The Black Bull

Traditional British Inn meets tranquil Japanese Ryokan.

2018

The Black Bull is a former 17th-century coaching inn nestled at the foot of the Howgill Fells in the Yorkshire Dales, restored and remodelled by our friends at Up North Architects. The new public bar, restaurant, commercial kitchen and boutique hotel needed an overarching brand that brings together the rugged sensibilities of the landscape, traditional British Inn atmosphere and tranquil Japanese Ryokan; reflecting the cultures and passions of owners James Ratcliffe and Nina Matsunaga.

What we did

Visual Identity Film & Photography Web Design & Dev

Close-up of a brass door pull engraved with The Black Bull's interlocking monogram
Whitewashed inn frontage with a hanging monogram sign on a narrow street, as a woman walks two dogs past
Restaurant dining room with laid tables, timber-clad walls and hanging moss-ball planters
Hotel bedroom opening onto a freestanding bath behind a glass screen etched with the monogram
Amber Natural Shampoo and Natural Conditioner bottles with ink-wash labels beside a bar of soap
Notepad with an ink-wash hills motif and pen, beside black leather key fobs showing '12' and the monogram
Black Bull menu covers pairing moody hill photography with a deep red panel, beside an evening menu
Overhead view of a plated dish of pink-cooked meat with asparagus, potatoes and jus
Shallow bowl with a pink quenelle, diced beetroot, pink fruit and fresh herbs
Wooden plate debossed with the monogram beside moss on slate and a folded linen napkin
The Black Bull stationery: letterhead, compliments slip and business cards with rolling-hills photography
Website mock-up on a desktop screen showing a misty fells homepage, on a desk against slatted panelling
Three web pages for the inn with brooding landscape photography, a plated dish and booking details
Black-and-white photograph of rolling grassy hills in deep shadow
Location page: 'Family run 17th century coaching inn set at the foot of the Howgill Fells' beside a fell photograph
Eat page headed 'We focus on the quality of our produce…' with sample menus and a plated salad
Six ink-wash treatments of hill and fell photography on a cream ground
The Black Bull monogram broken down to show its T, B and B letterforms