IT is hard to define what a traditional country inn is these days, such has been the changes the pub industry has been through.

Many, of course, have closed and while that is to be regretted there is also the view that many of them were run by the terminally incompetent.

Those that have survived have done so by re-inventing themselves, primarily as restaurants and undergoing extreme makeovers that have stripped out the swirly carpets, dart boards, fruit machines and pickled eggs in favour of Farrow and Ball, wine lists, posh nosh and exposed brickwork.

So finding a pub that hasn’t gone all Jamie Oliver is something of a rarity these days.

We last visited the Grange Arms at Hornby – just off the Darlington-Northallerton road at Great Smeaton – about eight years ago. After that period of time we assumed there must have been some changes – but not so.

Entering felt like slipping on a pair of your favourite comfy slippers – an impression encouraged by the sort of roaring fire which with every flickering flame demanded to be sat in front of and an ambience that could only be described as lived-in.

There are no fruit machines in the Grange Arms but we suspected there might well be a dart board and a jar of pickled eggs lurking somewhere. The carpet while perfectly serviceable has seen better days. The same could be said for most of the furnishings.

The range of pictures displayed on the walls can only be described as eclectic, and by that we don’t mean in an artistically creative good way. Some were for sale and looked as if they had been for sale for a very long time.

But Christmas had arrived and the festive decorations had been enthusiastically applied. The tree looked as if it were in imminent danger of collapse under the weight of baubles and lametta (Sylvia tells me that’s what those sparkly strips are called)

The Grange Arms food offer is traditional pub grub and friendliness-personified landlady Pam Cash presented us with two menus - an a la carte and a cut-down version for early evening eating. Strictly speaking this ended at 7pm but we got the impression that there is a degree of flexibility in this. Certainly we ordered well after seven.

Pam also suggested we stopped where we were near the roaring fire rather than taking a table in the restaurant which she admitted was a bit chilly although if wanted to eat there she could get it warmed up quickly. We didn’t need to give it a thought. We had a decent table in pole position by the hearth.

The early evening menu offered a host of standard dishes – including rib-eye steak (£10.99), lamb shank and mash (£9.99) southern fried chicken breast and salad (£7) and chicken parmo with chips and salad (also £7).

Sylvia chose grilled gammon served with a fried egg, tomato, mushrooms, salad and chips (£7) and was rewarded with a thick slice of mildly-cured ham cooked until jucily tender. The egg was a bit skizzled round the edges for Sylvia’s perfectionist approach to frying eggs but the chips were top drawer – crisp exteriors and fluffy inside.

My lamb rogan josh (£7) was just like a curry one would make at home and a very good one at that. Plenty of tender lamb in a rich and nicely spicy sauce, it was served with fluffy basmati rice. Curry aficionados would probably be a bit snooty about it but I had no complaints.

Both dishes were substantial so, as usual, sweet duties fell to me. A plum crumble flan served with custard (£4.50) was classic winter warmer. Was it stodgy? Yes and beautifully, side-stickingly so. The sponge base with the fruit filling above and a crumble topping was school dinner dessert at its best.

We were largely on soft drinks but we noted the two Copper Dragon real ales among the beers on offer. Those soft drinks – three diet Cokes – cost £6.90 which suggests this where pubs really make their money these days. The total bill was just over £27.

Service from the aforementioned Pam was charming and efficient. Husband Ray was on duty in the kitchen.

The Grange Arms may not be what many people look for in a country dining destination these days but we liked its unpretentious food and its friendly welcome. The pickled eggs are probably excellent too.

FOOD FACTS

The Grange Arms, Hornby, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL6 2JQ

Tel: 01609-881249 Web: grangearms.co.uk

Open for food: 5-8.30pm Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4pm Sunday

Disabled access. Allergies accommodated

Ratings (out of ten): Food quality 7 Service 8 Surroundings 6 Value 7