ARTISTS and designers have come up with their own colourful take on the theme of the humble pig, as award-winning independent charcuterie Friends of Ham gets ready to open its new venue in Ilkley.

Friends of Ham is run by husband and wife team Anthony,from Bradford, and Claire Kitching, who hails from the North Coast of Ireland, who following a US road trip gave up successful jobs in London to follow their dream and love of craft beer and charcuterie.

On their return they decided to launch a venue combining craft beer and a charcuterie with every item on the menu chosen with flavour in mind.

In 2012 Claire and Anthony launched Friends of Ham in Leeds, and two years later expanded the premises when the next door unit became available.

For the opening of the new bar and charcuterie, at the former Ilkley Gazette office on Wells Road, the Kitchings challenged Yorkshire artists to come up with their own pig artwork, which will be displayed in the building when it opens tomorrow (August 21).

Friends of Ham Ilkley is a homecoming of sorts for Anthony Kitching.

Anthony, or 'Kitch' to his friends, grew up in Bradford and always had Ilkley in his sights:

"Friends of Ham is a real labour of love for us. We source all the hams, cheeses and beers ourselves. The atmosphere of Friends of Ham is relaxed and fun. We don't accept bookings, it's a casual approach, and we just want to make as many Friends of Ham as possible.

"I've wanted to bring Friends of Ham to Ilkley for some time now, and when the perfect venue came up - a fabulous Victorian terrace, the old Ilkley Gazette buildings - we grabbed our chance."

During the building work they found the original wooden hand painted newspaper offices sign buried under many layers on the building’s facia – they will be displaying it inside the venue, giving a nod to the office’s former life.

They are also putting together a recipe book including customers’ favourite recipes and products from the last few years. Downstairs in the Ilkley venue is a small function room which will be used for courses and events such as beer and ham matching, wine and ham matching and meat carving workshops.

Friends of Ham Leeds opened in July 2012, and has won awards including the Observer Food Monthly Best Place to Drink UK 2014 and The Publican’s Morning Advertiser Top 50 Gastropubs 2015.