Here at the four-star Green House Hotel, Bournemouth’s most environmentally-friendly luxury boutique hotel, we never let a chance for a family celebration slip by quietly – and Father’s Day is no exception. Why not make a fuss of your Dad on 21 June with an amazing three-course Father’s Day lunch for £20 at Bournemouth’s 2-AA rosette restaurant, Arbor?
As family celebrations go it’s a relatively recent one, originating in the US where, unlike here, it’s been a permanent national holiday since 1972 – one of the things President Nixon definitely got right – following a campaign largely led by ( surprise, surprise) women.
“Either we honour both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honouring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable.” So said Senator Margaret Chase Smith in a 1957 letter to congress as part of her campaign to get the day recognised alongside Mother’s Day in the country’s official calendar.
Others say, however, that it’s Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, who should be credited with the concept, after she suggested a day celebrating fatherhood way back in 1908. She put forward the idea following a mine explosion in a nearby town which killed more than 360 men – children ought to have a day to remember and celebrate their fathers, she argued.
The date of the third Sunday in June is now almost universally recognised as Father’s Day – even in China, which moved its celebration to fit in with the international calendar. Of course there’s wide variation in celebrations – in parts of Germany, for example, it’s traditional for groups of men to go into the woods with a wagon of beer, wines and meats.
Here at the Green House Hotel, we much prefer the British tradition of the whole family getting together to honour their menfolk with a long, leisurely family Sunday Lunch. Our Arbor Restaurant serves refined British delicacies while staying true to the eco principles and sustainable roots. Our Father’s Day Lunch menu offers a selection of three traditional succulent roasts:
Your dear old Dad won’t find a better plate of meat anywhere, we promise! Take our beef. It is sourced by our favourite master butchers, Walter Rose and Sons of Devizes, Wiltshire, from Tim Johnson’s herd of outstanding Aberdeen Angus and Hereford-cross heifers at Stokes Marsh Farm. It’s all about ensuring the optimum amount of fat between the muscles, and marbling within, to guarantee superb taste and juiciness. Each piece is hung to its optimum level of maturity, treated individually, and checked daily.
All our roasts are served with Chef’s delicious garlic & thyme roast potatoes and delicious homemade gravy. Vegetarian options are also available from the A La Carte menu. And, just this once, let him forget the waistline and the cholesterol and choose from our range of homemade puddings – a modern twist on traditional, retro favourites.
Pick a table any time between 12.30 and 3pm in our chic, laid-back Arbor dining room or, weather permitting, eat al fresco on the Green House lawn.
But places are filling up fast. So to make sure your Dad has a Father’s Day to remember this 21 June, call us on 01202 498900 or email enquiries@arbor-restaurant.com to secure your table today.