Jim Worgan, aged 67, of West Brampton, Newcastle, is the

chairman of Newcastle Civic Society and, naturally enough, his

favourite restaurant is one of the most historic in North

Staffordshire.

I DON'T really eat out that much, but my favourite place to

go is the Ramblers Retreat in Dimmingsdale, between Oakamoor

and Alton, on the road from Cheadle.

It's an old lodge on the Alton Towers estate which used to

belong to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Supposedly it was designed by

Pugin, but we don't think it was actually. It is very isolated,

so if you didn't know it was there, you'd probably miss it.

When the people who bought it, Gary and Margaret Keeling,

decided to turn it into a restaurant, it was completely

derelict. But they renovated and restored it and it opened

about 25 years ago.

It usually only opens at lunchtime, Wednesday to Sunday. I

think they will open in the evenings if there is a booking for

at least 25 people. My wife and I used to go every Monday, but

I don't go that often now, as it's a 40-mile round trip.

You get good homecooked food there and everything is sourced

locally. It's won lots of Restaurant of the Year competitions.

It's good value for money as well. The last time I went it was

between £6 and £8 for a main course.

It's right in the Churnet Valley, so people who go there for

a meal often combine it with a walk around the area. The last

time I went, I took my grandson, and we went to look at the

deer on one of the farms nearby, and then went for a meal.

I do appreciate the history of the place. I have an

photograph from the 1930s, when it was still a lodge, and you

can see shire horses pulling logs. It was a real working part

of the Alton Towers estate.