1331 in Grape Lane in York closing to become Fish & Forest

1331 Bar & Grill in Grape Lane close to York Minster is set to close its doors on Sunday, May 26 and undergo a major transformation.

Set over three floors, owners Sam and Jan Robinson say they plan to keep the members only pool club on the top floor and they will be opening a first floor restaurant called Potato and Sausage specialising in top quality homemade sausage and mash.

Read next:

• This York school is set to turn 150 and wants to hear from past pupils​
• Well-known York firm bought out in major deal
• Man suffers head injury at York riverside

Sam and Jan Robinson, owners of 1331 in Grape Lane, York (Image: Haydn Lewis)

But the ground floors of the building, including the outside space will be given over to their son, Stephen Andrews who is moving his restaurant Fish & Forest, currently based in Micklegate.

The 34-year-old chef founded his Michelin-listed restaurant as a pop-up concept in 2018, before opening in Spark in 2020 and then Micklegate the following year.

Stephen Andrews

Stepdad, Sam, and mum, Jan said: "What Stephen has done and what he's doing is just amazing. He's so ambitious.

"We are very proud of him and what he's done.

"He started working here as a teenager in the family business, but he got his real passion for food when he went travelling.

"1331 is closing on Sunday, May 26 which is a bank holiday and we'll be going out with a bang as there'll be a big party with Mixtape - a group of DJs in York - playing.

"We'll be running Pig and Potato, but we'll also be taking a step back. Our last function will be on the Saturday night before we finish and we held our last wedding in October last year - our first wedding was Shed Seven front man Rick Witter and his wife Claire.

"We are not doing this because we're struggling, we had a record December, but we're at a stage in life where we need to change.

"The look and feel of the place is going to change, but we employ 25 staff and all their jobs are safe. 

"We are also still in touch with a lot of our former staff and of course our wonderful regulars."

The couple say the regular SpeedQuiz will be stopping, but could be moving elsewhere.

Inside Fish and Forest in Micklegate

Speaking to The Press previously, Stephen said of the move: “The move brings new opportunities to grow the team and have more of a drinks offering so people will be able to come and have some unique cocktails, wines and chilled pints with us.

“Grape Lane is a really exciting location for us. We’re going to be doubling our capacity, which is a big step forward for us. Plans are already underway for the interior design of the new space, but it’s really important to us that it remains feeling true to the brand. So we’ll be doing a full renovation and delivering the true Fish&Forest experience.

"Our plans to extend the drinks list means bringing in a talented bar tender who will work to bring our drinks offering in line with the food, whilst remaining true to our core values of being sustainable and using local ingredients.”

Sam and Jan Robinson are about to start a new chapter (Image: Haydn Lewis)