York’s Harp & Fiddle restaurant to open under new name

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Changes soon will take place inside and outside the former
Harp & Fiddle Irish Pub and Restaurant in downtown York.

The new operators plan to spruce up the building at 110 N. George St. and
retain the Irish pub theme, said Ken Painter, director of food and beverage at
York County-based Heritage Hills Hospitality. Heritage recently signed a lease
to open a restaurant in the building, which has been vacated since July 13 when
the Harp & Fiddle abruptly closed its doors. The restaurant is expected to open in January.

“We are going to venture to downtown York,” Painter said. “When the property
became available, we expressed some interest. We thought it would be a good way to
get involved and be part of the ongoing revitalization in York.”

The company has yet to come up with a new name for the
restaurant, Painter said. The firm recently
submitted an application for a liquor license, which could take between six and
eight weeks to be approved, he said. The approval will ultimately determine
when the restaurant will open.

Painter’s chefs at Heritage’s other restaurants are cooking
up ideas for the menu at the new eatery, which he said will include Irish fare.
Painter said he plans to hire about 20 people to staff the restaurant. The
establishment will be open for lunch and dinner and will offer a nightlife
component, as well, he said.

The firm will give the property a facelift with some deep
cleaning and reorganization before it reopens, Painter said.

“One of the things we are pleased by, as a landlord, is that
such an experienced, skilled (operator) with resources is coming into the
picture here,” said Eric Menzer, senior vice president of York County-based
Wagman Construction Inc. “This is very good for downtown York.”

An entity under the Wagman Companies umbrella controls the
partnership that developed and owns the former Harp & Fiddle building,
Menzer said.

Heritage Hills operates four restaurants in Lancaster and
York counties. It owns the Ironwoods Restaurant and Knickers Pub & Patio at
Heritage Hills
Golf Resort
& Conference Center in Springettsbury Township, York
County. It also owns the
restaurant Loxley’s at the Heritage Hotel Lancaster in East
Hempfield Township,
Lancaster County. Heritage operates Bogey Macaws
American Grille at Springwood Golf Club in York
Township, York County.