of an 'everyday occasion' daytime restaurant than one simply serving suppers for guests staying with us.

"We already know what we want to do next but need time to do the sums and sort the details. This time we are looking further afield for ideas and are looking at some very different and exciting eating-out cultures."

The couple love their Ludlow home and are keen to keep in touch with their staff, suppliers and regulars. They also plan to defy the doubters who imagined they'd be unable to make a success of things when they started out.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who helped us along the way and also to especially thank those who tried to scupper us – they only made us more determined."

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